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A Bad Time to Be A Professional

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11–20 of 27 posts

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#11
post #7

All the evidence available to me suggests that, however bad things may look for long-term employment in IT and CS, the market for freelance talent is strong --- enough so that we've been left wondering for the past 6 months if our business is countercyclical.

The freelance talent market is strong, really? You have any friends looking for a LAMP hacker?

I'm looking for HTML/CSS work right now. I'm having trouble finding one of my usual sources that isn't booked up.

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#12
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The freelance talent market is strong, really? You have any friends looking for a LAMP hacker?

I'm looking for HTML/CSS work right now. I'm having trouble finding one of my usual sources that isn't booked up.

I may be able to help you out. zackster@gmail.com

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#13
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm looking for HTML/CSS work right now. I'm having trouble finding one of my usual sources that isn't booked up.

I may be able to help you out. zackster@gmail.com

For what it is worth, if you are actively looking for work a more professional email address would be better. Ideally, it should be something like 'zburt@mydomain.com' (or zach.burt, zach, etc) where mydomain.com hosts your resume, professional blog, portfolio, etc.

If that isn't feasible, even your school email address would be pretty good (a free domain isn't a deal breaker, but would rank pretty low for me) - but the local-part should be more professional than 'zackster' or 'zackattack.'

Nothing wrong with using nicknames/handles for personal stuff, but I would shy away from doing so while actively asking for work.

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#14
post #2

Yikes! These numbers are scary. A 10% decline in engineering occupations in just 8 months? The 10% decline was in "Engineering and architecture occupations," it would be nice if the two were separated out. We had a massive housing bubble and construction boom. It popped. In light of that it is hardly surprising that Architects had a major fall off.

The 10% decline was in "Engineering and architecture occupations," it would be nice if the two were separated out.

Good catch, and your comment on the housing bubble seems apropos.

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#15
post #2

Yikes! These numbers are scary. A 10% decline in engineering occupations in just 8 months? The 10% decline was in "Engineering and architecture occupations," it would be nice if the two were separated out. We had a massive housing bubble and construction boom. It popped. In light of that it is hardly surprising that Architects had a major fall off.

Also separate engineers. Civil and construction engineers were poleaxed since the bust.

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#16
I know that personal experience is anecdotal, but I have a full-time job and a wide choice of side gigs that I can pick up. I don't even say this to gloat, it just seems like the news outlets are blowing it out of proportion (as always)

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#18
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I may be able to help you out. zackster@gmail.com

For what it is worth, if you are actively looking for work a more professional email address would be better. Ideally, it should be something like 'zburt@mydomain.com' (or zach.burt, zach, etc) where mydomain.com hosts your resume, professional blog, portfolio, etc. If that isn't feasible, even your school email address would be pretty good (a free domain isn't a deal breaker, but would rank pretty low for me) - but…

From the sound of it, he's the one offering work, not looking for it.

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#19
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I may be able to help you out. zackster@gmail.com

For what it is worth, if you are actively looking for work a more professional email address would be better. Ideally, it should be something like 'zburt@mydomain.com' (or zach.burt, zach, etc) where mydomain.com hosts your resume, professional blog, portfolio, etc. If that isn't feasible, even your school email address would be pretty good (a free domain isn't a deal breaker, but would rank pretty low for me) - but…

I make an exception for Gmail addresses when it comes to non-professional. I know that you can get free Google Apps and all that, but I'll generally trust someone on Gmail. Doesn't mean you can get away without a live blog/portfolio site, however.

Re: A Bad Time to Be A Professional

#20

I know that personal experience is anecdotal, but I have a full-time job and a wide choice of side gigs that I can pick up. I don't even say this to gloat, it just seems like the news outlets are blowing it out of proportion (as always)

What you said.

My little slice of the Japanese countryside is heavily invested in manufacturing. There are 6,000 Brazilian factory workers in my town. About 5,000 of them are out of work right now, and many have taken a government offer where they'll pay for your plane ticket if you leave the country and promise to not come back.

Meanwhile I'm in an air-conditioned office, just got a positive performance evaluation, will receive my bonus on time this summer, and have job security that the Pope would envy.

We don't even know how good we have it some days.

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