[H-GEN] Linux related work in Bris vegas?

[Ben Martin]

[ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug and     ]
[ Unix-related topics. Posts from non-subscribed addresses will vanish. ]

On Sun, 2002-08-11 at 18:25, Raymond Smith wrote:
> [ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug and     ]
> [ Unix-related topics. Posts from non-subscribed addresses will vanish. ]
> 
> Hi Ben:
> 
> On Thu, 8 Aug 2002, Ben Martin wrote:
> > I turned up at a humbug meeting a while back asking some of the humbug
> > guys if they knew of a more friendly way of finding employment than
> > the use of agents and they recommended emailing the list about it, so
> > here we are.
> 
> I don't really know to tell the truth. My first job out of uni was through
> a recruitment agency and since then I have found work via 'networking';
> which is to say knowing people who know me and wanted me to come and work
> for them.

The main problem I have here is that many of the local people I know are
working for public companies like CSIRO etc, and when I ask the usual
"must be disappointing in the bank dept" they always say "...but its
very interesting work". I don't mind working for less than I can get but
things start getting a little sad when companies start offering less
than I can make performing menial physical labor. 

> 
> I think that 'head hunters' (as in people who solict you to change jobs)
> are an evil species of scum. The more general recruitment firm is not
> actually evil and can be quite useful to reduce the recruitment burdern on
> a firm. So I would not be afraid to use them. I had good luck through
> RecruitmentCentral. You would probably want to get on the books of more
> than one firm though.

I think its a thin red line between the recruitment firms and the head
hunters, IMHO most of them will place you no matter what as long as they
get a hefty commission out of the deal.

> 
> > So I am wondering if folks can recommend agents who actually know what
> > they are doing and/or are good for seeking Linux or advanced crypto
> > placements.
> 
> It sounds like you have a specific line of work (Linux + crypto) you would
> like to do. Perhaps you could try 'cold canvassing'. To do this properly
> you (I am told[1]) need to do a lot of research on the company and make a
> good case for them taking you on. (That is look at their products and be
> able to make a good case about why you will do wonderful things for them.)
> Know their products, technologies, and (if possible) future directions and
> people.
> 
> If you really do have strong credentials in advanced crypto companies to
> look at in Brisbane would be
> 
> 	Wedgetail Communications (http://www.wedgetail.com.au/)
> 	RSA Security (http://www.rsasecurity.com/)

Heh, amusing story when I was interviewing RSA, after the interview the
HR chick decided to go over stock options with me. Knowing fully well
that I have done much advanced crypto and my maths history (these things
I generally don't leave out of an interview), she paused about 10
seconds trying to work out the result of a single radix 10 shift. I was
wondering if this was a 'test' for me, but I was too insulted to help
her out. She could have atleast tested me on base 16 shifts or
something.

I had sort of given up on crypto because so much of it is with .gov
employers who pay very poorly. But I'd have thought there were some
companies in bne looking for Linux coders.

> 
> 
> OTOH, there is truth in the saying that it is easy to find a job while
> holding a job. You might be just as well off looking for work with one of
> the 'body shops' like Dialog, Technology #1, Data #3, ... for these you
> will probably need to go through a recruiter.
> 
> To be completely honest I'm not really sure how to go looking for work, or
> even where work is in Brisbane. Until a few years ago I guess this wasn't
> a skill that anyone with half a clue required :-(. So take everything with
> a grain of salt.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Raymond
> 
> [1] I was made redundant when a startup I was working for was acquired by
>     a much larger multinational. As part of my settlement I got to spend
>     $5k at the company 'recruiter'. The job hunting techniques discussed
>     largely come from there.
> 
> 
> --
> * This is list (humbug) general handled by majordomo at lists.humbug.org.au .
> * Postings to this list are only accepted from subscribed addresses of
> * lists 'general' or 'general-post'.  See http://www.humbug.org.au/
> 
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------
http://witme.sourceforge.net/libferris.web/


--
* This is list (humbug) general handled by majordomo at lists.humbug.org.au .
* Postings to this list are only accepted from subscribed addresses of
* lists 'general' or 'general-post'.  See http://www.humbug.org.au/