I heard IT jobs in the US were down recently but it seems just like this in the UK.

I've been searching everywhere for jobs for the last few months and only come up with perhaps 5-10 IT jobs I am able in.


Has anyone else noticed this? Or had problems getting a job? It makes the running your own hosting business idea seem good (mind I wouldn't do it)!

Not to mention I can work in London if need be and still can't get any jobs :(, and I think I have a pretty good C.V and skills.



So what do you think?

oh, welll I think, oh wait, im not unemployed, heh. I always confuse what exactly an IT job is. Would being a support rep count? Cause I think its mainly location for jobs like that. I have heard it before and I belive it. I mean where I am now living, there isent a huge demand for techs, but some companies like the one I work for, hire a fair amount of people. At then end of augest, it will be about 16 support reps and 3 devolpers in total. Thats not bad for a company that currently had just under 200 workers in total. I guess another problem with getting a job would be work experience, most companies I think would want that in someone.

I can't say that I'm an "unemployed bum", but I do work for a smaller company and am in-tune with our hiring process. I'll tell you that in the last year, especially in this area (Northern Virginia), the market has become saturated with qualified IT workers who've been laid-off from their previous jobs. The trend I'm seeing is that people with mid-level skills (nothing wrong with that - everyone has to work their way up, myself included) are being looked over in favor of people with top-notch skills who will work for mid-level salaries because they need a job and are competing with other top-notch canidates. It makes job hunting in IT very difficult, especially for folks like recent grads (of which I know several) who can't even get through the door most of the time.

Keep in mind, I live in a very tech-savy/saturated area so this may not be reflective of everywhere.

That sounds just about right, so I think getting the foot in is a trifle difficult at the moment :(

Something should come up somtime thought I suspect it won't be my ideal field of work

Around here, there are too many techs, and not enough jobs.

I work in the Boston Massachusetts market and the case is similar. Luckily I have a good job making decent money and I found it after the big market problems. The competition around here is VERY tight. Even if you can find a position to apply for your competition is very heavy. I feel for many of my friends in the market looking for work currently.

IT spots in the US are like single women in Alaska :D

The jobs are there, but you have to have the contacts. I have been on interviews with four different companies since I got laid off in June and that is four more than most of the people who got laid off with me.

You have to know people, or know people who know people, and possibly even know people who know people who know people. Then you have to jump on every opportunity you can...

Also, you have to be willing to help others. Several of my friends are in the same situation as I am. If I see an opportunity that fits their needs I get it to them right away...sometimes I will even forward their resume, if I think an opportunity is limited. They do the same for me...companies are hiring IT people. In Northern VA, there are 1,000s of IT jobs, but you have to get past the HR Monkey to interview for the job.

Always remember, the HR Department exists solely to weed out people. The hiring manager is the one you need to get to, the one you have to convince that you are better than the 100 other candidates looking for a job. If you can get to the hiring manager without going through HR you stand a better chance.

Let me put it this way...it took me 152 days to get a full time IT job in Central FLa. Many of my former colleagues are still with no jobs. See official counter here: http://www.cavusucks.com/

I got laid off and after 3 months a friend of mine got me an interview. Without that contact I would have been screwed for god knows how much longer. Another down-side to being a tech worker is the high salaries we are paid. When you hit unemployment you go from high 5 figure/6 figure salaries to McDonalds wages. Painful. I was just lucky to only be out of work for 3 months.

I def. agree with uuallan you need contacts more than anything else. Most HR departments can't determine a good candidate from a hole in the wall.
Sadistikal

The best of the best in IT wins. If you know your stuff and you have a name that people recognize you will not have a problem getting a job. If you just learned how to use Apache and think you're a professional sys admin, then good luck finding a REAL job. Also, a lot of people from other countries like India have employers here in USA. They work for cheap and that's the main goal of an employer even though they might not do a good job (i'm not saying they don't).

Yes, you have to be good. And, you need good contacts.

job market blows ATM

I consider myself to have a good resume for someone who has jut finished full-time education, with good experience in web dev, networking, hosting, hardware, software etc. I don't deny my *nix knowledge is next to none but I just seem to have problems finding jobs catering for a "junior" as I suppose you would call it.

Contacts is something I have a lack of - i think it's difficult to get contacts without ever having had full-time employment in your field.

I hope I'll get there in the end, somebody must want an employee who may only know a little bit less than someone with proper experience but will take half the pay packet.

Yep, IT market is pretty bad alright.

Down here in Australia, the web and support fields are pretty bad - it's not uncommon to get over 300+ applications for a single helpdesk position paying **** money..... Web jobs (frontend developing particularly) are nearly non-existent. There are the occasional sysadmin/backend programming jobs, but a lot of the IT jobs advertised require arcane/obscure skills; lots of project managing; and sales.....

Yeah, no shortage of project managing jobs paying £40-50k but just nothing for the rest of us :(

Exactly! grrr.

perhaps i should setup unemployedhost

Originally posted by Shyne
The best of the best in IT wins. If you know your stuff and you have a name that people recognize you will not have a problem getting a job.

That's absolutely not true. It is more about who you know then how good you are. I know some excellent sytem administrators, with years of experience, who cannot find jobs. It goes back to the same problem I pointed out before: you have to get past the HR dweebs. HR Dweebs won't know who you are...your name means nothing, you are just another resume to them, and if you don't have the right level of education, the right experience, or the right certifications, you won't even get an acknowledgement.

Originally posted by The Laughing Cow

Contacts is something I have a lack of - i think it's difficult to get contacts without ever having had full-time employment in your field.


Not true, you have lots of contacts, in fact if you went to high school or college, you have a school's worth :). Your contacts are everyone you know -- but you have to use them.

My brother works as a processor for a bankruptcy attorney, they are hiring like mad right now (go figure). A friend of mine was looking for an entry level IT job, his firm was looking for a fourth IT person. Yes, he is setting up Dell Computers, yes he is installing Powerpoint, and the only thing he gets to do to the router is dust it :D. But it is a job, and he is using it to build his resume while he is looking.

It never would have occurred to him to look for a position at a law firm, and it was only because I knew he was looking that I could mention it to my brother...etc.


I hope I'll get there in the end, somebody must want an employee who may only know a little bit less than someone with proper experience but will take half the pay packet.

You will, just let everyone you know you are looking, let them know you don't mind racking and stacking, and doing the "grunt work". Someone out there needs you to install Powerpoint on 100 computers...and you probably know someone who knows that person.

Well i'm trying to think ;)

My dad's got a few contacts he is going to talk to but i'm not holding out for anything. I have sent of application forms and have had some interviews but nothing to light yet.

I'm happy dusting router ;)