RE: Job Market in the USA

["Brierley, Sean" <Sean -at- Quodata -dot- Com>]

I am very glad you have had such a positive experience, but the facts of the
matter are that, all other things being equal, human resources, the
publications manager, and everybody else involved will take the easy way out
when deciding between two candidates.

As a card-carrying Brit, and contrary to your assumption ;?), I am _certain_
not everybody on either side of the pond thinks my way. I have only worked
in two European countries, far fewer than you, and never in Asia. I have
only formally studied French, Italian, and Russian . . . and have not used
any of those in years. (And, things have tightened up in Northern
California, too, though certainly jobs do exist--I am not suggesting there
are no jobs, just that the market got tighter and competition higher).

**In no way did I even begin to suggest that "'broadening her horizons' has
been detrimental to her job prospects." These thoughts are yours. All I
_suggest_ is that competition is much tighter; all things being equal, folks
will take the easy paperwork way out, and that the poster would have had
much better opportunity in the job market of three years ago, which favored
candidates much more than today's job market does. If the particular job
takes advantage of a writer who has experience working in Europe, I'm sure
the poster will have an advantage. Otherwise, aside from personal growth,
the benefits  of broadening one's experience are tought to realize.**

Oh, I agree there are very positive Euro-centric things, including
courageously travelling to Firenze to do some work ;?). However, stop by
your local watering hole sometime and start up a conversation with a group
of professionals about "Americans."

Cheers and grins,

Sean<bR>
sean -at- quodata -dot- com

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	thomasburke999 -at- netscapeonline -dot- co -dot- uk
> [SMTP:thomasburke999 -at- netscapeonline -dot- co -dot- uk]
> Look, sorry I don't want to get into an argument about this AND I know not
> every one in North America thinks your way, but:
> Lisa asked a polite question and you tell her that her "Broadening her
> horizons" has been detrimental to her job prospects?
> 
> You say it is difficult to check references? It may come as a surprise but
> Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia, and South America do have; Email,
> telephones, websites, postal services!!
> 
> In my experience (Not my personal belief) the reason why US authors find
> it difficult to find work outside North America is because the rest of us,
> not matter what flavour of English, spell words properly. :-)
> 
> I agree, there are "Euro-centric" things, including; travelling to
> different countries, experiencing different cultures, learning new
> languages and working away from home and these are considered courageous
> things and these achievements are to be admired.
> 
> Personally, I've worked in 11 countries of Europe - Learning a smattering
> of 7 languages including both flavours of Gaelic and will gladly accept a
> new contract anywhere in the world.
> 
> Finally, to answer Lisa's question: I have returned from a contract in
> California, (Admittedly the wrong side of the country) and there seems to
> be a lot of work in the North of the state.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*** Deva(tm) Tools for Dreamweaver and Deva(tm) Search ***
Build Contents, Indexes, and Search for Web Sites and Help Systems
Available now at http://www.devahelp.com or info -at- devahelp -dot- com

A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and 
three and a half days of immersion in the state of the art:
IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe.  http://ieeepcs.org/2001/

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit 
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.