Nasty Surprise: The Story of High-Tech Jobs

[Maurice King <benadam -at- CYBERDUDE -dot- COM>]

Dear members of the List:

On December 30, 1998, I was one of 12 people in my place of work who was called up to receive the news that a corporate decision was made to downsize our site. Just one week earlier, I had been told that I would be assuming the lead position; on this day, the holding company announced that there would be no further product development and, therefore, no need for documentation. Thus ended a "permanent" job -- with no prior warning whatsoever!

In the interim, I went back to job hunting, and despite all the ballyhoo about too many jobs and not enough persons to fill them, I noted that consulting firms called me to propose the same jobs over and over. Only one firm was honest enough to tell me that there were almost no jobs to be had in the area, that the market was still weak from the year-end slump.

When I started to see job openings appear, I made my applications. Then again I experienced the Hurry Up and Wait Syndrome; days, weeks went by, and no sign of anything kicking over. I attended a career fair, in which all the companies who viewed my résumé said that I was "easily employable", but nothing else materialized from that fair. Ultimately, I accepted a short-term contract that admittedly paid well but was a very long commute from my home. I couldn't wait for the other companies to wake up -- and it could be that by the time they do, I'll have finished my contract job!

I've heard people on this list speak as if jobs are there for the taking. What am I missing here? Never have my credentials, ability, or professionality come into question, but everything moves slowly. It's a shock to me because when I was freelancing overseas, I never had a moment to myself; I stopped answering the phone during the day because I couldn't get my work done. Is this something that is characteristic of the U.S. market? I find it VERY puzzling.

Don't tell me that "companies have bigger fish to fry." Even if they do, they have to have people to do the work. I hear over and over how they "can't find good people," and I'm not surprised; good people aren't going to sit next to the phone to wait until it finally rings. I've seen respected companies keep candidates waiting sometimes six months or more, and I just don't get it.

- Maury

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