[wellylug] Few linux jobs in depressed economy

C.T.F. Jansen frank.jansen at actrix.gen.nz
Thu Oct 21 12:37:57 NZDT 2010


Greetings,
I've been looking for a linux/unix/developer/dba job for several years 
and am still quite unemployed. Did work at the university for over 16 
years, 10 as a senior systems programmer. Have installed a number of 
releases of Debian on a couple of computers at home.
Still no bites. Have a BSc from VUW majoring in computing.

If there is a lack of linux persons then an employer will take the best 
of whats there and let them learn on the job, what many are used to 
doing. If necessary put them on a course or two.

That isn't happening, therefore there is no lack of linux/unix skills.

If an employer wants the perfect person that isn't going to happen. A 
managers job is to shepherd geeks/nerds who have too much in the way of 
rubber room tendencies, if possible.

When I worked at the university a proportion of the science faculty 
graduate students, including computer science, were only there because 
they couldn't get a job and continued studying instead. When one 
graduates a reason one hears for non employment is that one lacks 
experience. This is incorrect since a larger work place has a certain 
proportion of recent graduates as trainees.
This isn't happening because there simply isn't the work out there for 
them to do. That situation has been getting a lot worse since the mid 
1980's.
People invent other reasons for, now, many being out of work. The 
obvious fact is that there simply isn't the work out there for people to do.
The school looking for a suse and novell person would rapidly find a 
most suitable person on seek. I haven't worked with either but could 
rapidly pick them up the same as any experienced technical person could.
The consistent experience of several years is that an employer with 
specific requirements such as "suse and novell" is not interested in 
anyone with neither hence there are plenty of unemployed linux persons 
out there covering a broad range of skills.
Looking at the large number of companies cutting back, closing down and 
the government departments doing the same, it should be no surprise that 
there is a "candidate rich" job market and has been for over twenty years.

Recent graduates often get jobs outside the subjects they studied. WINZ 
might have you cleaning, filling shelves or something like that ...
Good luck.

frank.jansen at actrix.gen.nz, ZL2TTS




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