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KEL9000 · Jul 7, 2003, 07:50 PM

I am having an extremely difficult time finding a job. Does anybody have any pointers or ideas on where to look? Most jobsites are a joke and never illicit a response. I would like to develop for OSX, just wondering if anybody has had any luck in this area.

Thanks a lot,

Kelly

hayesk · Jul 8, 2003, 11:27 AM

Most jobs aren't found by putting your resume on a job site. They're usually found if you make direct contact or have a friend to help you out.

You have to work hard and contact companies directly. Figure out who's making MacOS X software, and call them up (don't just email), and ask to speak to someone in their human resources. Ask them about career opportunities. You may not get to program right from the start - keep an eye out for "Quality Assuance" jobs too - they may help you get your foot in the door.

If you have friends in the business talk to them or their coworkers as well.

bracken · Jul 8, 2003, 05:58 PM

Originally posted by KEL9000:
I am having an extremely difficult time finding a job.

It's because you don't have a pair of kneepads. You're probably being too honest and plain spoken too. Learn how to bull$h!t more. Learn how to speak in buzzwords and short commercial-like sentences. This means you're "energetic." Your resume needs work--copy and paste from others (they're doing that to you). Feed the HR people's ego with mindless dribble about how high up on the ladder they are. Trust me, they'll actually believe it. Learn how to be "positive" and a "team player" while backstabbing with the others in the lunchroom. Contact everyone you knew in high school, college, church, etc. The only way to that job is through someone else. Tell your dad that he should've got you a job straight outta college like all the other college babies.

Don't listen to advice from people that already have jobs. They've been sitting on the comfy couch and haven't had to bust their a$$ for a long time. They'll feed your mind with tales of "hard work" and "if you build it, they will come."

Whatever you do, don't be yourself.

Watch for the posts from the moral-high-grounders that respond to mine saying about how "negative" this is and only "positive" people get jobs.

Gametes · Jul 8, 2003, 06:14 PM

Whoa.
If that's all true, there's only two ways to go:[list=1][*] Kill yourself.[*] Overthrow the establishment.[/list=1]

Pick one.

KEL9000 · Jul 9, 2003, 12:50 AM

number 1 is looking pretty good at this point.

techtrucker · Jul 9, 2003, 06:17 AM

The IT industry seems pretty dead right now, I know a number of people out of work and are pursuing other career options. It sure doesn't help that so many IT jobs are being lost due to offshore outsourcing.
In a month or two I'll be out of work (sysadmin/developer for a small company), my company is folding up. I'm dusting off my class A CDL in preparation...
Best of luck to you, sorry for sounding a bit negative, you may find something and be just fine, knock on as many doors as possible.

Arkham_c · Jul 9, 2003, 07:39 AM

It's a bad time to be looking. During the boom, I had 30 calls/day (had to put in a separate phone line to handle them). I posted my resume online recently as a lark, and got back an automated response saying don't expect to hear anything and that they were getting 1000 resumes per day.

Seriously, networking (talking to people you know, and people you meet) is the only way to go in this kind of job market. Of course, you can do some networking right here. Tell people what your qualifications are, and what/where you're looking to do/work.

I've had 4 jobs out of college. I got 2 via recruiters, and 2 via networking. Both of the recruiter jobs were during the boom.

Gee4orce · Jul 9, 2003, 08:05 AM

IF you want to develop for Mac OS X then go ahead and develop something. Sell it. Employ some more people to help you - voila, a new Mac business.

Obviously, there's a bit more too it than that - but what the global economy needs is innovation and energy. It seems to have run out of both.

Working for other people sucks. Start your own business. If I had the courage, I'd do the same.

techtrucker · Jul 9, 2003, 09:14 AM

That's what I'm doing on the side...I do some contract work for a company that sells windows software for transportation companies, and since there's really nothing out there like it for the Mac I've started developing a mac version. The way I look at it...I'm only investing time, if it doesn't sell so what. If it does sell maybe it could evolve into a little niche business. And I've learned an awful lot about Cocoa in the process.