[PLUG] Networking and job search resources...

[Fred Stluka <fred@bristle.com>]

Ron Kaye Jr wrote:

Things change quickly- i am currently available

In the last several months, I have been involved with Linux server/application projects
for a developer project at the? major video on demand company.
Work was done on RHEL 5.x, CentOS 5.x, and Ubuntu 9.x.
Servers were both physical and virtual (Infinisphere on the Terramark cloud)
I developed a SNORT Intrusion Detection System.
I setup a variety of applications to include the Nessus PortScanner, Webmin, Nagios, etc.

I also have extensive VmWare (ESX host/VCenter) experience with Computer Science Corporation 
at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital System client. I was involved in the original server builds
and the setup of clustering, high availabilty, vmotion, etc.
I performed daily admin tasks to include templates, clones, and p2vs, etc.
I enjoy working in the Vmware environment.

Hear anything? Let me know.

Ron Kaye Jr
914-7294734
  

Ron,

I'm not sure if we've ever met at the PLUG West meetings, but I may
be able to help you out, with general advice, and perhaps specific
job leads.  As I've probably mentioned on the PLUG list, I keep in
touch with lots of people via e-mail, my Web sites, and my daily tips.
See:
    http://bristle.com/invite.htm

Aside from the technical tips, there are two lists that may be of
specific interest to you:
    Job Wanted (people looking for work as an employee)
    Consultants
I get a pretty steady stream of offers for employment and/or consulting
assignments, and I generally forward them to one or both of these lists
if I don't have the time or inclination to take them on myself.

Please let me know if you want to be added to any of my lists.

Meanwhile, some generic advice I've sent to those lists in the past:

Here are some tips about networking to meet people and find a new job:

1.  Use the professional networking sites (LinkedIn, Plaxo, etc.) and
    social networking sites (MySpace, FaceBook, etc.) that have started
    popping up lately.  See:
        http://bristle.com/~fred/#networking

2.  Use the job boards (Monster, Dice, etc.).  See:
        http://bristle.com/~fred/#jobs

3.  Attend the local user groups and join their mailing lists.
    Personally, I attend the local Java, Linux, Agile, and Spring
    meetings.  For a list of local groups, see:
       http://www.phillygroups.org/
       http://www.phillygroups.org/community/Calendar
       http://www.phillygroups.org/community/GroupDirectory
    Hmmm... Someone seems to have trashed the Wiki recently.  Bummer!
    Hopefully, they'll fix it soon.  It was a calendar of upcoming
    meetings and a list of local user groups.  Anyhow, you can still
    find my links to the ones I attend at:
        http://bristle.com/~fred/#computer_societies
  
4.  Consider attending a computer conference to meet people and update
    your skills.  Even some of the cheapest and most local ones have
    really good speakers on the hottest IT topics.  I've been attending
    the local Emerging Technologies conferences every year.

        http://www.phillyemergingtech.com/
        - Local (Conshohocken) and cheap ($240)

        http://www.nofluffjuststuff.com/
        - Local (Philly, NJ, NY, DC) and expensive ($1000)

        http://java.sun.com/javaone
        - Remote (San Francisco) and expensive ($1500-$2500)

        http://bristle.com/~fred/#events
        - More computer conferences and other events

5.  Sign up for the TPNG mailing list:
        http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/philly-tpng/
    It's the Philly chapter of TPNG ("Technical Professionals
    Networking Group"), which is a group of people in the Philly area
    who are actively networking to help each other find and fill
    technical positions.  They meet monthly to discuss hiring issues,
    meet face to face, share information, coach each other on job
    searches and candidate searches, etc., and they also have a very
    active mailing list.

    I signed up a while back and have received a pretty steady stream
    of IT job postings since.  Usually 2-3 per day, many of them for
    high level positions like senior developer, system or DB admin,
    architect, CIO, CTO, etc.  I haven't bothered to forward them to
    my list, since everyone on my list can apply for membership
    directly.

6.  If you want to become an independent consultant, let me know.
    I'll be glad to meet you for lunch to discuss the pros/cons, give
    you a simple formula to estimate your expenses and decide whether
    it makes sense for you, etc.  If you seem like a good fit, I'll
    even recommend you to the consulting agency that I've used happily
    for over a decade.  They do a great job of finding you clients,
    and they manage the client relationship, including billing, rate
    re-negotiation at contract renewal, etc., but they pay you almost
    all of the hourly rate that they bill the client.  It's been a
    great deal for me since 1996.

7.  Attend the occasional "LinkedIn Live" events, organized by my
    friend Geoff Rhine.  GSK has had major layoffs every year for
    the past couple years, so when Geoff finally got laid off
    himself, he started networking with lots of people, and has
    organized a couple of these events.  He brings together a bunch
    of recently unemployed IT people, a bunch of recruiters, and a
    bunch of hiring managers, in a face-to-face meeting (as opposed
    to the regular LinkedIn.com virtual connections) in places like
    KoP, Philly, Cherry Hill, etc.  Usually 100 or more attendees.
    Contact Geoff for more info:
        mailto:RhineG@hotmail.com
    Bring lots of business cards to hand out.

8.  Contact Dave Fecak:
       dfecak@jsync.com
    Dave is a local recruiter friend of mine who specializes in Java.
    He also runs the Philly Java Users Group, which meets monthly in
    Unisys in Malvern.  He's always looking for more Java programmers
    and architects.

    For more info, see: http://jsync.com/

    Be sure to mention my name since, as a professional recruiter,
    Dave pays referral fees.

Hope this helps!
--Fred
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Fred Stluka -- mailto:fred@bristle.com -- http://bristle.com/~fred/
Bristle Software, Inc -- http://bristle.com -- Glad to be of service!
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