I need a job.....=(

[eof]

I need a job or at least I need to feel like I am doing something to make myself more marketable. I graduated with a bachelor of computer science in May. Since then I have taught myself Visual Basic, PHP and became A+ certified.

What to do next?....This sucks because I am running out of things to "pick up in the meantime" and really have no job prospects at all. Are there any certifications which would make me extremely marketable? I am starting to look at the security ones a little bit and they look pretty good..... :confused:

[stoopid]

Cisco router security certs are good for showing your ability to work abstractly at an administrative level (MCSE is second best), but at this time most markets are flooded with over qualified and experienced unemployed folks... so I suggest looking into management for the time being, and keep circulating your resume (ie -- don't give up).

[Ageek]

The security certs for XP are hot right now with all teh email viruses, and you might pick up knowledge on email server admin. ISPs will be looking for folks who can rule block things like part of teh Blaster.B spread which was secondarily spread by email servers being set to return to sender with virus email they recived by some folks who did not care. I got Comcast to rule block one such that hit my Linux surfing box with 16 such in 24 hours and theaders proved the sender used Outlook Express and was probably Blaster.B itself and there are now several million AT&T and Comcast customer who get ZILCH from that server or even the ATM used to relay (SPAM server, one less on web).

[Tex]

Where you at ? I mean location wise and how are you searching for a job.

email me if you want to do this offline.

Tex

[Clutch]

You should be able to find a job pretty easy, considering your qualifications and degree. Where do you live at? Maybe you need to start looking at city's near you for openings, sometimes relocating is a good thing for jobs.

[eof]

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Not really a tech hotspot but still there are some job postings. I have had 2 interviews in 4 months....

Basicly I have a few contacts and one got me an interview but I didn't get that job. I have been applying for stuff over the net but that seems pretty hopeless. Job boards have a ton of ditch digging and security guard jobs but nothing really that would appeal to me.

I have a friend that is dropping my resume off next week to the HR guy when he gets off vacation so I might get an interview there. It is pretty fustrating just because I am a strong programmer and have a well rounded understanding of computers. Just need a break.....

My experience is what is killing me right now I think....

here is my resume.... http://www.c-maxwell.net/resume.php

It is a little old but the only thing I have really changed since that revision is a non-profit webpage that I did.

[Morning_Wood]

If all else fails......

you may have to hire a head hunter and tailor your resume to a target company,

a head hunter can "pre screen" you, and companies usually pay for his services once you're hired.

get rid of the irrigation stuff....

call it "hydrological distribution engineer" or something.....

[versello]

I'm working on getting a tech job myself. I have an interview coming up next week (/me is nervous as shitez) at a large web hosting company.

One thing I've noticed on a lot of tech jobs is that they require top secret clearance :|

edit: Some things you want to include on your resume is a name/address/phone/email at the top.

Also, try combining summary and computer skills into just "summary". Since you're a graduate with a CS degree (damn you! I had a year of college, majoring in CS... programming is easy as pie for me, but the math killed me. so I want to major in some other computer degree :( ), it's somewhat implied that you have computer skills.

Accomplisments are also good to list at the bottom, such as yer non-profit webby and anything else. Also add any awards at
bottom if applicable.

Also include the months of which you've worked as an irrigation technician.

Looks good otherwise IMO. If you're tailoring towards a programming job, then it's a good thing you mentioned your programming language experience first.

Maybe some other veterans in the job market can give you some tips.

I had a friend that works with Symantec's Security Response team take a look at my resume and give me some pointers. He really helped out :) One thing he told me (he sometimes does the screening of resumes for potentials) was that at most he gives each resume a 30-second look, then filters out which ones will be actually read later on; so try to include all the important stuff for a job you're applying for at the top.

Another thing you could do is send your resume and source code to various software-related companies to look at... and get your portfolio up ASAP :D even if it looks crappy (eg, mine @ http://www.fluctuate.ca/~michael)

[eof]

Originally posted by Morning_Wood
If all else fails......

you may have to hire a head hunter and tailor your resume to a target company,

a head hunter can "pre screen" you, and companies usually pay for his services once you're hired.

get rid of the irrigation stuff....

call it "hydrological distribution engineer" or something.....

Yeah...I don't know man. If I was looking at a resume and someone wrote "hydrological distribution engineer" I would laugh honestly. I am not really big on churching shit like that up....That position sounds kinda trivial maybe but they were trying to get me to return all summer. It proved that I had a ton of devotion to my job....(80+ hours a week)

[Morning_Wood]

remember......

my experience is that most applicants have good credentials, but blow it in the interview. blow it big time....

i.e. they don't extensively study the company they are interviewing with. like reading past annual reports, and at least knowing where the company does business.

normally, if you get invited to lunch w/ the big boss, it means that the morning interviews went well enough to get you to that point.

even your table manners will be scrutinized, so be aware of how you handle yourself.

and don't have a screen ID like I do.

[eof]

Originally posted by versello
I'm working on getting a tech job myself. I have an interview coming up next week (/me is nervous as shitez) at a large web hosting company.

One thing I've noticed on a lot of tech jobs is that they require top secret clearance :|

edit: I put my resume online if you want to give it a look. It's at http://www.fluctuate.ca/~michael/resume.html

Some things you want to include on your resume is a name/address/phone/email at the top. I took mine out coz I dont want ppl stalking me, of course :D

Also, try combining summary and computer skills into just "summary". Since you're a graduate with a CS degree (damn you! I had a year of college, majoring in CS... programming is easy as pie for me, but the math killed me. so I want to major in some other computer degree :( ), it's somewhat implied that you have computer skills.

Accomplisments are also good to list at the bottom, such as yer non-profit webby and anything else. Also add any awards at
bottom if applicable.

Also include the months of which you've worked as an irrigation technician.

Looks good otherwise IMO. If you're tailoring towards a programming job, then it's a good thing you mentioned your programming language experience first.

Maybe some other veterans in the job market can give you some tips.

I had a friend that works with Symantec's Security Response team take a look at my resume and give me some pointers. He really helped out :) One thing he told me (he sometimes does the screening of resumes for potentials) was that at most he gives each resume a 30-second look, then filters out which ones will be actually read later on; so try to include all the important stuff for a job you're applying for at the top.

Another thing you could do is send your resume and source code to various software-related companies to look at... and get your portfolio up ASAP :D even if it looks crappy (eg, mine @ http://www.fluctuate.ca/~michael)

Thanks....all sounds like good advice. Good luck with your interview.

[eof]

Originally posted by Morning_Wood

and don't have a screen ID like I do.

Don't have to worry about that cause I think your screen ID is ghey....

[Morning_Wood]

ghey?...hey wait a minute

http://www.getodd.com/stuf/morngwood.html