Someone needs to reinvent this market.
Bay Area Android & iOS groups have 50-300 attendees each month.
If you want a Ruby (or other tech) job with the big end of town in Sydney, Hit up @stevelikesyou.
I'm thinking about relocating from the States to Australia in the next few years (roughly 2015). I'm starting to feel out the best way to make a move like this happen, and one arena I'm a little curious about is employment. I can't exactly move my family halfway around the world without a job lined up, although I am willing to go to extraordinary lengths to make that job happen.
Do you think Steve would be open to answering some basic ?'s about the immigration process as it pertains to employment? If he's still in the business in 4 years he might snag a commission off me...
Edit: beilabs, same goes to you if you see this first. Any thoughts?
I would certainly be able to describe the Australian employment market. Happy to fill you in on the basics of immigration too. But just the basics, what I don't know about visas could fill a warehouse :)
I emailed the GMail account listed in your profile and look forward to having a chat.
Steve Gilles @stevelikesyou
You've done a good job of hiding your identity on HN. Drop me a note so I know who to thank :)
Before applying for a job, I would want to check out the company's home page and see "do they look competent? Do they look like they're building a product that they're proud of? Is it something that I want to be a part of?" I'd also want to check out the company on LinkedIn or other social networks, to see if they're actually thought leaders in their community, and to see if I know anyone who can give some more color on the people involved.
It's a job seeker's market out there. You may be special, but if you don't tell me who you are, I'm unable to determine whether you're really special or not.
Absolutely agree, though.
Upfront, it tells you everything you are not getting as an employee... free time, good salary or nutritious food. Then it tells you absolutely nothing about what you are getting... like you know, things an engineer might be interested in... interesting work, spiffy new programming languages etc. Instead they ramble on about how great they are and focus mostly on business figures like revenue. Even with regards to business stuff things sound scary. Revenue slopes you would not ski down on? Makes me think of plummeting revenues.
The recruiting fee on a software developer is likely to be $20K+. Half or so would be the recruiter's bonus.
How often do you put a stranger in a position where he or she can casually cost you $10,000 with no repercussions?
I can totally understand where the average developer is coming from, here. But most recruiters run the numbers and decide they'd rather work with the folks who don't need to know the company name. There's room for people who do both, but the behavior this letter decries is normal for a reason.
My biggest peeve is when they ask me to refer them potential candidates - either specifically ("can you intro me to <person x>") or generally ("do you know anyone that would fit <role>?").
Trouble is that if they are successful with the hire that could be worth $25k+ (25% of salary a good annual salary).
Sorry, but to ask me to do that without offering to split the fee with me is to make a chump out of me. No one has ever handed me $25k on a plate.
I want to work with the cool technologies I love, namely Python, Django, jQuery, Postgresql, MongoDB, and if it has to be Java it better be something cool for Android.
I need at least ${insert a very competitive salary for my region} to make a jump. I also need full time and good benefits, I don't do contract to hire.
I need a flexible work schedule, sometimes I like to come in very early, sometimes not. I also hate commuting so being able to work from home at least once a week is a must.
So far my requirements have been enough to keep most recruiters at bay.
Of couse, recruiters withhold company names because they're scared you'll go straight to the company and they won't get paid.
Therefore, you should add something to the letter like "I understand you have to make money. So my pledge to you is this: Unless I have a pre-existing relationship with the company, I promise not to go straight to them without giving you due credit."
That's a fair agreement.
It's an unfortunate side effect that it is risky for the recruiter to drop the name of the company, because the potential candidate could then bypass the recruiter, and consequently, the recruiter loses that placement commission.
"Sure, I'll be happy to recommend friends who know how to write iOS apps to you...if you give me a cut of your take."
Most job descriptions make no effort in enticing good talent. it's the here-is-what-you-MUST-know laundry list along with vague generic write up on the company. And most recruiters just forward this garbage to everyone on their list that somewhat matches the skill set.
Talented people network for themselves. They know the shops, the recruiters, the heavies, and up-and-coming...
