Dear Career Coach:
I recently got my green card and plan to move to Boston from Australia, where I have worked for three years as a network and systems management consultant. I have a B.S. in computer science, am an Aprisma Spectrum solutions engineer, and have worked with BMC Patrol, Metrix Systems WinWatch and Smarts InCharge. Which companies would be my best prospects? What's the salary range for someone with my experience?
Boston or Bust
Dear BoRB:
The Boston Globe recently published a list of the city's Top 100 companies. This is a great place to start scouting companies. Also, BostonWorks.com (bostonworks. boston.com) offers a trove of information about employment agencies and salary surveys. The median Boston salary for a network administrator is listed as $58,325.
I put your questions to Jim Mellos, CEO of high-tech recruiter Ki-Tech Executive Search. He says that having a green card will usually get a non-U.S. candidate's foot in the door, though not with defense contractors. However, Mellos warns that there is a glut of unemployed U.S. workers with skills equivalent to yours, making it difficult for U.S. companies to justify hiring a noncitizen. We strongly suggest that you line up employment before relocating. Good luck.
Dear Career Coach:
I hear a lot about H1B status and foreigners looking for U.S. IT jobs, but what about the other way around? I'm an American engineer employed in a telecom company and would like to find work in Ireland. Unfortunately, I have no family there so I have to start from scratch. Any tips? What's the tech job market like in Dublin?
Danny Boy
Dear Dan:
Begorra, but you've made a good choice! Ireland was voted most likely to be "the Silicon Valley of Europe" in an April survey of 147 senior executives by Eurocom PR Network. The survey also found that IT security, CRM and wireless telecommunications are the technologies most likely to push growth.
However, as a U.S. citizen you will require sponsorship from an employer in Ireland. Note that work permits are granted only for the duration of a work contract. Note that if you are of Irish descent, you may be eligible for dual Irish-U.S. citizenship, which would let you work anywhere in the EU. You can obtain further details from the Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (www.entemp.ie). If you want to peruse job listings, you can find a roundup of Irish newspaper sites at http://www.world-newspapers.com/ireland.html.
Online Only
Dear Career Coach:
I've loved computers since I was a kid and will be graduating from
high school in a few weeks. I'm not financially ready to go on to college, but I'm
sure no one will hire me as a computer tech without more education. What does
the military offer in the way of high-tech training?
Hacker Grad
Dear Grad:
The Air Force is generally considered the techiest of all the armed
services. You can get a list of Air Force computer-related careers at
www.airforce.com. To join any service you must pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude
Battery. Your score will help determine what careers you're eligible to train
for.
My No. 1 piece of advice: When you talk to a military recruiter, get
all promises made -- high-tech job training, station, bonuses -- in writing. Most
recruiters try hard to accommodate enlistees, but you need to protect
yourself in case one makes a promise he or she cannot keep. Remember that an
enlistment contract is binding - if you have any qualms, run, don't walk, to a
military-savvy adult who can look it over before you sign.
Send your questions to careercoach@nwc.com
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Game Plan
Many job seekers find that volunteering offers more than personal fulfillment; it can be a great source of leads and a nice addition to a resumé. If you have a desire to share your knowledge, consider SeniorNet, a nationwide, not-for-profit organization based in San Francisco that seeks to provide older adults with access to technology. SeniorNet has chapters in 38 states and is always looking to start new centers. Go to www.seniornet.org for more info.
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