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Subject:Re: I'm taking my marbles and going home... From:Goober <techcommgoober -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 12 Aug 2002 10:53:53 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Pat.
> After a year of being out of work, I've come to the
> end of my rope. ...I've had only three actual
> interviews during this past year. I've spent over
> eleven years as an editor/business writer, and the
> Houston job market doesn't
> seem to need anyone with my background these days.
Sorry to hear that. Good luck with the studies and the
move home!
> I am interested in Web design and writing for the
> Web. Can any of you
> forecast the upcoming demand for skills in these
> areas?
Supply has already exceeded demand, I'm sorry to say.
Thanks to the dot-bomb fiasco, we have tens of
thousands of web designers looking for work, grabbing
what contracts they can for peanuts. My brother's in
the business, and is fortunate to have a stable
salaried job.
> A better field to try?
> Programming? Testing? I've got to make changes, and
> I want to ensure my
> future marketability. Any suggestions, words of
> encouragement, jokes,
> prayers, etc. are appreciated.
I know it's a hard thing to do, but please take this
bit of advice:
Screw the paycheck. For now, anyway. What is it that
you enjoy doing and think you would be really good at?
Are you very interested in programming? Or are you
just looking for a job and think programming might do
it? There are points in your life when you have to sit
back and qualify (not quantify) your life. This is one
of those times. You've been hunting for a year with
not much luck at all. Time to think about Pat, what
Pat likes to do, and what would make Pat realistically
happy. Screw the paycheck and the market, as it'll
always teeter to one side or another. If you find
something you really enjoy and are very good at,
you'll be better off.
Also, in no matter what you do, you need to keep
current with the market and the tools of the trade (at
least in knowing about them). You have to be able to
read the signs indicating change and sway with them.
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