Readers' Comments

Reader Comments on Aardvark Daily 11 September 2001
Note: the comments below are the unabridged submissions of readers and do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.
From: Rob K
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: can't find employees!

Bruce:

After following your column for what, two years now? I've
got to tell you...

I hire computer people:  SysAdmins, operators and
proprietary application users.  I can't fill jobs with
competent people!  I've got to get what I can and then
train them to what I need to have... So don't tell me that
people can't get jobs because there's no jobs... They have
to go to where the jobs are.  Several qualified people have
flat out told me they wouldn’t move for a job.

I'll give you an example:

I had a Senior Logistics/Systems Administration job (UNIX,
actually HPUX, and INFORMIX database).  It paid moderately
well for this area (about $55K USD per year).  It took FOUR
MONTHS to get someone to fill it that was either a
qualified Logistics Analyst or a qualified HPUX SysAdmin.
And I've still got to train the person I hired in the
specifics of the job and work on the HPUX.  Face it; WinNT
server people are out there...there's only a hand full of
UNIX people.  And HPUX is reliable.

So... What am I getting at? I had people send in resumes
that said they knew all kinds of flavors of UNIX, but had
no logistics experience.  I had all kinds of logistics
people, but they either had no computer skills or they
were "box kickers" and not global logisticians.  Most of
the applicants couldn't write a complete sentence or use
words in the proper context!  I had a "letter of
supplication for position" vice a "letter of application
for position" (at least I'll assume the person wanted to
apply for the job and not grovel for it!).

What are EMPLOYERS supposed to do?!

Rob K
Baton Rouge, LA




From: Bede
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: work in nz

After having left my employment a few months ago its taken
awhile to get job offers but they have all of a sudden
started stacking up like crazy!

the work is out there and there are interesting sites left
to do, how ever they seem to always fall under the budget
range big web business such as advantage netbyte etc are
willing to even look at. how ever for a contractor like me
its easy money with most sites taking 1 - 2 weeks, which is
a nice turn around.

also some inquires i had related to work in progress with
other companies, They basicly wanted a knowledgeable person
to prevent them getting ripped of and making sure that
projects where running on schedule and where actually at a
decent price (not all ceo's understand the work involed and
like to have some one actually confirm yes it is hard work
and they are actually doing a decent job.. and like wise
when some ones dicking them around)

there is room for good programmers and it staff.
Nz being what is, jobs are dished out by ppl who know.
call it the old boys network if you will but thats how jobs
get handed out.
example: me and a good friend of mine where sitting in
wendys queen st eating lunch, he got a ring from a guy
needing some work and was offered considerable money for it.
unfortunitly he had to turn it down because he had plenty of
work already, the other person asked if he knew one of the
other canadates, he said yes and that he had worked with him
before and that he was a good guy to work with.
then he turned to me to say he could have given me that job
if i had a ccne (I do programming not novell support)

in a way you could say its an anti cowboy mechanisim built
into the new zealand computer workforce. of course the odd
smart one who knew what to say gets in every now and again
but in short the work is there for good quilified workers
that work well with there collegues.




From: dominic
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: We're discovering something

I read your column with interest.

I'd like to use an analogy: a book. If I think of the Net
as a book, I wouldn't be surprised if I find myself coming
to an ending....there is a limit to how many pages I could
write.

If our population were a 1/10 of what it is now, I think
the Internet would be a lot smaller.

However - entering reality - an Internet page varies in
it's size and what's on it. And it's content can change,
hourly.

I don't think humanity wants to make a book that has no
ending. We have a need to stop. Take a break. And do
something different.

I think the Internet has a second life to lead; we've
completed the first. I think this will be the more
interesting part of building an "internet".

As for the web design industry. I think the industry has
changed in relation to the state of the Internet and it's
involvement with life. The Internet has a formal side. I've
met people who judge people on the basis of their
credibility. If someone wants to do something serious on
the Internet, they'll go to a company that has a track
record. And some do. In 1995, "cowboy" web designers were
able to exist. Remember what the Internet was like back
then? Informal, undeveloped, etc. A lot of people were
happy to work with those with similar credential to that of
what they were using.

The Internet has a different relationship with business
nowadays. Call it what you will, the "dot-com bursting" is
a merely an expression for a phenomenon we're experiencing.
The Internet is at a point of maturity for a level of
technology. I think we're also realising that a billing
system is required, and that payment for content is an idea
backed by reality. Nothing is free.

To me, one thing has changed: any interaction with anything
Internet always involves dealing with people across the
world. I can't remember a time when I was always dealing
with the rest of the world.

I'm happy to pay 2 cents for a visit to a web site. How can
a safe method be set up?
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