Why can't I get a job in Austin? (Houston: contractor, living)

[winkosmosis]

I have a Geography degree from UT, 7 years experience in GIS, and I'm good at mapping and cartography. But I've never been able to even get an interview for a GIS job in Austin. I can only seem to get hired in Houston or Maui-- I worked for Maui County, moved to Houston for a year, and now I work for a small tech company on Maui again. It's far more difficult to get hired on this little island, especially living on the mainland, yet I did it twice.

But I'd rather have gotten a job in Austin. I love the city and I love the Hill Country, and I have good friends there. We're not talking about some paradise. It's a just a city and a region that I happen to like. Over a million people live there. Why can't I?

[Idlewile]

Is Maui listed as your current address on your resume? If so, that's why.

Edit: I see you're actually in Houston. Are there as many actual jobs here in Austin as there are in Houston? I would think the pool is much smaller here hence less chance of landing something?

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by Idlewile

Is Maui listed as your current address on your resume? If so, that's why.

For a year I was applying for jobs from Houston. I only got one phone interview.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by Idlewile

Is Maui listed as your current address on your resume? If so, that's why.

Edit: I see you're actually in Houston. Are there as many actual jobs here in Austin as there are in Houston? I would think the pool is much smaller here hence less chance of landing something?

I moved back to Maui a couple months ago. There are more jobs in Houston, almost all in oil & gas. But there are some in Austin.

I just don't get why they're impossible to even get an interview for.

[drshdw]

Probably more oil/energy jobs in Houston. Is your resume all over the place? Where have you applied to in Austin?

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by drshdw

Probably more oil/energy jobs in Houston. Is your resume all over the place? Where have you applied to in Austin?

I've applied to various small environmental companies, big ones like AECOM, and the state.

My resume is pretty varied... I worked for a small mapping services company in Houston, Maui County, EOG Resources as a contractor, and I did a GIS internship at Yellowstone. I have a lot of cartographic and fieldwork experience that the vast majority of GIS people in Texas don't because they've only done grunt work in oil & gas. But I've gotten passed up for every job.

[drshdw]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

I've applied to various small environmental companies, big ones like AECOM, and the state.

My resume is pretty varied... I worked for a small mapping services company in Houston, Maui County, EOG Resources as a contractor, and I did a GIS internship at Yellowstone. I have a lot of cartographic and fieldwork experience that the vast majority of GIS people in Texas don't because they've only done grunt work in oil & gas. But I've gotten passed up for every job.

Could that be because they have experience in oil & gas? Being shoehorned in oil & gas certainly doesn't hurt in Texas..

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by drshdw

Could that be because they have experience in oil & gas? Being shoehorned in oil & gas certainly doesn't hurt in Texas..

Most of my experience is oil & gas

[drshdw]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

Most of my experience is oil & gas

Ah, are you over qualified for the positions you've applied for? Have you asked the HR recruiter or whoever what qualities the other candidates had that you didn't?

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by drshdw

Ah, are you over qualified for the positions you've applied for? Have you asked the HR recruiter or whoever what qualities the other candidates had that you didn't?

Usually there is no one you can talk to, or they'll just say they chose another candidate. I'm not overqualified for any of these jobs, unless you go by pay-- they're typically "entry level" pay for jobs that require several years of experience.