IT Employment Question

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Right, from where and to where? We don't all work for Raytheon anymore! I can tell you among my peers, recruiters are for when you need a regular job, not an avenue to contract work.

From Salesforce (or a few selected competitors) to my wife's employer. I already have the names of the people that want. Her employer can't do it. Nobody wants an 'employee war'. But I'm not sure I want to go back to work.

It's easy to transition from 'employee' to 'contractor'. It's tough getting back.

Read the bio's of current C-level public-company executives. Their bio's are often posted at the corporate website. Better yet, talk with them. C-level executives are very approachable at the annual stockholder meetings. They love to talk about their backgrounds. It's very rare to see/hear 'Independent Contractor' in their career path.

Places like EY, Deloitte, KPMG etc are the exception. They are more of a pedigree and are not true contractors.

I have never recruited people for 'regular jobs.' Except during the Y2K era when I put 'cobol coding' grandmothers to work. That was easy money.

My specialty has always been 'stealing' under-utilized unappreciated key employees and putting them on executive-level tracks at my client employer. Salary negotiating is always tough at this level but I've been thru Trump's Negotiating Training.

You probably don't remember me. We met on Pud's FC and I tracked you over to here. I kept your old resume because I always keep files on people who I think are going places.

When I first moved to San Diego about 20 years ago, I used to hang out here: https://sdvg.org/
Met lots of good clients and up-and-comer executives @ SDVG. I probably met Susan Salka there.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by cruitr

Read the bio's of current C-level public-company executives. Their bio's are often posted at the corporate website. Better yet, talk with them. C-level executives are very approachable at the annual stockholder meetings. They love to talk about their backgrounds. It's very rare to see/hear 'Independent Contractor' in their career path.

You probably don't remember me. We met on Pud's FC and I tracked you over to here. I kept your old resume because I always keep files on people who I think are going places.

When I first moved to San Diego about 20 years ago, I used to hang out here: https://sdvg.org/
Met lots of good clients and up-and-comer executives @ SDVG. I probably met Susan Salka there.

Small world, small internet, small town!! how funny is that!

I made a decision a while back that climbing a corporate ladder to C-level was not for me. I just don't want to put in the 50-60 hour weeks, politics and face time, heavy travel. Actually spent about the last 8 years in a senior executive level at a small company and burned out from pressure and stress. The upside was I got to meet a lot of awesome people who I still work with today. Most of the folks I know who've gone out on their own have a similar story. I think that's why you rarely see CEO's with independent consulting backgrounds (although you frequently see it after they lose their last CEO job). It's definitely a choice to opt out of the typical linear career path that seems to be breaking down for a lot of folks these days.

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Small world, small internet, small town!! how funny is that!

I made a decision a while back that climbing a corporate ladder to C-level was not for me. I just don't want to put in the 50-60 hour weeks, politics and face time, heavy travel. Actually spent about the last 8 years in a senior executive level at a small company and burned out from pressure and stress. The upside was I got to meet a lot of awesome people who I still work with today. Most of the folks I know who've gone out on their own have a similar story. I think that's why you rarely see CEO's with independent consulting backgrounds (although you frequently see it after they lose their last CEO job). It's definitely a choice to opt out of the typical linear career path that seems to be breaking down for a lot of folks these days.

My wife and I made similar decisons. In the early 80s, we were on the CEO express. We both did time at EY-like companies. I got off the train because of back-stabbing politics and snail-pace advancement at the upper levels. And I'm not a 'yes man'. My wife didn't like the heavy travel and overall stress. There is management theory that says the weakest people become the CEOs.

I started my own business (actually several businesses) and she topped out at corporate 'whale sales' because she likes the client relationships, the corporate perks, and the 5-star dining. Her current CEO (who is much younger) calls her his 'right hand' deal fixer. But she refuses to get on the C-level train again. I'm glad because 'shooting the spouse' is often a CEO test.

I'm mostly retired these days but will work an executive hunt if an old CEO friend comes calling. But if they are looking for a 'purple squirrel' (that's recruiter talk for a person who I think doesn't exist), I stay on the beach and do local volunteer work. Her current CEO team gave me a couple of dozen names of people while we were in Bermuda they'd like to 'steal' with big bounty fees for me. But they want it done yesterday and I'm not sure I want to suit up again. I could easily bring in a couple of 'mercenaries' but they are not interested in 'free agents'.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

If any of you guys have been to the old IT meetups at certain bars in Mission Valley we've probably met too. Mostly late 90s through 2005.

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

If any of you guys have been to the old IT meetups at certain bars in Mission Valley we've probably met too. Mostly late 90s through 2005.

I may have been there looking for 'cobol coding' grandmothers. That Y2K era was incredible. 9/11 killed it.

True recruiters like to keep low profiles. I'd pay to attend emerging-technology trade shows just to meet movers and shakers. I always chose who to call. I rarely answered calls from people without seeing their resume first.

Unemployed people were useless to me and I never liked being bombarded with unemployed resumes or IC dossiers. Employers paid me to 'steal' working people not put splints on the 'walking wounded.' I don't write the rules. I just wanted to get paid by the employer and not waste my time.

It's sort of like in high school... most guys want the girl they can't get. The bathroom phone number girls were worthless (except on certain nights).

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by cruitr

I may have been there looking for 'cobol coding' grandmothers. That Y2K era was incredible. 9/11 killed it.

True recruiters like to keep low profiles. I'd pay to attend emerging-technology trade shows just to meet movers and shakers. I always chose who to call. I rarely answered calls from people without seeing their resume first.

Unemployed people were useless to me and I never liked being bombarded with unemployed resumes or IC dossiers. Employers paid me to 'steal' working people not put splints on the 'walking wounded.' I don't write the rules. I just wanted to get paid by the employer and not waste my time.

It's sort of like in high school... most guys want the girl they can't get. The bathroom phone number girls were worthless (except on certain nights).

These meetings were strictly arranged for those that were already working. We were on an email list and had to produce ID to even get into it that matched the list. It was a great way to meet others in IT in case you ended up wanting to move on. We've never used recruiters because we have our on HR dept but my stupid linked in account gets bombarded with them.

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

These meetings were strictly arranged for those that were already working. We were on an email list and had to produce ID to even get into it that matched the list. It was a great way to meet others in IT in case you ended up wanting to move on. We've never used recruiters because we have our on HR dept but my stupid linked in account gets bombarded with them.

Guess I never went to those meetings. Although I did carry several sets of business cards (programmer thru CIO) to get me into places recruiters weren't allowed.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by cruitr

Guess I never went to those meetings. Although I did carry several sets of business cards (programmer thru CIO) to get me into places recruiters weren't allowed.

Now that's funny. I used to just scratch out whatever stale title I had on my card and hand them out anyway

[TechGromit]

Originally Posted by Mikey88

What is a typical salary for a CISSP level security engineer with about 6yrs total IT experience.

100k+, but it depends on the market too. I don't have my CISSP yet, but do have several SANS certs, I earn over 100k a year in upstate, NY, I get maybe 120k+ in the DC area, but the cost of living is MUCH higher.