Its been a year since I was on here: How bad is the job market? (Austin: health insurance, condo)

[atxcio]

For such a bad job market, it sure seems like Austin companies are offering a lot of outside-of-Austin applicants jobs... you figure if everyone here was so overqualified and underemployed, companies could just take their pick of local talent.

[Trainwreck20]

When hiring, I don't care where you are from, or where you live, just what you can do.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

When hiring, I don't care where you are from, or where you live, just what you can do.

Makes sense, but why can't businesses find people "who can do that" here? Surely if someone here were equally qualified, it might be cheaper and quicker to hire the local. Are there just not that many qualified people here in certain specialties? Or are they all employed?

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Makes sense, but why can't businesses find people "who can do that" here? Surely if someone here were equally qualified, it might be cheaper and quicker to hire the local. Are there just not that many qualified people here in certain specialties? Or are they all employed?

In my little niche of IT, many potential applicants have done time at the State or have graduated recently from a TX university. For my field and what I need to hire, these candidates aren't learning the required skill set at State agencies and all of the TX universities are at least 10 years behind the curve. My last 4 hires have been from AZ, AZ, MS, and OH.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

In my little niche of IT, many potential applicants have done time at the State or have graduated recently from a TX university. For my field and what I need to hire, these candidates aren't learning the required skill set at State agencies and all of the TX universities are at least 10 years behind the curve. My last 4 hires have been from AZ, AZ, MS, and OH.

So would that then imply that Austin candidates are not "underemployed and overqualified" as is so often stated on this forum? And that tech jobs here aren't being filled with the glut of of work-for-cheap UT recent graduates?

It's an interesting take certainly for the out-of-towners looking at moving to Austin... especially given so many threads about how terrible the job market is here, particularly for skilled positions, especially for outsiders.

[Trainwreck20]

it might be cheaper and quicker to hire the local

Quicker is a dangerous requirement for a job hire. Although we obviously expect you to start work soon (2 to 3 weeks), almost everyone (in or out of town) can manage that, so it has not been an issue. As for cheaper - maybe it is for the applicant (no moving expenses, already established, etc), but we do not pay moving cost, so there is no difference for us. We are offering a salary based on their resume, not their location.

Now, we do hire probably more locally from Texas and have several Austin natives, but that is probably due to the fact that we are a locally grown company and that it helps a resume to know the state regulations.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by atxcio

So would that then imply that Austin candidates are not "underemployed and overqualified" as is so often stated on this forum? And that tech jobs here aren't being filled with the glut of of work-for-cheap UT recent graduates?

It's an interesting take certainly for the out-of-towners looking at moving to Austin... especially given so many threads about how terrible the job market is here, particularly for skilled positions, especially for outsiders.

I wouldn't say that. My niche has maybe only 300-400 people in the Austin metro area in it and probably 75% are employed in the public sector. Unfortunately, the public sector isn't preparing entry level candidates for advanced positions in the private sector and most entry level jobs in my field are in the public sector. It's a vicious circle that has caused me to find better 3-5 year candidates elsewhere. I'll hire from anywhere but I have never been impressed with many in my field locally.

[sliverbox]

I don't want to sound like a total A-hole, but if you're someone like me and lived and worked in Silicon Valley for years, It means you've dealt with working in an extremely competitive, sometimes brutal working environment. So I'm "battle-tested". That means we might bring a lot of experience to the table when it comes to moving to another city that might not be as tech-centric. I am in no way trying to put Austin down since it is where I want to move someday. But bringing a lot of experience from somewhere else might be a good thing. Flame away...

[thesonofgray]

Originally Posted by sliverbox

I don't want to sound like a total A-hole, but if you're someone like me and lived and worked in Silicon Valley for years, It means you've dealt with working in an extremely competitive, sometimes brutal working environment. So I'm "battle-tested". That means we might bring a lot of experience to the table when it comes to moving to another city that might not be as tech-centric. I am in no way trying to put Austin down since it is where I want to move someday. But bringing a lot of experience from somewhere else might be a good thing. Flame away...

sliverbox

[Exiled Texan]

Originally Posted by jobert

That's absurd, but believable. I see alot of that here, and hang out with a few people who have that type of arrangement - but I don't judge them for it. Maybe it's a southern thing. When I see someone with my same level job, my age, children, with a SAHW, but living in Tarrytown, for example - it's pretty obvious what's going on. I'm not bitter about it, but I will not take their uppity attitude about it.

Why are the baby-boomers subsidizing their children like this? Are they trying to keep on good terms with them so they don't get placed in bad nursing homes? Perhaps it is the smaller family dynamic that is funneling this wealth.

It's not a Southern thing. It is VERY common in NYC, practically the norm. The rents just have the cash. I may do it too if I'm so lucky.