Information Technology Companies Question (Orlando: headhunter, house, job market)

[fatcat4009]

Just doing some research on the area and was interested what information technology companies are located in the Orlando area. I'm not necessarily looking for corporate headquarters, just IT employers. I have some family in the area and am thinking of moving there.

FatCat

[Starr2009]

Good luck with this question! I asked pretty much the same one several months ago when my husband was unemployed.

The stock answer...unless you are actually living in the area, forget about it because the 'locals' also have a high unemployement rate.

I wish you luck!

[douknownam]

It's been a while since I've been in the area, but you can look up the following (just a few):

Convergys
Fiserv
Metavante (use to be Kirchman)
Fidelity National Info. Services (branch location)

Those are the ones I know of... the last 2 I worked for, so I'm positive they're there.

[Pete C]

There are a lot of IT companies around, as Orlando is supposedly becoming the tech city of Florida. Unemployment is high right now, as everyone knows. I assume this will change. The best way is to search for jobs through a job website to see what is out there. You would have to live here to even be considered though.

[d070033]

In Orlando specifically and in IT in particular, it will be what do you bring to the table. I know of and have interviewed folks with IT undergraduate degrees, an MBA and certifications to go with years of experience and they are unemployed. Its one thing to be an IT worker with experience, but to compete you better have the additional credentials because you need to stand out.

[annerk]

And generally speking employers won't even talk to you until you live here, unless you work through a headhunter to get your foot in the door.

[Stray_Dude]

As a former IT employer myself, it wouldn't have really mattered to me if you didn't live there yet. If you can stay with your family in Orlando, then apply for jobs there and show up for interviews. Don't expect most companies to pay for interview travel and relocation nowadays. And figure out a place to live etc so you're ready to work soon. In other words, if you're willing to handle your own travel/relo and make it transparent to the employer, then it's all the same to them. From what I hear from others I know in the industry, that hasn't changed much nowadays.

I don't live in Orlando (yet), so I don't know the actual companies, but even if you knew the company names, it would be next to impossible to get their attention. Scour all the job sites and apply for jobs, and yes, connect with headhunters.

One last thing -- adjust your resume to each specific job. Don't lie, but eliminate or take focus off of skills that are not required for each position.

[annerk]

Stray_Dude--here in the Orlando market it's different as far as out of town applicants. Too many waste everyone's time chasing the dream of sand and sun, and then when it comes time to negotiate salary want wayyy more than this area demands, or realize that the cost of living is relatively high here compared to salries, or when push comes to shove, they decide they don't want to leave family and friends.

Local applicants don't need extra time before a start date to arrange to move. They don't want relocation assistance. They already have thier childcare in place. They don't need to take time off to meet with a Realtor or go to DMV to change over thier license. If you call them for an interview, they can be there that day or perhaps the following day. They don't have to make flight arrangements and figure out who will care for thier dog while they are gone.

The last time I placed an ad and vetted resumes for an I/T job was three years ago. It was when the job market was so-so, before it became dismal. I specified "Local Applicants ONLY" and still got over 400 resumes from as far away as Russia. About 50 were from outside the US, 150 were from people in NY/NJ/CT/MA/PA, 15-20 were from other parts of the country, and the rest--many of whome were very qualified--were from the Greater Orlando area. A company doesn't need to go outside this are to find a solid employee these days, and it's just not worth the hassle to do so when there is already a talented labor pool at their fingertips.

[Stray_Dude]

Exactly, hence my comment about making the move transparent to the employer.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Stray_Dude

Exactly, hence my comment about making the move transparent to the employer.

It's not that easy. Here's my story. My husband and I built a home in the Orlando area. It was not a vacation rental, but a "real" house in a "real" neighborhood. It was furnished. We even had a car here in Florida that was registered and insured here.

I was working in NJ and wanted to move to Florida. I applied for hundreds of jobs using my Florida address and telephone on the resume. (The calls were forwarded to my cell.) First question every time: "So you've got a Florida address but work for a NJ employer. Are you here?"

I wasn't going to lie, and as soon as I said, "I'm in NJ but own a home there that I was to live in full time" they told me thanks but no thanks, we're only hiring local employees. They just didn't want to hear that all I needed to do was give two weeks notice to my current employer.

I finally gave up, quit my job, and moved to Florida. Three weeks later I had been hired and had begun working.

It wasn't that I didn't have the experience, I was getting the calls. I even flew down for a few interviews (on my dime) and every single time they told me that they decided to hire a local applicant, even though I was just as qualified--in one case even more so.

You jsut can't get around them finding out that you aren't sitting here in the Orlando area. When they say "Can you be here for an interview at 11:00 tomorrow?" it becomes a problem. And if you lie, they will find out, and they could possibly terminate you. Best case scenario is that they will never trust you.