Question:
What is the current tech job scene line
in Arizona?
I'm in Austin and it sucks.
I'm thinking of moving to Phoenix.
Answer:
Well, Motorola has laid off over 5,000 workers and is closing a
foundary. Intel has laid off over 2,000 workers. Dozens of smaller
companies have gone under in the wake of the dot-com crash. All the
local governments have quit hiring because they're out of cash because
the economy crashed. In short? It sucks. There was a time I could have
had my pick of a half-dozen interesting jobs just by walking out my
front door. Today, if you get a good job, keep it -- there ain't a
whole lot happening out there.
The Phoenix and Austin tech scenes are roughly equivalent, except that
Phoenix is more biased towards semiconductor foundaries and computer
hardware while Austin is more biased towares biotech. Don't come to
Phoenix thinking it'll be easier to find a job than in Austin --
unless you're willing to work for $6.50 an hour in a call center, of
course (technical support call centers are the only thing hiring right
now, mostly because the pay sucks so bad that they have 50% turnover
every month).
My honest advice to you, based on my experiences in the year and a half that I've lived
here now, is to stay where you are. I have substantial experience in the graphic arts industry
with experience on Windows, MacOS, and Solaris platforms and the latest digital direct to
plate printing, working with PDF files and Creo/Scitex. I moved down here mainly for the
climate and my health and at the time didn't really worry too much about the job market -
Phoenix is a large metro area right? And at that time Arizona had the national reputation of
having a booming job market. I managed to find a job, but it's not in my field of expertise
(there are absolutely *no* openings) and I make $8.25 an hour, which these days here in
Phoenix is considered to be a good wage. I actually consider myself fortunate as there are
many people here out of work or working for a lot less than I make, but there isn't a whole
lot in the way of jobs in a lot of fields here right now.
I don't regret moving here though - I like Arizona, and maybe with time this economy will
straighten out and eventually pick up....... Just before I moved down here I was talking with
a guy from Austin TX who wanted me to come there to interview and possibly work for him
there - so what's to say it wouldn't have turned out the same had I moved there- I think that
things actually are tough all over right now and in most cases there isn't too much to be gained
by making a move from one city/state to another unless it's a guaranteed position for way more
bucks.
