Re: maintaining skills

Kenneth:

Alex has gotten good replies from people with solid experiences and a 
willingness to share them at the risk of potential criticism.  One question 
that didn't come up was:  'Is this the first time you were out of work for any 
length of time?'   Why?...The first is always the worst; especially when it 
comes to self-confidence.  

Another question:  'Are you willing to relocate at a lower salary and in a 
potentially higher cost of living area?'  Everyone appears to be bottom-feeding 
nowadays.  I had an offer from a company two months ago and it was $11K less 
than what I was making at the current employer.  Not so bad?  I had previously 
taken a $40K cut when I accepted that position.  Combined cut would have 
been...over $51K.  Thank God I left the Long Island area and went to a way 
lower cost of living.  I enjoy my work and money is really the third thing on 
my hierarchy of needs.

A good suggestion would be to buy (or get from library) the book 'What Color is 
Your Parachute?'  It has been improved with time and is still a very good 
primer for job changing/job hunting.

As far as learning new 'techie' skills, you had better pick one that will last 
more than a year, or, two.  This will be a hard choice.  Things are changing so 
much, by the time you study and get a certification, it is outdated and you 
need to get another one.  It cost big bucks to keep up with that on your own.

I would suggest to beat the internet hard and apply for everything that you 
remotely qualify for.  It is like the lottery since the audience is so large.  
Myself, I have already had 7 placements via the internet in mostly contract 
positions and one perm position (where I was laid off due to a lack of work in 
my specialty after 8 months as a perm in January, 2005).  Perm is only as perm 
as the market nowadays.

Community college courses or monitoring university classes for a small fee is a 
good route.  That is how I picked up PowerBuilder when it was in vogue. 

To everyone who responded....it is nice to see that some people take 
responsibility for their fellow workers.

I thank you for Alex.

Ron.
-------------- Original message from Kenneth H Werner <KHWerner@xxxxxxxxxxx>: 
-------------- 


> *** Please pay close attention when replying to a message on this list! 
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> 
> 
> You have received some other replies to your message. They are all 
> things to consider along with my the future looks positive comments. 
> 
> If you have money to live on, look for a non-profit in your area with 
> an AS/400 and offer to give them 1 day a week to keep your skills 
> current. They will also be a job reference. 
> 
> Use your time to read up on parts of RPG ILE you have not yet had the 
> opportunity to use, e.g. free form if that is something you have not used. 
> 
> Use your time to read up on DB2/400 if you have not had the opportunity 
> to use. DB2/400.. 
> 
> CL has new features with V5R3. Read up on the enhancements if you have 
> not had the opportunity to use them.. 
> 
> There are CD versions of Linux that don't impact Windows on your PC. 
> Learn Linux commands. Cost of the CD will run from free to $19.95. You 
> have Unix commands if you have Linux commands. Linux and Unix skills 
> provide job enlargement/enrichment opportunities for AS/400 people. An 
> i5 lartition can be Unix. Unix can be in your future complementing your 
> AS/400. 
> 
> Go to www.redbooks.ibm.com and download SG24-6330. Read every chapter 
> that is not about cold call selling. Just read the theory, foundation 
> chapters till you fully understand what On Demand is. Understanding On 
> Demand will take you places. 
> 
> Forget learning "labor intensive" firewall, intrusion detection, 
> networks and anything Microsoft. The Redbooks I just had you downloaded 
> will tell you that "self healing" and "self adjusting" will replace 
> "labor intensive" for a company to stay in business. I have worked at 
> many companies with a telephone switching system. A phone switch is a 
> computer that unlike firewalls doesn't require "labor intensive" hand 
> holding. Things will become more like the phone switch. Don't spend 
> your time learning things that are "labor intensive." 
> 
> Finally have someone read your resume. For example, you have both 
> hospitality and people skills experience if you worked at McDonalds 
> during high school and these skills can be worded in your resume to give 
> if more than technical buzz and a leg up on others without saying 
> McDonalds. 
> 
> Alex Montalvo wrote: 
> 
> >*** Please pay close attention when replying to a message on this list! 
> >*** If you want the reply to go to the list, use REPLY-TO-ALL 
> >*** Recruiters may advertise only permanent employment positions in this 
> >list. 
> > 
> > 
> >Hello All, 
> > 
> >I am an AS/400 programmer specializing in RPG ILE in desperate need of a 
> >foot 
> in the door. I have been out of work since 10/2004. I have 3 years experience 
> which is possibly part of the problem; lot's of people with more years in. 
> >I would like to know also is there any place (website), where I could 
> >practice 
> coding Ex: (RPG, DDS, CL) to keep my skills fresh while I am looking? 
> > 
> >Regards, 
> > 
> >Alex M. 
> > 
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> 
> 
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