[plug] Re: Companies using Linux around Perth

[Jonathan]

----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Antoine <pma-la at milleng.com.au>
To: plug at plug.org.au
Sent: Sun, 02 Dec 2007 20:43:02 +0900
Subject: Re: [plug] Re: Companies using Linux around Perth

> iiNet does *not* use recruiters, and all the recruiters in town know so: 
> the recruiter in question was flat-out lying.
>
> iiNet is convinced they are so good they don't have to pay well.  
> Turnover is a natural consequence of this as anyone who has employed 
> people is well aware.   Massages, fruit and free booze only go so far as 
> eventually they all want big shiny plasma screens :-)
>
> Seriously though, salaries in Perth are a good deal lower than the east 
> coast, and Linux use here seems very low.  If you happen to be Cisco 
> certified or have Oracle version-the-latest DBA experience then you'll 
> have more luck, and much more luck if you happen to have "mining 
> experience" (deity alone knows why that matters.)
> 
> Elsewhere UWA was mentioned - although some departments use Linux it is 
> my understanding that the main IT dept. is an M$/Cisco shop.  I recently 
> completed a small (but stunningly useful ;-) php application for a 
> research organisation despite UWA IT's objections to all things free.  
> Seems a degree is necessary for employment there but not any form of 
> common sense regarding appropriate use of technology... sigh.
> 
> Not that Perth's IT/employment proclivities are getting me down at 
> all... I suppose I must put it down to having spent too much time in 
> Sydney and San Francisco :-P
> 
> Maybe I should form startup #7 and pay people just above iiNet's 
> salaries sans the massages?  The fruit has to stay... ;-)
> 
> P.
> 

There are at least 3 recruiters advertising this job and it would seem funny that they would waste
their advertising money knowing there was no return. I did see some of the communication (unless the
lie was that elaborate ;)).
I've always found iiNet's advertising of these "benefits" amusing, because they are so commonplace
elsewhere (e.g. free massages in publishing houses 10 years ago). It's like a really cheap imitation
of Google or something.
Talking about the MS experience, it's something that I'll be working on improving in my next job,
it's kind of like menial labouring for IT, at least you can turn up somewhere and get a job straight
away while waiting for something more challenging that pays better.
I do understand that the job market here is very small, especially at this time of year, so I'll
probably wait until Jan/Feb.

Jonathan