Has anyone else felt the squeeze?

Vaughn Treude vaughn@nakota-software.com
Fri, 02 Mar 2001 17:15:40 -0700


--------------0F36F280D3B3FFC6DFF92C9B
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Mike,
    I meant to reply earlier, but was trying to decide if I could offer any worthwhile advice.  I've definitely felt it, too.  I've
been an independent software developer for over five years now, and in all that time I've been so busy I had to turn work down.  From
December to mid-February I was actually out of work for two months!!  Now I have a short-term contract, at least, and I'm hoping for
things to pick up.
    I don't pretend to have any great secrets, but I think networking (in the social sense) really helps.  Groups like PLUG and others
are great ways to get referrals and find work.  I've had the best luck in my IEEE group,
the Phoenix Area Consultants' Network, which meets monthly on (unfortunately) the second Thursday evening.  (That's why I almost never
make it to PLUG meetings.)  Time is at 6:30, location is the Black Eyed Pea restaurant in the Scottsdale Pavillions on 101 and Indian
Bend.  This month's topic is a discussion on marketing methods for consultants.  (When we say "consultants", we use the term loosely.
Most of us are really independent contractors or engineers, and several in the group have 9-5 jobs with a part-time consulting sideline
or an interest in starting one.)   It's a dinner meeting (the food is cheap and pretty good) but you aren't required to eat.  Any of
you PLUGgers are certainly welcome; it's just unfortunate the times  conflict.  If anyone would like a copy of our newsletter in PDF
format, send me an email and I'll send one.

Good luck,
Vaughn Treude




Mike Porter wrote:

> Recently I was let go of my job, and currently that company is about to
> fold.  Looking for jobs is tough as the market is tight.  Anyone got any
> ideas or leads?
>
> I apologize if this is off topic.  I figure if the recruiter can get
> away with offering jobs, maybe I can have a little mercy whiole I ask
> for one. :-)
>
> Anyway, if it is considered off topic, reply, off list to
> porter@inficad.com.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike Porter
>
> ________________________________________________
> See http://PLUG.phoenix.az.us/navigator-mail.shtml if your mail doesn't post to the list quickly and you use Netscape to write mail.
>
> Plug-discuss mailing list  -  Plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss

--
*****************
Nakota Software, Inc.
Custom Industrial Software Development



--------------0F36F280D3B3FFC6DFF92C9B
Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en">
<html>
Mike,
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I meant to reply earlier, but was trying to decide
if I could offer any worthwhile advice.&nbsp; I've definitely felt it,
too.&nbsp; I've been an independent software developer for over five years
now, and in all that time I've been so busy I had to turn work down.&nbsp;
From December to mid-February I&nbsp;was actually out of work for two months!!&nbsp;
Now I have a short-term contract, at least, and I'm hoping for things to
pick up.
<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I don't pretend to have any great secrets, but I
think networking (in the social sense) really helps.&nbsp; Groups like
PLUG and others are great ways to get referrals and find work.&nbsp; I've
had the best luck in my IEEE group,
<br>the Phoenix Area Consultants' Network, which meets monthly on (unfortunately)
the second Thursday evening.&nbsp; (That's why I&nbsp;almost never make
it to PLUG meetings.)&nbsp; Time is at 6:30, location is the Black Eyed
Pea restaurant in the Scottsdale Pavillions on 101 and Indian Bend.&nbsp;
This month's topic is a discussion on marketing methods for consultants.&nbsp;
(When we say "consultants", we use the term loosely.&nbsp; Most of us are
really independent contractors or engineers, and several in the group have
9-5 jobs with a part-time consulting sideline or an interest in starting
one.)&nbsp;&nbsp; It's a dinner meeting (the food is cheap and pretty good)
but you aren't required to eat.&nbsp; Any of you PLUGgers are certainly
welcome; it's just unfortunate the times&nbsp; conflict.&nbsp; If anyone
would like a copy of our newsletter in PDF format, send me an email and
I'll send one.
<br>&nbsp;
<br>Good luck,
<br>Vaughn Treude
<br>&nbsp;
<br>&nbsp;
<br>&nbsp;
<p>Mike Porter wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>Recently I was let go of my job, and currently that
company is about to
<br>fold.&nbsp; Looking for jobs is tough as the market is tight.&nbsp;
Anyone got any
<br>ideas or leads?
<p>I apologize if this is off topic.&nbsp; I figure if the recruiter can
get
<br>away with offering jobs, maybe I can have a little mercy whiole I ask
<br>for one. :-)
<p>Anyway, if it is considered off topic, reply, off list to
<br>porter@inficad.com.
<p>Thanks,
<p>Mike Porter
<p>________________________________________________
<br>See <a href="http://PLUG.phoenix.az.us/navigator-mail.shtml">http://PLUG.phoenix.az.us/navigator-mail.shtml</a>
if your mail doesn't post to the list quickly and you use Netscape to write
mail.
<p>Plug-discuss mailing list&nbsp; -&nbsp; Plug-discuss@lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us
<br><a href="http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss">http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss</a></blockquote>

<pre>--&nbsp;
*****************
Nakota Software, Inc.
Custom Industrial Software Development</pre>
&nbsp;</html>

--------------0F36F280D3B3FFC6DFF92C9B--