Need advice from Phoenix area technology professionals

[Vaughn Treude]

On Wed, 2006-01-25 at 21:40, Craig Meyer wrote:
> I am seeking advice from Phoenix area technology professionals, as an 
> active member in my local lug I know you are the people ask. This post 
> is off topic from Linux directly and should be ignored if you’re only 
> interested in on topic posts. If this discussion is not appropriate for 
> this list, please reply to me off list with responses. I live in 
> Wisconsin and my local lug doesn't get many subscribers to anything but 
> the main list.
> 
> I am planning on moving inside the next few months and am wondering if 
> Phoenix would be a good place to relocate. I need a change from where I 
> live in Central Wisconsin (Fond du Lac). I am an IS professional with 6 
> years experience in systems administration, network design and general 
> technology related solutions. I work for a local small business 
> consulting firm in Fond du Lac. We specialize in Windows Domain based 
> infrastructure for small to medium businesses with between five and 
> fifty computers. At a non-professional level I am actively involved in 
> OSS technologies and use a completely Linux network at my home. I have 
> done limited Linux/Unix support work in the field. In addition to my 
> experience I also hold an AS degree in computer networking, the Comptia 
> A+ and Network+ certifications and the Cisco CCNA certification.
> 
> All that said, I am hoping that some of you can give me advice on a few 
> of the following questions I have:
> 
> How active is the technology job market in the Phoenix area? Will it be 
> hard to find a job or just hard to find the right job?
> 
> What range of salary can I expect to be paid with the qualifications I 
> listed above? Keep in mind I have a strong history of achievement that 
> will be visible on my resume. Obviously the above list is only a basic 
> representation of my qualifications.
> 
> Are there places in Arizona other than Phoenix where I should extend my 
> job search?
> 
> I would also like advice on any non-technology related topics concerning 
> my move. For instance: Where is a good place to live? How affordable are 
> apartments? Any areas to avoid because of crime/traffic/etc..?
> 
> I appreciate your time and look forward to your answers. I also look 
> forward to becoming an active member of your LUG.
> 

Some random comments:
1. Phoenix summers are miserably hot but you get used to them. (I'm from
the Midwest, too!) The winters make suffering through the summers
worthwhile.
2. There are a lot of tech jobs but the big companies have had lots of
layoffs, so there are a lot of tech people out of work.  On the upside,
I hear that Google is planning to come here.  The state is also heavily
into promoting biotechnology.
3. Most tech jobs are on the east side of the metro area (Scottsdale,
Tempe, Mesa, Chandler.)
4. Housing prices are astronomical everywhere but historically a bit
lower on the west side (Glendale, Peoria.)  To be fair, they're a lot
worse on the west coast.
5. I think wages here are lower than on the coasts, but probably higher
than in Wisconsin.  I'm an independent contract programmer, and my rates
have taken a bit of a hit since the tech downturn.
6. Tucson has some high-tech businesses, but I don't know how well it's
doing right now.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

Vaughn

> -Craig Meyer
> craig at fdllug.org
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