I live in Memphis TN and I have a 2 year degree in Computer Engineering and certifications out the wazoo such as A+, Network +, MCSE and C + but yet I can not find a job in the IT field. I was just wondering what jobs I need to be looking for or just any type of advice anyone can give me. I have applied for numerous jobs and have nothing this is getting very annoying.
Have you contacted your "Career Services" (or whatever) office at your college? They help not only in interviewing skills, but also can refer you to employers who contact them. It is possible they may even have a job-listing board. Join a professional association and/or Chamber of Commerce. The IEEE is international. My boss at an old (retail) job I had was a member of our local Chamber of Commerce to drum up business... ...that's maybe better than a professional group where everyone is looking for the same thing and maybe competing for the same contacts. The Chamber of Commerce will have people from all backgrounds, professions, entreprenurships (spelling?) and small businesses. You informally socialize and network once a month, which is a great way to "just bump into" someone who needs your services. There are usually some other random events, like educational seminars and so forth. You can join "Meetup Groups" relating to any interest, no matter how specific, professional, casual, or strange, at Meetup: World's largest community of local Meetups, clubs and groups!. (Meetup.com ... wow, that auto-substitution of URL text is a feature I've never seen in a message board!) The size of group and how regularly they meet will affect your decision, especially if your purpose is career advancement. Also take a look at "Joel on Software" (I forget the URL and don't know where it is in my bookmarks...you will find it on google.) Great blog on career advice, interviewing, and general opinion on the software industry. Much advice no doubt applies to any technical career. Look for online-resume sites. Be careful, I've read some don't protect your data too well. You don't want someone having access to all the particulars of your personal information and job history unless you are seriously considering them as an employer, so pay special attention to how much information (if any) is public and how much information is available to any employer (or fake employer) with an account...ideally, prospective employers should have access to limited information about you (skills, educational level, geographical location) unless you reply to their offers . Likewise, if there is also a "job search" feature, the employer's/headhunter's address and other identifying info is kept private to prevent them trying to scrape info about each other, until you reply to a job offer and communicate directly with them. I do not have any specific tips, just general , but I hope these are of help to you.
I've found most of my jobs through personal and professional contacts. Usually job placement agencies are making 100-200% more for your employment then you are, so the pay is paltry until full-time placement. My advice to you is to attend free seminars, trade luncheons, anything where lots of people in your industry will be rubbing elbows. Go to these events, make contacts. Talk to friends and relatives who may know of opportunities. These things will ultimately carry you a lot further career-wise than certifications or even real-world knowledge. Sad, but true.
