Hard to believe, but The BarCode Network’s third meeting is happening this week, Tuesday, October 11 at the same great spot over at PT’s Pub on Buffalo & the 215.  As always, we seek insights, opinions and feedback from the network’s participants.  So we ask:  what are you looking to learn and gain from The BarCode Network meetings?

As a network, one of our the themes is education.  Of course our economy is still recovering, and while I continue to have some people telling me that “jobs aren’t out there,” the open and available opportunities my clients are asking me to find the best people for reveal to me, that simply isn’t the case.  A more accurate statement may be “the competition for the jobs out there is high.”  So what’s a job-seeker to do?  To borrow from the army, “be all you can be.”  AKA:  be professional, be informed & educated, research the company, ask smart questions, and follow up at every turn.  While some people certainly have success applying for and getting jobs independently, having a good recruiter in your corner only helps you.  All recruiters/recruiting agencies are not created equal, but that’s another blog topic altogether (in fact, you should check out Recruiting as a Service’s blog regarding that matter).  A good recruiter can serve as a steady resource for constructive criticism, practice & encouragement, and if you choose especially wisely, that person will know the market in which you are trying to secure a role.

Opportunity is another theme of the network.  What’s out there in the Vegas market?  Currently, one of my major gaming manufacturing clients is trying to rebuild a developer team for the long-term, so there are openings for C#/.NET Developers, Mobile Build & Release Engineers & Mobile Java Software Engineers.  Another gaming & hospitality client seeks a Sr. Web Developer & Web Developer, respectively, and a database developer.  The financial industry is hiring, too:  openings for PL/SQL Developers & System Engineers are in high demand.  As a recruiter, I’m struggling to find solid Java Developers who are seeking direct hire or contract to hire opportunities who are flexible on salary or hourly rate.  Another painpoint is finding MySQL DBAs and developers.  What’s your skill set and what struggles do you face as you approach and pursue opportunities?  There are opportunities here in Las Vegas.  Who do you know or are you IT?  You and your fellow IT pros come to The BarCode Network’s next meeting this Tuesday, October 11 at 4:30 PM-7:00 PM at PT’s on Buffalo & the 215.  We definitely have lots to talk about, and you can enjoy a refreshing after-work beverage.