On 29-11-2009 13:49, Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>>> Right. Because having a job near to where I live is *obviously* a 
>>> "totally unrealistic requirement". WTF?
>>
>> What is unrealistic is assuming you will find a satisfying job within 
>> that area.
> 
> I'm not sure why you think that.

The important word in that sentence was 'satisfying' (see also below).

> If I wanted to get a job where I get paid to write stuff in Haskell, 
> that would be an unrealistic aim. If I wanted to work for Nokia, that 
> would be an unrealistic aim. If I wanted to earn £25,000 a year, that 
> would be an unrealistic aim.

I disagree with that last one (unless it is after tax). It is in the 
ballpark of what I could offer you (if we get the project granted and 
the other people involved agree to hire you). Which means that a job in 
a similar place would pay the same sort of money. Yet be aware that I 
might take that chance, because I think I know a bit about you and that 
your CV does not reflect your possibilities, others might prefer to hire 
somebody younger and/or with better qualifications on paper.

>  But I don't see why getting a job somewhere 
> near to where I live would be an unrealistic aim.
> 
>> Most people are prepared to move if they can get a good job that is 
>> beyond commuting distance.
> 
> I don't know of anybody who moved just to get a job. (With the exception 
> of my sister.) Admittedly I don't know a huge number of people, but both 
> my parents have had lots and lots of jobs, and have never left MK. (I'm 
> guessing moving house when you have small children is not especially 
> easy...) My stepbrother's parents - never left MK. Hell, my mate Jayne 
> lives in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere and she's never moved 
> house to get a job. (Then again, she commutes crazy distances.) The 
> *only* person I know of who's moved house to find a job is my sister.

It all depends on the sort of job. If you are looking for the kind of 
job that is needed in quantities of about 10 per 1000 people, you can 
find a job nearby. A sysop, I'm guessing, is about 1 in 10000, so that 
is reachable, but that is not really the sort of job you are looking 
for. The sort of job that you are looking for is less than 1 in 100000 
and mostly in bigger companies and universities. Hence: I don't think 
you are going to find that job in MK, even if there are positions there 
they will be filled and when they become vacant you won't be on top of 
the list.
In the end it is your choice, stay in MK and end in this job or as a 
'sysop' that spends it's time solving other peoples stupid problems, or 
decide that a good job is more important and be prepared to move, or 
wait for that one in a million chance.

>> As far as we know you don't have a girlfriend and the only reason to 
>> stay where you live would be that you definitely don't want to leave 
>> your mother. Not sure if that is the case.
> 
> I'd actually *like* to leave my mother. She drives me crazy. It's the 
> city of MK that I enjoy and don't particularly want to leave.

Think of it this way: if you have to move you might not want to leave 
that place either after a few months or years.

>> so pick a place where you can have a career. And don't wait too long.
> 
> Heh. One more thing to add to the list of problems I'm running out of 
> time to solve. :-/

I assumed you were aware of that. You are stuck in a position that does 
not add any more to your experience. If you stay there your training 
will be perceived as outdated and extending your work experience there 
will not add anything to your CV. HR managers tend to prefer people that 
take initiatives and hop jobs. They are wrong of course, but that won't 
help you.

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