Landing IT Work Overseas

snydeq writes "US IT workers could find considerable payoff and invaluable experience by taking their IT skills overseas, InfoWorld reports, as foreign, US, and global firms have increased the demand for a wide range of tech talent across the globe, offering positions that clearly move beyond the scut work of heads-down programming. Business fluency, industry-specific skills, and knowledge of American markets is fast becoming an invaluable asset foreign firms will pay a premium for, according to the report, which offers insights into finding IT work in a range of cities and regions abroad."

Comments

Not so fast, Kumar

[CuteSteveJobs]

A few years ago Bob Cringely wondered the same thing, but found India won't take you.

"So I went on the web to see how easy it would be to emigrate to India. I found NOTHING. I called the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC and asked how I could emigrate to India. They didn't know what I was talking about... The idea that I'd just arrive at the Mumbai equivalent of Ellis Island looking for a job, well they found that rather amusing." http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2004/pulpit_20040226_000453.html

Rest of the developed world is in an IT slump. Time for that Career B-Plan?

Re:Not so fast, Kumar

[Red Flayer]

The idea of being from India and just looking for a job in India is amusing.

In India, most jobs are filled by referral, not by posting a job listing and screening applicants. This is changing, as companies like Polaris have open houses where they screen and hire "freshers"... but in general, looking for a job without a personal recommendation letter from one of your contacts to one of their personal contacts in another company can be difficult.

In my experience, there are plenty of opportunities for American workers... as long as you want to be in management, or if you have specific business knowledge that's hard to find outside the US. The hard part is convincing the employer that you're worth the pay. Although it's important to note that $50,000 US in India can be enough to get you a decent home with a staff of servants... just make sure you have a driver.

The other possibility is to work in the US for a foreign company. I see a lot of this going on nowadays... global businesses who need to maintain a US presence (in particular, a NY-area presence) often have American employees working locally to manage workflow, processes, and teams in India, China, or elsewhere.

uhm wut?

[JeanBaptiste]

I'm a .NET / MSSQL guy (yeah, I know, I know)

anyways, family situations have caused me to move around a lot in the last few months.

When I was in Portland OR, I landed a 6 figure job in 3 weeks. I declined it and instead moved to Manhattan and got a job in 2 weeks, also 6 figures. Contract to hire, and they said they'd hire me permanently, but now due to a death in the family I have to go to Minneapolis MN. I put my resume on Dice sunday night and have 2 promising leads for jobs in the twin cities, also at a comparable rate.

Don't know what IT slump you're talking about.

Re:We don't want you (maybe)

[SatanicPuppy]

You don't know of places that enforce the use of French in Canada? Is that a joke, or do you not consider Quebec to be part of Canada?

I have to say that it irritates me that people are unwilling to learn a new language, but it irritates me in both directions. I speak several languages, with varying degrees of skill, and I don't mind helping out someone who doesn't speak english.

If, however, I go to a country where I don't speak the language, I don't get offended that they expect me to make the effort to learn their language...It's a far far greater hassle for their whole country to pick up my language, than it is for me to pick up enough to get around.

So, while the, "Speak American" rednecks annoy the crap out of me, the idea that the vast english-speaking majority should have to learn a new language for the benefit of the minority is equally annoying.

Re:Not me!

[SL Baur]

Now if you're Caucasian - you can get away with working less than your Japanese counterparts and getting paid more than double their salary. Plus the women there worship the average Slashdotter like a rockstar if they happen to be Caucasian.

The first part is probably true. The second part works both ways. When I was working in Kobe, I often went to a small local drinking bar and did experience Japanese women leaving the dates who brought them there to sit besides me. Sadly, it was not me they went home with.

The secret is to learn how to sing a few songs in Japanese. A pale face in a Japanese karaoke bar who sings songs in Japanese *does* get vast appreciation.