What is the American Job Market Like for 2013?

[ark_ader]

Is it worth getting a Technical Support job or should I just open my own business and go contracting?

I'm thinking California/Nevada side of the country (undecided). 

Is it still as bad as 2008 and have people given up the ghost, or is the market picking up?

What's the going rate for a time served Network Engineer?

[knave]

I'd say its still impacted, though not as bad as it once was. There are jobs out there but they often start too low for anyone but entry level.

Average retail PC support rate for my neck of the woods is like $70 an hour, but that will change depending on the urban density and competition. For network stuff I'd say its higher but most businesses have contracts with some outfit or another. Network engineer can fluctuate: See the Gragh

State and National Wages


 

[drventure]

Dallas ft worth area isn't particularly pretty, but i've never had any issues finding work around here. If you live inside Dallas proper, or don't mind the commute, the pay is particularly good.

I didn't really feel the pain of 2008 at all around here.

Plus Texas has no state income tax to deal with

[drventure]

On a related note, any one ever try telecommuting to a remote country? I've telecommuted all across the US, but was wondering about working remotely for a company in another country entirely.

Anyone ever tried that?

[Flip_Willie]

Dallas ft worth area isn't particularly pretty...

Oh, come on! Come on! It isn't that bad.

Dallas has a big city feel, Fort Worth has a nice rustic charm, and 30 minutes in most directions lands you in the beautifully vast Texas countryside. What more could you want? (Pardon a Texan promoting the illusion).

Edit: Oh, and I should mention that Keller, Texas (just north of FW) hosts a fantastic arcade! <Plug for Tornado Terry's>

[ark_ader]

On a related note, any one ever try telecommuting to a remote country? I've telecommuted all across the US, but was wondering about working remotely for a company in another country entirely.

Anyone ever tried that?

Yes from the US I took care of remote sites in the UK, EU, and South America.  Voice and data.  Grunt work by a local.  Painfully slow in the old days with dial up, but all non graphical.  I devised a way to locally batch and send in early am. PITA and today it is no different with all the layers.  I'm advocating 2012 Server to all my clients.  Glad to see Microsoft going back to NT4 roots.

So it might be back to contracting eh?

[drventure]

Dallas ft worth area isn't particularly pretty...

Oh, come on! Come on! It isn't that bad.

Of course, you're right. I'm a native Texan, so sometimes I get a longing for some actual terrain. But having Dallas in one direction and Ft worth in the other is quite nice.

And Terry's is a great place. I actually bought the two trackballs I used in my cabinet from him.

[drventure]

Yes from the US I took care of remote sites in the UK, EU, and South America.  Voice and data.  Grunt work by a local.  Painfully slow in the old days with dial up, but all non graphical.  I devised a way to locally batch and send in early am. PITA and today it is no different with all the layers.  I'm advocating 2012 Server to all my clients.  Glad to see Microsoft going back to NT4 roots.
So it might be back to contracting eh?

So did you actually work for a company/companies located abroad, or work for a US company that supported other companies abroad?

Contractings not too bad. I've done local stints as well as remote stints. You just have to be prepared to be in the job market a lot.

[ark_ader]

Yes from the US I took care of remote sites in the UK, EU, and South America.  Voice and data.  Grunt work by a local.  Painfully slow in the old days with dial up, but all non graphical.  I devised a way to locally batch and send in early am. PITA and today it is no different with all the layers.  I'm advocating 2012 Server to all my clients.  Glad to see Microsoft going back to NT4 roots.
So it might be back to contracting eh?

So did you actually work for a company/companies located abroad, or work for a US company that supported other companies abroad?

Contractings not too bad. I've done local stints as well as remote stints. You just have to be prepared to be in the job market a lot.

That was with IBM, and yes we had some partners we supported.  I heard from a friend that my game has moved to India.  To me it was just another number, probably is to them. 

A nice quiet office with the weekends sounds nicer, and I don't have to chase accounting every quarter.