Mac Jobs, were are they ???????
- Thread starter DualG4X
- Start date
jackshedd
a bastard.
From experience I can say this: Mac jobs are rare. Especially exclusively Macintosh jobs. Every tech company I know of is constantly searching for a good Mac guy, but it's never JUST a Mac guy.You need to now Windows, and know it well. If you are Mac-only, your best bet is the local CompUSA or other Mac-reseller. Mac hardware guys pass in and out of these places quickly.
The main problem is that, aside from Hallmark, there are very few LARGE-scale Mac networks. School districts may still have a few, however, this again requires at least NT and Novell. If you're lucky, you'll find a small business who needs a mac admin, but, most mac admins stay where they are at for years.
You're best bet is to learn Adobe and Quark backwards and foward, and hit up your design industry with resumes. You never know.
The main problem is that, aside from Hallmark, there are very few LARGE-scale Mac networks. School districts may still have a few, however, this again requires at least NT and Novell. If you're lucky, you'll find a small business who needs a mac admin, but, most mac admins stay where they are at for years.
You're best bet is to learn Adobe and Quark backwards and foward, and hit up your design industry with resumes. You never know.
TommyWillB
Registered
In 1995 I started working in the brand new Web Development department of a Sillcone Valley consumer finance software company. At that time the company made a good mix of Macintosh and WinDoze products.
The Web Development team consisted of entirely Mac users, but we were all issues PC's as well. Mostly we used the PC's for email and Web page QA.
I'm sad to report that today we have a stack of unused 7600 w/ G3 cards, and I am the only person left who still develops om my Mac. (BBEdit rocks!) One other guy uses his Linux box...
Up until about 1997 having Mac skills was required for all Web Development hires, but today most folks use Win98 or W2k and HomeSite or VisualStudio. And this would probably be even more true if we developed more for Windows IIS/ASP, but most of our Web servers are Solaris/Netscape.
Today I am the manager of the group, and while I would not turn down people Mac skills, I can not hire anyone who does not also have PC skills. (I'm going to get flamed for this, I know it!) Mostly this is because our main content managment systems run best on IE 5.5 and because we make heavy use of SQL server. (We could not keep up with the prices Oracle was charing...)
The Web Development team consisted of entirely Mac users, but we were all issues PC's as well. Mostly we used the PC's for email and Web page QA.
I'm sad to report that today we have a stack of unused 7600 w/ G3 cards, and I am the only person left who still develops om my Mac. (BBEdit rocks!) One other guy uses his Linux box...
Up until about 1997 having Mac skills was required for all Web Development hires, but today most folks use Win98 or W2k and HomeSite or VisualStudio. And this would probably be even more true if we developed more for Windows IIS/ASP, but most of our Web servers are Solaris/Netscape.
Today I am the manager of the group, and while I would not turn down people Mac skills, I can not hire anyone who does not also have PC skills. (I'm going to get flamed for this, I know it!) Mostly this is because our main content managment systems run best on IE 5.5 and because we make heavy use of SQL server. (We could not keep up with the prices Oracle was charing...)
RacerX
Old Rhapsody User
I got sick of working as an admin/tech on a mainly Windows (12:1) network, so I decider to start doing work on my own. It hasn't been to bad so far. I got in with one local magazine about six months ago, and they soon recommended me to others. It is great now, and I work with mostly Macs (10:1).
As far as suggestions, first get Apple's AppleCare technician training kit (you can find it at the Apple Store web site under AppleCare down at the bottom of the page for about $299.00). This gives you a ton of info that you wouldn't normally be able to get (even if you don't take the exams, you still get a ton of stuff). Second, while you are working on the course work provided, go to Apple's discussion pages and start looking for problems to try and solve (best training you can get for free). Third (as mentioned by someone else) know your client's software (Photoshop, Illustrator, QuarkXPress, Office, ATM Deluxe and Suitcase are some good examples).
For the work that I do, knowing servers (both print and file) helps quite a lot. Many print servers are based on Windows NT/2000, Sun Solaris and Silicon Graphics Irix, so knowing those systems is a plus. Some of the high end print server software to be aware of would be EDOX, Fiery, and Colorbus Cyclone. On the file server side their is AppleShare IP (5.x and 6.x), Mac OS X Server (1.x and 10.x), Xinet's K-AShare and Helios EtherShare.
That should give you a starting point. Even if you don't go out on your own, having that kind of knowledge base to put on a resume would be very helpful in getting work.
As far as suggestions, first get Apple's AppleCare technician training kit (you can find it at the Apple Store web site under AppleCare down at the bottom of the page for about $299.00). This gives you a ton of info that you wouldn't normally be able to get (even if you don't take the exams, you still get a ton of stuff). Second, while you are working on the course work provided, go to Apple's discussion pages and start looking for problems to try and solve (best training you can get for free). Third (as mentioned by someone else) know your client's software (Photoshop, Illustrator, QuarkXPress, Office, ATM Deluxe and Suitcase are some good examples).
For the work that I do, knowing servers (both print and file) helps quite a lot. Many print servers are based on Windows NT/2000, Sun Solaris and Silicon Graphics Irix, so knowing those systems is a plus. Some of the high end print server software to be aware of would be EDOX, Fiery, and Colorbus Cyclone. On the file server side their is AppleShare IP (5.x and 6.x), Mac OS X Server (1.x and 10.x), Xinet's K-AShare and Helios EtherShare.
That should give you a starting point. Even if you don't go out on your own, having that kind of knowledge base to put on a resume would be very helpful in getting work.
jove
Member
Hello,
Just as Mac jobs are rare, so are Mac tech/programmers. If you are willing to leave the Dallas area, and have experience/certification, I guarantee you can find a job.
Head hunters work in an international network. I few years back I approached my head hunter and said "Find me a Mac programming job - not in this city." After practically hanging up on him a dozen times saying "NO Visual Basic!!!!" he contacted another head hunter in Texas that set me up with a Mac programming job in St. Louis!
The company I worked for were desperately looking for a Mac person. Of course I needed some Windows experience as well. We do live in a mixed up world
Just as Mac jobs are rare, so are Mac tech/programmers. If you are willing to leave the Dallas area, and have experience/certification, I guarantee you can find a job.
Head hunters work in an international network. I few years back I approached my head hunter and said "Find me a Mac programming job - not in this city." After practically hanging up on him a dozen times saying "NO Visual Basic!!!!" he contacted another head hunter in Texas that set me up with a Mac programming job in St. Louis!
The company I worked for were desperately looking for a Mac person. Of course I needed some Windows experience as well. We do live in a mixed up world
Pretty much everything you can want to know about Mac job listings can be found here: http://lists.mac-mgrs.org:81/Lists/mac-mgrs/Message/11378.html (this is also mirrored here: http://home.inreach.com/rhowehmd/MMJobDigests/howtofindmacjob.html)
and employers should look here:
http://lists.mac-mgrs.org:81/Lists/mac-mgrs/Message/11514.html
And it doesn't hurt to check here for jobs either:
http://home.inreach.com/rhowehmd/MacMgrsJobs.html
OK?
and employers should look here:
http://lists.mac-mgrs.org:81/Lists/mac-mgrs/Message/11514.html
And it doesn't hurt to check here for jobs either:
http://home.inreach.com/rhowehmd/MacMgrsJobs.html
OK?