Las Vegas - horrible for IT jobs

Talic

I was reading the local craigslist for my city, Las Vegas, and came across some complaints that pretty much confirms how bad the IT industry is here in Las Vegas. For a fairly big town with lots of money involved and they take IT as a very low priority. It seems like if you don't serve cocktails or deal cards they don't think you're worth anything.

Example: RE: IT Jobs in Vegas (Las Vegas) -
And check this one out for the rest: las vegas systems/networking jobs classifieds - craigslist

I can also confirm that other people feel the same way about the Casinos, a coworker at my previous job worked at the Wynn and he didn't have much good to say about them either.


As for my own situation, I'm still unemployed but I'm waiting for a internship since there isn't much out there that fits my college schedule that I have now. The economy is making a internship hard right now though, the companies don't want to do it since it's like hiring a regular employee. So I'm thinking about volunteering at my college until summer time.

When summer time hits, the internship program is supposed to change. The pay for interns is supposed to be a donation to the school so it wouldn't be taxed (actually a tax rebate for the company), so it should be easy to get a internship in the summer.

undomiel

I've talked with a few companies out in Las Vegas. They weren't particularly friendly and one insulted me for letting them know I was expecting the upper range of the pay scale for what they were wanting. I've pretty much crossed Las Vegas off my list of places I'm looking for a job in now.

Cherper

The biggest problem with any of the casinos is that once you start making good money, you become an expense and they are all about profit. They recycle employees to keep costs down. The only way to stick with them is to get into management.

ITdude

I found a similar attitude when looking in Las Vegas, at one point even when the economy had not seriously tanked, yet.

BigTex71

It looks like you will need to plan on moving to a new city after college. Go where the jobs are. It kind of reminds me of the old Sam Kinison act about the people starving in Africa... "See this... this is sand. Do you know what it will be in 50 years? SAND! Nothing grows here! Move were the food is!"

LBC90805

It is the same thing Im Reno. I was lucky enough to get a job working as a contractor for $15 an hour. But I always kept my eye out for other work. I was there for 14 months an interviewed for Only three jobs my entire time I was there. Needless to say I'm now moved to Bakersfield working for the same company for the same pay. Still looking for a new job still.

paintb4707

That's disappointing. Vegas was actually one of the places I was considering moving to.

BeaverC32

Vegas is a fun place to visit, but is not a place I would want to live

BradleyHU

paintb4707 wrote: »

That's disappointing. Vegas was actually one of the places I was considering moving to.

yeah i thought about moving to vegas about 4 years ago, when i was job hunting...but i decided to stay here in nyc. if i do decide to leave, i'll look @ DC, Charlotte, or maybe LA.

Talic

I'm probably going to move out when I get my associates in IT, the local university (UNLV) doesn't have IT specific degrees so it's either go to the outskirts of town to get my bachelors, which a college called Nevada State has it or move someplace that has it. I really don't want to move to California so I was thinking Phoenix or Texas would be a good place to live.
Does anyone know if Phoenix has a college that provides a bachelor degree program for IT? How is Phoenix for IT?

undomiel

University of Phoenix has an IT program and ASU has a CIS. I only know what I've seen on their webpages about them. The job market here currently really stinks, as evidenced by my lack of any job here. I've had more interviews out of state sadly enough. So I can't really say that I recommend the area right now.

Talic

undomiel wrote: »

University of Phoenix has an IT program and ASU has a CIS. I only know what I've seen on their webpages about them. The job market here currently really stinks, as evidenced by my lack of any job here. I've had more interviews out of state sadly enough. So I can't really say that I recommend the area right now.

Hmm... I'm not sure about going to University of Phoenix, they are always advertising for their online classes on my campus and I always had the impression that they aren't well respected.

What other schools are there? My degree I'm taking right now is here: http://sites.csn.edu/dmorgan/PublicAndCollegeRelationsFiles/Degree%20Sheets/CSN_08-09Catalog_Degrees_113.pdf
I'm not sure if many universities have IT specific degrees, at least on the west coast.

As for the economy part, it really doesn't matter, I probably won't be looking for a better job for 2 or 3 years. Right now I'm just worried about getting my degree and certs.

markk2008

I have never been to Las Vegas, but I would have thought that it would be quite good for IT Jobs. That surprises me.

undomiel

I can't really give you more than a search engine would. I don't really keep up with the universities in the area.

binari

Talic wrote: »

I was reading the local craigslist for my city, Las Vegas, and came across some complaints that pretty much confirms how bad the IT industry is here in Las Vegas. For a fairly big town with lots of money involved and they take IT as a very low priority. It seems like if you don't serve cocktails or deal cards they don't think you're worth anything.

Example: RE: IT Jobs in Vegas (Las Vegas) -
And check this one out for the rest: las vegas systems/networking jobs classifieds - craigslist

I can also confirm that other people feel the same way about the Casinos, a coworker at my previous job worked at the Wynn and he didn't have much good to say about them either.


As for my own situation, I'm still unemployed but I'm waiting for a internship since there isn't much out there that fits my college schedule that I have now. The economy is making a internship hard right now though, the companies don't want to do it since it's like hiring a regular employee. So I'm thinking about volunteering at my college until summer time.

When summer time hits, the internship program is supposed to change. The pay for interns is supposed to be a donation to the school so it wouldn't be taxed (actually a tax rebate for the company), so it should be easy to get a internship in the summer.

Agreed. las Vegas sucks. I think for tech austin, dallas, frisco bay area and maybe LA or NYC maybe phoenix is ok.

JDMurray

Lots and lots of tech in Southern California. Medical and aerospace companies are hiring like crazy down here now.

undomiel

Just not hiring people that reside in Phoenix who are more than willing to move out there.

darkerosxx

undomiel wrote: »

Just not hiring people that reside in Phoenix who are more than willing to move out there.

Haha, so true...from anywhere, not just Phoenix.