# IT Job in Joburg



## remon87 (Jan 13, 2009)

Hi All,

I'm a US Citizen married to a South African Citizen and we are countries apart. our immigration case is pending because of the fact that her ex doesn't want to give permission for their kids to immigrate, so I must move to SA. I have been trying to look for a job for over 2 years now. I did few telephonic interviews but i always get the same answer "sorry you are not a South African Citizen". Even though I have the skills and the degree and the qualifications needed for the job and I'm considered to be a "short-skilled" profession.

I do have a Home Affairs issued work permit that's valid until March of 2010; but I can't move until I have a job offer.

I'm doing everything in job searching, the wife is contacting friends, I'm applying with different agencies, submitting for jobs online (PNET, CareeerJunction, etc) but no luck.

I'm currently working as a Project Manager(IT) for American Express in New York. I have over 9 years experience in the IT field. I started as an Application Developer then worked my way up to project manager. Graduated from a top university in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Currently doing my MBA.

Can anyone provide any assistance or guidance? It'll be greatly appreciated...


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## Sibella (Jul 20, 2008)

remon87 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I'm a US Citizen married to a South African Citizen and we are countries apart. our immigration case is pending because of the fact that her ex doesn't want to give permission for their kids to immigrate, so I must move to SA. I have been trying to look for a job for over 2 years now. I did few telephonic interviews but i always get the same answer "sorry you are not a South African Citizen". Even though I have the skills and the degree and the qualifications needed for the job and I'm considered to be a "short-skilled" profession.
> 
> ...


I sympathise with your predicament. I know its a chance that you take but the best thing would probably be to go over to South Africa for a few weeks and while you are there look at jobs in the newspapers (Sunday Times normally very good for your type of position and you can also try the Star newspaper). You can visit employment agencies and maybe if you contact companies directly and they know that you are there you can go for interviews. Also maybe try management consulting companies like Deloitte, IBM, Gemini Consulting, PWC, etc. as they are all global companies with consultants moving around all the time.

Also if you are white it will make it even more difficult for you to find a job as companies has to comply with affirmative action - this is one of the reasons that we left our home country South Africa. But as your work is quite specialised you might be able to fill a position which can't be filled locally. 

Good luck!!


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## Martinw (Jan 2, 2009)

remon87 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I'm a US Citizen married to a South African Citizen and we are countries apart. our immigration case is pending because of the fact that her ex doesn't want to give permission for their kids to immigrate, so I must move to SA. I have been trying to look for a job for over 2 years now. I did few telephonic interviews but i always get the same answer "sorry you are not a South African Citizen". Even though I have the skills and the degree and the qualifications needed for the job and I'm considered to be a "short-skilled" profession.
> 
> ...


WELCOME TO AFRICA Sorry to be pesimistic, but what else do you expect. It still amazes me thet with the "current Affirmative Action and BBE" Skill levels floating around they still do not want the "real skilled" minds to come to SA. DOnt any of you guys wonder why that is. Oh yes I know. They dont want the the majority of the people to have jobs. They all just want to fill the"top or professional" jobs, irrespective if the candidateknows anything or not. I had to deal with a "little lady" who was supposedly the Engineering Manager of a plant, and all she could utter was"eish, Eish, I dont know" Very nice. So when you have all the masses that want all the jobs and Caucasions are told to get out of the country, do you think they want an Immigrant in the country to come and take"their jobs" 
To them there are 45 mil people, and of course they will be able to fill these positions with any one of them. Who cares if the person does not know how to do the job, as which is the case probably. "as long as we have the Top Jobs, everything is good and the inbalance is being restored" I wish you all the best of luck, but can unfortunately not paint a pretty rosy picturre for you, because it is after all Africa.

Unfortunately the kids situation makes it hard. Good luck


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## remon87 (Jan 13, 2009)

Sibella said:


> I sympathise with your predicament. I know its a chance that you take but the best thing would probably be to go over to South Africa for a few weeks and while you are there look at jobs in the newspapers (Sunday Times normally very good for your type of position and you can also try the Star newspaper). You can visit employment agencies and maybe if you contact companies directly and they know that you are there you can go for interviews. Also maybe try management consulting companies like Deloitte, IBM, Gemini Consulting, PWC, etc. as they are all global companies with consultants moving around all the time.
> 
> Also if you are white it will make it even more difficult for you to find a job as companies has to comply with affirmative action - this is one of the reasons that we left our home country South Africa. But as your work is quite specialised you might be able to fill a position which can't be filled locally.
> 
> Good luck!!



Dear Sibella,

Thank you very much for the advice. But I already have tried that several times. every time I head to see my family in Joburg I call few consulting companies and let them know that I'll be in town for 2 weeks (that's what I can only take for vacations) and they say that's great and call us once you get here. And of course as they request, I do make the call when I arrive but unfortunately they don't can't meet with me or give me any feed back because their client didn't get back to them while I was there. 

The funny thing, is that I see a lot of project manager jobs available online and when I do apply no one reply back to you for months.....

As I understand, the SA Govt complain that there are shortage in skills in the country, but when someone with the correct skills and qualifications apply he automatically get disqualified because of his origin and his status...

Even foreigners apply for jobs in the US is not the difficult for them to get offers while they are overseas...

I'm running out of options and patience....


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## Martinw (Jan 2, 2009)

remon87 said:


> Dear Sibella,
> 
> 
> "As I understand, the SA Govt complain that there are shortage in skills in the country, but when someone with the correct skills and qualifications apply he automatically get disqualified because of his origin and his status..."
> ...


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## TheEndGame (Mar 25, 2008)

remon87 said:


> Dear Sibella,
> 
> I'm running out of options and patience....


I already ran out of Patience 
it is now one and half year, i m searching for job in SA.....


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## remon87 (Jan 13, 2009)

From the logical perspective..... 

How do companies survive if they keep hiring unqualified and unskilled professionals??? don't they stop and think for a minute about their resources, budgets, deliverable, and even their reputation???

I would be considered a colour person in SA, even though I'm an American, but I'm from an Egyptian-Christian decent. But why does colour have to matter when applying for a job, isn't the only thing employer see on your resume (CV) are your skills and experiences???

If it weren't for my family in SA, I would have never thought of moving to Joburg for a job; nonetheless Joburg, well SA in general, have a lot to offer tourist and visitors. I end-up having a great time and a great experience every time I come to see my family.

I have a valid work permit, and a valid spouse permit; but I can't get a job which astonishes me!!!


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## Martinw (Jan 2, 2009)

*It is Africa*



remon87 said:


> From the logical perspective.....
> 
> How do companies survive if they keep hiring unqualified and unskilled professionals??? don't they stop and think for a minute about their resources, budgets, deliverable, and even their reputation???
> 
> ...


I hope that seeing you are starting to ask these questions that you are slowly starting to get the picture. Please I am not attcking you, as I can understand you are in a unique situation, but am only telling you what the truth and reality about South Africa is. If you listen to some of the people on here, you would think you are going to the land of milk and honey( Nope sorry, but that land allready exists and I am living in it). Being from Egyptian decent and speaking with a Yank accent definitely does not qualify for BEE and AA. Go look up on the net how companies are doing, or are forced to doing the ratio thing. If I am not mistaken it starts with the African lady as top priority, and moves all the way down to the Caucasion European male. You would be on the list down the bottom somewehere, but with the accent prob at the bottom. Now seeing that there are 40mil people in SA, there are a lot of people above you on that list. That is reality.

And as far as how these companies survive. Well lets just say that if I really had to give you my opinion on how I think menatlities in South Africa/Africa work, I would probably be booted of this forum, which is sad, because it looks like the world is becoming a place where you cant realy say what you think or even perhaps state facts because there might be statements or references that "offend" people, but if something is the truth or a fact then that shoulnt matter, because that is what it is.

So all I am saying is realize it is Africa and dont just believe all the positive talk, because that creates false impressions, hope and realities in peoples minds.


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

Martinw said:


> II really had to give you my opinion on how I think menatlities in South Africa/Africa work, I would probably be booted of this forum, which is sad


You ARE pushing it yes.

If people ask a question on the forum then please give the answer if you know it.
Are you wondewring why people are ignoring your posts there?


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## remon87 (Jan 13, 2009)

Stravinsky said:


> You ARE pushing it yes.
> 
> If people ask a question on the forum then please give the answer if you know it.
> Are you wondewring why people are ignoring your posts there?


Does anyone know of a good consulting/recruiting firm that I can contact to assist me with my request???

Please help...


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## Maru (Feb 16, 2009)

I hope that you finally found something. 
Indeed 2 years is been a very long time and I understand you loose patience, especially as an experienced professional.

I had also to move to Johannesburg from Europe for family reasons and am trying to find something. Before, it was very difficult for me to find something from abroad. 
Being here facilitates greatly the process especially with the recruitment agencies.
Can't you take longer vacation when you come here ? 

Good luck.


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## remon87 (Jan 13, 2009)

Maru said:


> I hope that you finally found something.
> Indeed 2 years is been a very long time and I understand you loose patience, especially as an experienced professional.
> 
> I had also to move to Johannesburg from Europe for family reasons and am trying to find something. Before, it was very difficult for me to find something from abroad.
> ...


Hi Maru,

unfortunately I didn't find anything until now. I have been applying via carer junctions and other jobs site but nothing.

The longest vacation time i can take would be 2 weeks, that's the allowed vacation time.

I don't know what else to do...


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