>
>When I was job hunting, I looked long and hard at the possibility of
>contract work. The contracting company that recruited me provides
>health insurance, 401(k)s, and paid time off. They were very, very
>eager to find me a job. The downside was that the jobs were only
>guaranteed to run for one year; but the salaries offered were also
>higher than full-time positions, as a way to balance the risk. And
>companies tended to use them as a temp-to-hire agency.
>
Yes, if you lack local contacts, contract work is a way to build a network.
And to add another 2 cents: I don't know why California gives you hives. The Bay area is hard to beat for jobs, art, culture, alternative health care, education, and last but not least weather. I swim every day of the year -- even in winter.
For the kind of jobs you're looking for, this is the place. And now that the real estate bubble is deflating, the tech bubble is reinflating which means people are hiring. Yes, they are.
By the way. I got my first two jobs in hi tech through the same recruiter. All the other ones, through contacts (built up at my first two jobs).
Joanna