A recruiter sent me a six-month systems software contract in Fort Collins.
The description said the job was 95 percent Linux and 5 percent Windows. It included installation, command-line work, Java, Perl, C or C++, hardware setup, documentation, quality assurance, and coordination with teams in India, Brazil, and China.
It also required some early mornings.
The recruiter wanted an immediate response with an updated resume in Word format, rate expectations, availability, and a short explanation of why I was right for the assignment. The message said there was no relocation assistance and no corp-to-corp arrangement.
The title was Systems Software Engineer. The work crossed several titles: systems administration, software development, hardware setup, testing, and documentation. It was a contract position rather than a permanent role.
The position was in Fort Collins rather than Denver, and the message offered no relocation assistance. The six-month term was explicit.
I was already Director of Information Technology at Beatport. My work there included Linux, storage, networks, and the infrastructure behind an online music store.
I did not reply. I did not send a rate, an updated resume, or an available start date. The recruiter had my address and sent the opportunity.
The message was specific about the skills and the six-month term. It was not an offer, and it did not establish that I was looking to leave Beatport.
The contract was one more inbound Linux job description in my personal email. The title said Systems Software Engineer. Ninety-five percent of the work was Linux.