In the hierarchy of tech cities, Portland barely registers in most people's minds. But tech there had a very good 2011, and there's hope that 2012 could be even better. Known as "Silicon Forest," Portland is now home to three start-up incubators, including the Portland Incubator Experiment, whose recently birthed VendScreen, Inc. raised $12 million in venture capital financing. Venture capital invested in Oregon companies totaled $238 million in 2011, a 25% increase from 2010, and the most since 2007, according to The Oregonian.
The heart of Portland's tech economy is Intel Corp., the chip-making giant that employs 16,250 in the suburb of Hillsboro. The company added 1,000 new jobs in 2011. Tech employment rose steadily last year in Oregon, reaching 55,600 in April. Total jobs in the sector are still down 6% from their peak in 2006.
The city has sometimes suffered the indignity of seeing homegrown companies like Jive Software move to Silicon Valley just as they begin achieving big successes. But there are signs that some entrepreneurs and technologists are choosing the area's low-key, "collaborative culture" over the "cutthroat" atmosphere of Silicon Valley and other top-tier tech cities, Venture Capital Dispatch reports. In August, banking start-up Simple decided to move its headquarters from New York to the city's Pearl district.
Nerd Fight (AllThingsD)
Google has been criticized for incorporating its social network into its search results while excluding competing networks. So a group of engineers from Facebook, Twitter and MySpace spent the weekend hacking a Web browser extension and YouTube video suggesting that Google is, well, evil.
What to Say (Kalzumeus)
If you're bad at salary negotiation, this long essay should help you get over your squeamishness. Once you've got your mind right, here's how to deal with a hiring manager who wants you to say how much money you want.
Scaling Up (TechFlash)
Seattle's Tableau Software plans to hire 300 employees this year with a focus on engineers experienced in analytics and distributed systems. The company, which now has 350 staffers, also has offices in Menlo Park, Calif. and London.
Ask and Learn (WSJ)
Up to half of all resumes submitted online get weeded out by software programs used to winnow away at the mass of applications that companies receive. WSJ.com is holding a live Q&A with Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor career expert and former head of human resources at Electronic Arts, at 12 p.m. today, Tuesday, January 24.
Get Money (WSJ)
The average salary for Silicon Valley technologists rose 5% last year to $104,000, the first time it passed the six-figure mark. Nationally, the average was up 2% to $81,000.
Travel Moratorium (Times of India)
Indian engineers and IT specialists used to look forward to traveling to the U.S. and Europe several times a year, but that perk is increasingly becoming a rarity as more worker visa applications are denied and foreign companies try to cut costs through having less on-site staff.
Raise Your Hand (FINS)
San Francisco-based start-up Thumbtack will hire at least a dozen new employees this year after raising $4.5 million in new financing. Thumbtack's service allows users to search for and receive quotes from service professionals for tasks like plumbing and personal training.
Gratis Classes (NPR)
If you haven't heard about the free, online engineering courses being offered by some Stanford professors, here's the scoop. From machine learning to building a search engine, anyone can sign up.
New Territories (Apple Insider)
There's been no official announcement, but it appears that Apple has appointed Sony Ericsson executive Anderson Teixeira as its first head of Latin America. The region's economy is growing and along with it, the appetite of its consumers for Apple products.
Buzz Around the Office
Hey, pretty good rhythm for a five-year-old.
List of the Day: New Rules for Finding a Job
Keep these in mind as you continue your job search.
1. Don't give away too much that could exclude you, like telling an interviewer you need to have knee surgery.
2. Realize the hiring process is meant to exclude you and find a way around it.
3. Make sure your resume is formatted correctly.
(Source: Glassdoor.com)
