confused-c

Davidzweig, thanks for posting. I'll take a look at your initiative. I'm already involved in one COVID-related volunteer effort, but may be able to spare some time.

Thanks for responding, anotheryou. I'm currently located in Greater Los Angeles, Southern California, USA. I'm willing to consider relocation to most places in the US.

Pragmatic, thanks for responding. For you, and anyone else who wants to know: I'm currently located in the Greater Los Angeles area, California, USA.

I'm willing to consider relocation to many parts of the US.

Dnh44 and mikechar, thank you both for responding. I've looked for Chinese->English contract positions and found little, but Dnh44's suggestion prompted me to think perhaps I hadn't looked in the right places. I'll reach out to my connections in China scholarship one more time.

Fidla, thanks for the tip. I'll check the open roles at those locations.

My previous experiences with the Amazon hiring pipeline suggest that (some of) the people responsible for the process do not care much about candidate experience. For example, a week after applying to be a Chinese-language app tester, upon checking the Amazon Jobs website I discovered that the job posting had silently been converted to a German position. Needless to say, I was not qualified for that job, and anyone viewing my resume would have been nonplussed.

BuckRogers, thanks for your reply. I agree that my Mandarin (which varies from decent to strong, depending on skill area) represents a useful wildcard.

I haven't given up hope that my unusual combination of skills will get me somewhere interesting. I just wish the job market wasn't so painfully inefficient.

Be well.

iLemming, thanks for responding. Though I'm struggling to keep my head above water, I want to use my next few breaths to encourage you, because I myself have felt that I lacked skills compared to others.

Having looked through your post history, you are a much more advanced Emacs user than I am. My hundred-plus custom functions, arranged in fuzzy utility groups under a master keymap, pale in comparison to your released, GitHubbed, other-people-usable software. Understanding and embracing Emacs requires grit. I hope to reach your level by, perhaps, the end of this year. Please put your shoulders back and hold your head up when you read this -- and when you next hack Emacs.

If you want to talk further, I'm available at [email protected].

Djannzjkzxn, thanks for responding. You speak the truth: referrals are the top way to find work.

To your suggestion: nearly all my coworkers from all my former jobs are academics, with permanent positions at their home institutions. That hasn't stopped me from reaching out, of course, but by this point I've worked my network as much as I know how to do, and while it's gotten me a bit of interest, it hasn't gotten me anywhere substantial.

I do appreciate your mentioning this angle. I'll have another look through my alumni directory, LinkedIn, etc. and see if I've missed anyone.

You are absolutely correct that "Red Star Over CC" is a medium-term plan, not a short-term one. Thanks for chiming in.

Digitaltrees, thanks for responding. I presume you mean "patent lawyer." One or two acquaintances have suggested I go to law school. I can see how I might come to enjoy law, but if I am going to pursue graduate education, I think computers would be a better fit overall.

That said, I'll at least look into the possibility, and ask my lawyer friends to give me an honest perspective on what law school is like. Thanks again.

Thanks, S_A_P, for responding. I do still have some money left, but the coronavirus lockdown and widespread talk of hiring freezes have me a little on edge.

I would not say I am desperate. But, as my moniker suggests, I am confused -- mainly about how to find opportunities to which I am suited (even if they're not my personal ideal.) Sometimes I wish I had left Mandarin aside as a curiosity, and gone all-in on computers. Other times I wish the opposite. Ah, well.

Thanks for responding. You are far from the first to suggest I launch a podcast or vlog. It's time for me to try even those tactics that are unusual and unlikely. I'll make some recordings in the next week, and see what sticks.

I see how email creates a barrier. Thanks for the tip. I'll post it ASAP. In the meantime, I'll send email to the address in your profile.

Wow. Thanks. I never even thought of moving to Shenzhen, but that's a smart idea. I wonder whether I have any 1st- or 2nd-degree contacts over there who could help me get set up.