Randy's Home Page

Simply put, I'm Randy Santossio and I need a job and I've heard that having a resume that is searchable via Google can help someone land a job... since my resume doesn't really fit well with the rest of my web sites (and this one was mostly dead anyway), I decided that I would use this one to pitch myself to prospective employers.

Here's my information, for your review: resume (for a Word-based version, please email me!) - I also wanted to use this page to offer some additional information about me and my goals for my future, so by all means, continue with an FAQ of sorts.

Q: Who are you?

A: I am a:

• programmer (C#, C++, MFC, and other Windows and .NET technologies)
• application designer (again for Windows, MCSD)
• technical lead (mentoring new engineers and framework design)
• former QA tester (experience was key in making me a better coder)

Q: That's it?

A: Well, no, actually - I'm also a:

• computer science professor (part time)
• musician (for fun)
• writer (as a hobby)

Q: What do I want to do?

A: Good question. I'm at a point in my career where I can see myself going in a couple of different directions, and they're all rather attractive to me. I could continue pursuing my current path in programming, as it's been fun so far, and I could see that going in one of two directions: straight programming or programming in an effort of test. Having worked in QA before, I think it would be sort neat to make new applications that helped to test frameworks and other platforms... quite awesome actually, given the recent rise of "security concerns"!
Then there's another aspect of my prior jobs and that includes things like trade shows and what some companies term "evangelism" of technology. I've had a good deal of experience at presenting technology at trade shows and I'd like to include that in my future responsibilities at wherever I'm working.
So right now, I'm really open to almost anything that can offer one or more of these types of opportunities, particularly a position at a solid and stable company.

Q: What do you mean by "solid and stable"?

A: I've worked for a number of startup operations and while I learned a lot in each position I was in, it's rather hard to concentrate on your job if you don't know if you'll be paid that week. I'd much rather work for a more traditional sized company this time around, and it's because of this want that I would love to work for Microsoft: not only are they solid and stable, but they are constantly defining what makes for the bleeding edge of technology and that sums up what I'm looking for right now!

Q: Where are you looking for work?

A: A simple question with a complex answer... I live in south-central Connecticut, which is an extremely expensive part of the US. Expensive for land, housing, taxes, and day to day life. While a part of me would like to find a job in Connecticut, the opportunities are nearly impossible to come by - I'd rather move than take a job working in 16-bit Windows, honestly, but even those companies aren't hiring - so I've decided to look outside of my home state. I'd rather advance in my career technologically over working in a mediocre position. After making that decision, the next question is where to go.
I'd love to get out to the Seattle area. I've spent some time on vacation and business trips out there and think it's a great place to live. I'd also consider New York City as there is still a lot of technology there, but it is my second choice: it's mad expensive to live there and it's a long commute (over 2 hours to some parts of NYC) from where I live now. Either way, I'm open to hearing about positions in CT, NY, and WA.

Q: What's next for you?

A: Keeping up the job search, working on freeware applications to keep my skills sharp, and maybe even looking into an updated MCSD certification - I'm certified for the 6.0 platform (2001) but haven't looked into getting an updated certificate yet.

That's about it for now - thanks for stopping by and hope to hear from all you prospective employers soon!