[SoDak]

I love my job. I love my job. I love my job.

[UnBlinkingEye]

Bend over American hitech workers, prepare for the joys of globalism.

[RLK]

Eight months ago there was there was horrible compaint about the critical shortage of people. Now those in the business are screwed.

[glc1173@aol.com]

The fastest, surest way to create one job for one downsized native-born American IT worker is to send one H-1(b) back home to India.

And best of all, it costs nothing.

IMMIGRATION resource library: public-health facts, court decisions, local INS numbers!

[Joe Bonforte]

Downturns are not pleasant, but they have a reason to exist. When the boom times of the late nineties caused unprecedented demand for hi-tech talent, many workers flooded into the field that were not suited for it by ability or experience. This downturn is shaking those people out. In the long run, that's good. When the upturn comes, those who are good will have less competition for jobs.

However, those accustomed to near-six-figure salaries for routine work are going to have to adjust their sites a bit. I'm not sure they were ever worth that much, and they certainly are not going to get it now.

[apochromat]

Are CS programs just a diversion for keeping the EE job market bright? :)

[TheDon]

The job market in Orange County, CA, "Silicon Valley South", is pretty bleak for software/firmware engineers these days. Most of the people I know who have gone through a RIF here are unable to find any openings. Many of the recruiting firms are going through "adjustments", as they have no jobs to pitch.

[SamAdams76]

The pendulum has certainly swung in the other direction. I manage a branch for a high-tech firm and two years ago, I lost most of my best people to companies like Nortel Networks, Verizon (then Bell Atlantic) and others. Now many of them are laid off and knocking on the door to come back in. My company is mid-size and the pay is modest. But it is a very decent place to work. Upper management treats you well, the benefits are good and the company rewards loyalty. Many people in my company have been there over 20 years, which is unheard of in most high-tech companies. I also had opportunity to jump ship for a higher salary but decided to stay where I was. For those who left, well, they made their choices. All that extra money they made by jumping ship is being washed away as their time on the unemployment line grows.

If you find a decent place to work, stay there! For those places are few and far between.

[technochick99]

bump

[savedbygrace]

More than 200,000, or up to 2%, of the country's estimated 10.4 million IT workers are now jobless, according to Harris Miller, president of the Arlington, Va.-based Information Technology Association of America.

The US average is around 6% now, isn't it? And these weenies are complaining about 2% unemployment? Sheesh.