I guess I never realized how much the foreign influx is eating all those eng. jobs I keep seeing...
One bright ray in my current job search arena is that many folks are looking to hire U. S. citizens now, for security reasons... That could be our "in"...
You're right about one thing, clamper, I am on the naive side in this regard. Keeps me from having scruples about calling random people on the phone and point-blank asking for jobs, though... ;)
Aviation Week last week had the same data. Aerospace professionals with security clearances are needed in all companies. LMT intends to hire 10,000 per year for the next five years. Others say the same, except for Boeing. the aircraft maker is in trouble for several more years.
The only calls I've received since I've started looking in November (trying to break into the EE field, entry-level) were because I'm a US citizen. General gist I'm getting is that everyone's holding their breath on hiring, as has been posted previously. Fortunately my wife's still working.
If it comes down to it, I can start slinging a rifle again, since I'm still young enough to enlist.