What is the Tech Jobs Situation in Late 2004?

CareerConfused asks: "Today I came across an ad in the NY Times, put out by Microsoft, Micron, Level 3 (among others) that claimed that the H-1B visa quota for FY2005 has already expired (it claims the quota expired the first day of FY2005, which started just about a month back). OK. On the one hand, we have stories of techies not finding jobs; and on the other, we have stories from businesses which claim that lack of H1s is killing their business, as well as public advocacy (like that ad in NYT). So, what is it? Are we in another boom, with jobs going a-begging and companies requiring more H1s to fill them? How come I haven't noticed this in the form of a fatter paycheck (or an Aeron chair, or a fooseball table in the cubicle)?" What have you experienced in your searches for technology-based jobs? Is it still hard to sell your hard-earned skills or are things looking up? While its one thing to claim that the lack of H1Bs is killing your business because Americans don't want to move to Fort Wayne, Indiana. It's quite another to say that you can't find a job in Silicon Valley. What's needed is an overall view of how tech jobs are doing across the country. What areas are in desperate need of technical skills and what areas are suffering from a shortage of jobs?

Comments

Re:they're doing fine

[daft_one]

You will now. Why'd you tell everyone, stupid?

Re:I don't get it.

[FireFury03]

I married an American, which exempted me from needing H1 status.
If I can do it...

Most slashdotters are falling down a few stages before the "getting married". :)

Re:Heck, join the military

[American AC in Paris]

...best of all, if your superiors decide that you're not really cut out for a tech position after all, they've got all sorts of exciting opportunities to offer you to these days!

Re:they're doing fine

[trick-knee]

it's a red herring. he actually lives in Denver.

Re:I don't get it.

[Anonymous Coward]

Sound like someone is fucking the person in the next cubicle...

Re:they're doing fine

[daft_one]

You think so? In that case, the job market is great in Rock Springs, Montana!

Thanks a lot

[Safety Cap]

First Duty Station (1-2 years): Pick up cigarette butts. Run a buffer.

Second Duty Station (1-2 years): Pick up cigarette butts. Run a buffer. Do something related to your MOS on occasion.

I managed to purge the memory of that damn circa-1950 buffer (don't get it near the teevee or anyone with a pacemaker!) for over a decade, and you bring it back like the hot fist at the end of a wet kiss.

I probably won't sleep for days, now.

Re:jobs

[TheRaven64]

I think you mean:

Jobs are hard to find while I'm reading Slashdot.

Re:I don't get it.

[cshah 1]

Umm.. did your spouse own the company?

Re:MOD DOWN

[American AC in Paris]

Complete sentences?

While its one thing to claim that the lack of H1Bs is killing your business because Americans don't want to move to Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I can see how you might think this is a complete sentence, but on the other hand.

Re:I don't get it.

[MyHair]

Is it really so hard to believe that 2 people in separate countries can be interested in each other without some hidden motive?

Well, since I get all my socialization from movies and TV, yes.

(Ba dum bum. I'll be here all week. Oops, week's over.)

What this means...

[tkrotchko]

What the tech companies are saying is that there is a shortage of programmers with 10 years experience in Java, 10 years experience in e-Commerce, and 10 years experience is Oracle willing to work for $25K a year.

Re:Story of a Recent College Graduate

[Anonymous Coward]

Young people don't want to live in Alabama, Iran, or other red states. They want to live places they can get good drugs and kinky sex.

Most of us don't need to be "exposed" to crappy middle America. A lot of us grew up in it and left at the first opportunity.

Re:Heck, join the military

[auntfloyd]

I live in lower Delaware, 4-5 hours away from Wilmington.

You're kidding. There's no place in Delaware that is 4 hours away from any other place in Delaware.

Re:Heck, join the military

[avgjoe62]

Where the heck are you? When I was in Iceland, they gave the sysadmins M-16s and had them stand around the planes to protect them.

Of course, that was the weekend the Marines all left the base because the Air Force was giving the sysadmins real guns. Never did get the ammo, though...

Re:Heck, join the military

[iocat]

People in small states drive *really* slow and have different notions of distance. I'm always meeting Rhode Islanders who when I describe something else in Rhode Island are like "That? Oh that's way too far away, we never go there." And I'm like... my COUNTY is bigger than your entire STATE, wtf? And then they're like "what does 'wtf' mean" and I'm like "uh, nothing, go drink your coffee-milk."

Re:Story of a Recent College Graduate

[brufleth]

That seems to be the common impression among people out here who have never been to the northeast. People ARE friendlier out here. While we're making generalizations though they're also more close minded and there are many more religious zealots.

OH and don't forget the race riots.

Only an H1B would be dumb enuf to live in Texas

[Anonymous Coward]

nuf sed. Go ahead, mod my day! I'm pissed.

None

[malice78]

There are no jobs! (Yeah, unless you want to work 40 hours a week! PFT!)

Re:Welcome to real life

[malice78]

Let me be the first one, then to say I like my job, and I am in the IT "sector." The only two people that I know that work in your sector do nothing but complain about their jobs, too. SO..looks like everyone complains from all over the place. It's not just limited to IT people. On a more serious note....why aren't garbage men complaining?!

Re:Heck, join the military

[corbettw]

...currently admin'ing about 1000 Sun servers.

How on Earth can you single handedly admin 1,000 servers properly?

That's why he still has a job: he's doing the work of 20 sysadmins. (Someone posted a stat that the ratio is one sysadmin for 20 computers, but IME it's more like 1:50, especially with Solaris.)