On Tue, Jul 03, 2007 at 03:18:34PM -0700, keith smith wrote: > This is not totally inline with this post however I have to ask. > > Does it seem there maybe a shortage of programmers. In conversations with several prospective client this last two weeks I got the distinct impression either everyone is raising their rates or there is a shortage. Raising rates would also be and indicator as well. > > Also, several of the freelancers I know are stating they are overwhelmed with work and requests for work. > > Could it be? finally? Not quite. As a professional developer with 20+ years experience, I feel fairly confident in saying that. Job offers often ask X many yrs experience in one area, and Y many years experience in that area, and Z many years experience in another. There are probably 5 people in the world who fit that, one of whom just left the company. The part they are leaving out is that you have to be named Bob Wright, because that's the name of the guy who's shoes they're trying to fill. In addition, most employers absolutely *hate* the process of hiring people. All the unqualified applicants, then the interviews, and despite everything they end up hiring someone who can't perform as well as they'd hoped or needed. There are other reasons, too, why employers have a hard time finding good employees. Some companies throw their hands in the air and outsource their whole IT department, including significant development functions. Some domestic, some foreign. But make no mistake, it's all about a lack of finding matches between employers and employees rather than the lack of either. Employers suck at hiring the best employees, and most developers (myself included) suck at finding the best employers. So that's my $0.02. ;-) -- Darrin Chandler | Phoenix BSD User Group | MetaBUG dwchandler@stilyagin.com | http://phxbug.org/ | http://metabug.org/ http://www.stilyagin.com/ | Daemons in the Desert | Global BUG Federation --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss