My old college roommate Bill and I have recently re-opened email lines of communication, and in the re-connecting process, he let me know that he was inbetween jobs at the moment. After I made the statement that “even a financial analyst can find jobs in this market”, I got back this reply:
What’s this about “even analysts can get a job in this market”? I am a highly skilled high tech financial professional (well, the professional might be going a bit far). Actually, I’m more like a spreadsheet jockey who can come up with the answer you like and the defend it using misleading data and formulas, but it all comes down to the same thing in the end. The only problem with my employment picture right now is that I live in the core of the high-tech meltdown, and despite that, I have yet to offer myself up to a defense contractor. Actually, I turned down a job last week (they wanted me to help them lay off a third of their work force, about 400 people), just spoke to KLA Tencor yesterday, and have a second round with Apple later this week. Not bad for a “mere” financial analyst.
My other career option is to become a professional layoff target. I figure I can work half the year, get laid off, get a nice severence payment, and then collect unemployment and still get the equivalent of a full time salary. You should look into that, Kevin. It’s the wave of the future.
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So if you’re in San Jose looking for a spreadsheet jockey, Bill’s your man, as long as you don’t ask him to sell his soul. It’s already doubly-mortgaged.