On: Zynga to Lay Off 520 Employees and shutter NY and ...

[MartinCron]

the worst jobs are taken when you're desperate

If I could suggest one thing for a young programmer to tattoo onto their inner arm, it would be that sentence right there.

[seivan → MartinCron]

I took a really shitty job so I could be close to someone in a country. I had it for almost two years. The job wasn't worth it. But the person in question was.. ten folds. Now, we're trying to settle down, but fixing the job/security situation.

That being said, I am always skeptical at things pointed out as job security.

[ollysb → MartinCron]

Problem is they usually are actually desperate...

[MartinCron → ollysb]

Being aware of being desperate and what that means will at least allow people to make more informed desperate choices.

[hkmurakami → ollysb]

you're right. It's usually the least experienced and/or those with visa issues that get trapped by this.

[WalterSear → ollysb]

But if it's tattooed on their arm, they can remember it when they are not, and prepare accordingly.

[jshen → MartinCron]

Decent programmers in big cities have no reason to be desperate.

[MartinCron → jshen]

Not now, but deep recessions can happen even in big cities. Nobody is as invincible as they feel.

[jshen → MartinCron]

Didn't we just go through a deep recession? Decent programmers in big cities had nothing to worry about!

Nothing is absolute, if our society collapses, then yeah, programmers might not have an easy time finding a decent job. Short of catastrophic problems, I think programmers are in good shape for a long time.