Yeah, you'll know it when you see it. Some indicators:
The press never writes articles on startups, except to report their demise.
Everybody is seemingly in hiring freeze at once. (But don't let that stop you! Many times, companies that are reported to be "in hiring freeze" are actually still hiring for the right candidate.)
VC firms start telling their portfolio companies to conserve cash, shutter lines of business, and lay off people.
Plans for new corporate headquarters are shelved indefinitely.
You start hearing "Well, at least I still have a job" from friends.
You start hearing "Fuck, I just got laid off. Can I crash at your place for a month while I find a cheaper apartment?" from friends.
Searching for new jobs starts to seem dauntingly frightening - what if they go under? (In the context of this thread, this is ridiculous - Google is not going under.)
The press never writes articles on startups, except to report their demise.
Everybody is seemingly in hiring freeze at once. (But don't let that stop you! Many times, companies that are reported to be "in hiring freeze" are actually still hiring for the right candidate.)
VC firms start telling their portfolio companies to conserve cash, shutter lines of business, and lay off people.
Plans for new corporate headquarters are shelved indefinitely.
You start hearing "Well, at least I still have a job" from friends.
You start hearing "Fuck, I just got laid off. Can I crash at your place for a month while I find a cheaper apartment?" from friends.
Searching for new jobs starts to seem dauntingly frightening - what if they go under? (In the context of this thread, this is ridiculous - Google is not going under.)