Silicon Valley or bust

Actually, make that Silicon Valley won’t bust. For all of you shivering in your boots that the current start-up boom is doomed to fail a lá year 2000, put those fears aside. WSJ reporter Rebecca Buckman says this cycle will eventually turn down again, but it won’t have the same crushing economic impact the dot-com crash did.

Why the relative optimism? Well, the conspicuous consumption of the 90s is less du rigueur now, so companies are requesting and using less venture capital. Plus, the start-up marketplace is cheaper. Equipment is more affordable, many software apps are open-source and it’s easier to offshore jobs.

That means fewer investors and less money are tied up in tech start-ups’ fates. And that will be a blessing when (not if) the market goes south, because the shift won’t take so many dollar signs with it.

Now let’s look at what this macro view means for your micro working world. While not the runaway trains of the 90s, Silicon Valley companies are still hiring and growing at a strong clip, which can create excellent job opps for IT pros who fit the bill.

I did some regional breakdowns for in-demand skills based on the latest Yoh Index, and I think my Silicon Valley segment will give you some helpful insight. Let me know what else you’d like to know about this market, and I’ll do my best to get the answer!

Posted by Jim L.