employment market for applied cryptographers?

John Kelsey kelsey.j at ix.netcom.com
Sat Aug 17 03:29:07 EDT 2002


At 12:57 PM 8/16/02 -0400, Perry E. Metzger wrote:

...
>I've seen very high rates of unemployment among people of all walks of
>life in New York of late -- I know a lot of lawyers, systems
>administrators, secretaries, advertising types, etc. who are out of
>work or have been underemployed for a year or longer. I'm not sure
>that it is just cryptographers.

This is my experience, too.  A huge number of the people I know around here
(RTP area, mid-North Carolina) are out of work, or are worried that they
soon will be.  This set of people includes only one cryptographer (and he's
got a job).  

>Always keep in mind when you hear the latest economic statistics that
>measuring the size of the US economy, or the number of unemployed
>people, is partially voodoo. 

Also that regions and industries can vary enormously in how their economy
is going.  Areas where a lot of jobs are in the computer or travel
industries, for example, are going to have a lot of unemployment, as this
area does.  And also, it's important to note that most of us in this field
might move to a different field (e.g., more general software development,
teaching, etc.) rather than live without paychecks for a long time.  Or
might decide that now is the time to go back to school.  Unemployment stats
measure (if I'm remembering it right) only people who are not working, but
are actively looking for work.  (I don't know what definition is used to
decide if you're really looking or not.)  

I feel very fortunate to still have a job, given all that's going on in
this industry.

>Perry

--John Kelsey, kelsey.j at ix.netcom.com // jkelsey at certicom.com 


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