IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 44
Hiring Heats Up
Jobs are more plentiful, and wages are inching up slowly
By Terry CosTlow
Careers
By the time George Robison finally got among engineers. That's about as low as the
a pink slip from a fading auto industry rates get.
start-up in Detroit in June 2006, he
Not all engineers can expect to get handwas already working on Plans B and fuls of job offers, but they can look forward
C in his job hunt. Although the Motor to raises of 4 to 5 percent, or about 2 points
City's woes continue, Robison, who above the current U.S. inflation rate. They're
holds a master's degree in alternative also gaining a bit more job security than
fuels, found a job by November. He even got many have felt in the past couple of years.
a solid raise.
That's true regardless of whether the
The employment market for engineers is engineering diploma is yellowed or freshly
"no place for a nervous person," says Robison, printed. "There's a lot more competition for
now a software engineer at IAV Automotive top graduates this year," says Tom Lucas,
Engineering, in Ann Arbor, Mich.
director of international human resources
His success in finding a job even during at National Instruments, in Austin, Texas.
Detroit's downturn underscores a bright "RF and analog continue to be key skill
outlook for engineers, especially those in sets that are hard to find." Lucas adds that
popular disciplines. Nobody's expecting a National Instruments hires mainly new
return to the hot markets of the dot-com era, graduates, and now it generally pays them
but there's general agreement that demand 5 percent more than it did last year.
for engineers is growing.
The typical EE grad can expect to earn
"It's gotten a lot harder to find talent," US $54 915, according to the National
says Amy McKee, senior manager for Association of Colleges and Employers, in
global staffing at Autodesk, of San Rafael, Bethlehem, Pa. That's significantly higher
Calif. "There's a lot more venture capital than the $44 048 and $47 750 their busimoney in Silicon Valley. Candidates now ness administration and civil engineering
have multiple offers."
counterparts respectively average, NACE
AeA, formerly the American Electronics says, but still only 1.6 percent more than new
Association, estimates that the United States EE grads made, on average, in 2006.
added 150 000 high-technology jobs in 2006,
nearly twice as many as in the previous year, Senior engineerS face far more variable
for a two-year increase in total employment prospects, depending on their specialties.
of 2 percent. The association estimates that Steve Patchel, senior consultant at Watson
unemployment is now 2.5 percent among Wyatt Worldwide, in Santa Clara, Calif., notes
computer scientists and less than 2 percent that although average wage increases run
RyAN MCVAy/GETTy IMAGES
www.spectrum.ieee.org
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Spectrum July, 2007
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - Cover1
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - Cover2
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 1
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 2
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 3
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 4
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 5
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 6
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 7
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 8
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 9
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 10
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 11
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 12
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 13
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 14
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 15
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 16
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 17
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 18
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 19
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 20
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 21
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 22
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 23
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 24
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 25
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 26
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 27
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 28
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 29
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 30
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 31
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 32
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 33
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 34
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 35
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 36
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 37
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 38
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 39
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 40
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 41
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 42
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 43
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 44
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - 45
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - Cover3
IEEE Spectrum July, 2007 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0917
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0817
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0717
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0617
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0517
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0417
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0317
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0117
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0916
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0816
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0716
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0616
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0516
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0316
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0116
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0915
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0815
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0715
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0615
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0515
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0315
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0115
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0914
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0814
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0714
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0614
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0514
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0414
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0314
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0114
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0913
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0813
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0713
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0613
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0513
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0413
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0313
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0213
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0113
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_1007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/spectrum_na_0107
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com