[k_kelly]

Then what does a talent shortage look like?

This article is arguing that the current situation is because companies wont employ below a minimal technical competence.

New, brand new, out of college only done programming in college programmers can expect massive starting salaries, the best equipment, and probably lunch and accommodation with a strong chance that they'll get a higher salary the year after.

Few companies require you to actually have used their technology or their architecture, if you have you might have already priced your way in to a job above the one been offered.

If the industry contracts as it surely will programmers are going to be scratching their heads at articles like this.

[zanny]

I am a brand new, out of college, only done programming in College (graduated in 2 years) and job hunting is a PITA because 99% of HR's don't even look at me. The BS in CS is not everything, maybe from a top school, but I got mine from a no-name liberal arts college. When the school name doesn't raise eyebrows you do need a sizable experience portfolio to get interviews.

[AUmrysh]

Yep. Well, I went to a similar sort of small liberal arts school (actually they have great business and nursing programs that are only recognized in the local region). I got interviews from Amazon, Cerner, and a few other big companies, but I was completely unprepared for job interviews (my fault, I know). It's not so much that the talent doesn't exist, it's that businesses only want to hire the very best, and they pass over people who show any sign of weakness or being unsure.

I've got a great job now programming all sorts of things, but it's not purely CS, there's a lot of other stuff there too. Perhaps more BS-CS degree earners should look into industrial applications, they're not ashamed to hire people from small colleges.