[sakopov]

I remember going to school for computer science back in 2004 and literally everyone around me thought I was an idiot. I worked a part time shift at a grocery store and 2 of my coworkers were CS grads without any job offers. Then in 2008 I graduated and the financial market collapsed. My first real programming job paid less than my grocery store job but I was happy I had my foot in the door. I don't remember when the market picked up but I don't think the layoffs were as drawn out as they are today. At least back than you kinda new why everyone was on a hiring freeze. Today there are so many economic factors and a massively disrupting technology that it feels messier than ever before.

[jemmyw]

Why did they think you were an idiot? I graduated in 2004 and I don't recall anyone thinking a CS degree was a bad idea.

[sakopov]

Perhaps your experience varied with zip code, but in the area where I lived at the time, the perception was that software industry was in a decline and acquiring a degree in the field seemed like a dubious bet. Maybe the sentiment was different if you were in the Bay area.

[jemmyw]

I was in the UK. The effects of the dot com bubble did extend there but I think we had a very different view on it.

[tforcram]

The dot-com bubble/crash had just happened and a lot of non-tech folks thought it would never come back. I remember telling my uncle I was going to intern at Amazon around 2005/6 and him asking me in all seriousness, "aren't they bankrupt?"