The change is most profound among dot-coms, where labor markets have been the tightest. Employee-hungry firms in New York's Silicon Alley are finding the same sort of easing. Hiring ''is much more realistic,'' says Mark Weiss, CEO of MusicVision, an online music network. Job candidates who months ago would have asked for six-figure salaries, despite the skimpiest of resumes, have toned down their demands. Many employees are showing more loyalty, too.
Media companies are likely to be next in line to feel the pinch.
Many are bracing for a slowdown in the advertising that drives their revenues. That has execs worried about headcounts. It was time to tighten the screws a bit,'' says President Peter Chernin. For media companies, ''it's going to be a tough year,'' predicts UBS Warburg media analyst Christopher Dixon. Microsoft is snapping up dot-com refugees.