But many programmers in those languages have retired, been laid off or moved on to trendier specialties. The Arkansas Department of Computer Services complains on the Internet that it can't lure those programmers at its current salary cap. Paul Revere Life Insurance in Worcester, Mass., recently wooed back two women, both of them specialists in old programs, who had departed to raise kids. Headhunters are gearing up. In Toronto, Avion International switched its emphasis from medical-supply specialists to Year 2000 programmers.
Some experts see salaries at least doubling before the problem is corrected.
Hefty signing bonuses don't guarantee loyalty. Executive Compensation Reports, which follows salary trends, compiled a list of 24 high-ranking executives who received sizable recruitment bonuses between 1989 and 1991. Of those, just 11 remain at those jobs. While some bonuses are staggering, cash bonuses are leveling off, the study found. But stock grants, favored by recent tax and accounting changes, become huge.