But there are also signs that the job market may not be changing dramatically. Salaries for in-demand workers aren't climbing as quickly as they were a year ago, but recruiters say they aren't falling, either. Her search lasted several months, and in December and January, she started hearing about more hiring freezes than before. Warning against gloom Local economists warn against overly gloomy forecasts for the local job market. Local figures for January are not yet available, but preliminary figures for December showed Santa Clara County with an unemployment rate of 1.3 percent.
Workers seem optimistic, as well.
A Field Poll taken a few weeks ago found that almost eight in 10 Californians who currently have jobs are very confident that they'll still be employed six months from now. As always, the workers who fare the best will be those with marketable skills. Even companies that have a hiring freeze in place often will hire workers for critical positions. Susan Afan, regional manager for OfficeTeam in Pleasanton, recently placed an executive secretary after she was laid off from her dot-com job. Some areas hit Not all segments of the job market are faring equally.