Current Unemployment Rate in the IT Industry?

concerned-about-employment asks: "What's the unemployment rate in the IT industry currently? Years ago I heard it was 8-9% but with so many jobs going offshore and the general unemployment rate rising, could it be even higher than before? Has it really broken 10% as some people say? That would mean 1 out of every 10 IT workers is out of a job. Personally though, from the perspective of a recent college graduate, it looks like 20% from here." How does the actual national unemployment rate in IT compare to the number of IT professionals that you know who are currently out of work?

Do it as your hobby

[ObviousGuy]

Hopefully you majored in something useful like management or accounting so that you don't have to worry about finding a job when you get out. Keep computers and programming as your hobby and let your other work pay the bills.

If you still have some money, think about pursuing a professional degree (JD, MBA, etc.). Demand for these never dips.

There are no jobs in IT out here for you.

Real-world stats.

[BigZaphod]

Well, if you look at my real-world situation it is this:

Friend 1: Employed
Friend 2: Lost Tech Job
Myself 1: Lost Tech Job

Whoa! That's a 66% unemployment rate! Yep. It's pretty bad out there...