Ok, I'm not an economist(I think I took 2 econ courses in college, that's it). I haven't done any scientific survey. Only a survey of one, me. However, the change I've seen is both dramatic and SUDDEN(I don't think I normally see that word used by any economist on CNBC to describe an improvement in the ecnomy, and I've had plenty of time to sit at home and watch)!
I'm an out of work computer programmer living in the Metro Detroit area, yes the center of the economic tsunami with our 15.2% state unemployment rate and over 18% unemployment rate in the Metro Detroit area. I've been out of work for most of the last year with only a 3 month project working a wireless app working from home for little pay since I didn't have much experience that, but did it for the work and to get experience. While I do usually get calls for jobs from places out of state, I've rarely get more than 1 callback a week from jobs in the state sometimes none for weeks. The job sites have been almost completely empty. My Monster.com job search script which would have 5-10 jobs/day 2 years ago, now has 5-7/week(at most).
However, the last 3 weeks have seen major improvements. Verizon wireless really started to get serious about starting their blackberry app(J2ME) development projects. I was always getting calls for these New Jersey projects from recruiters, since they like me see this as the lone truth growth area right now. However, they actually gave me real phone interviews for 2 different positions in 1 week. I didn't get these because I only have the 9 months experience, plus it's with all the out work people from the financial industry there, it's hard to compete for that from here, not as bad as trying to apply for jobs in NYC, but close. So whenever, you here some smartmouth call the unemployed lazy or too stubborn to move to where the jobs are, tell them to shove it. It's not always that easy even if you are willing and able unless it's an area with a ton of jobs like DC.
2 weeks ago is when things really started to move. Within 1 week, I learned of a major project for AOL for another wireless app & a bunch of contract to perm jobs for a tech company with a longterm coast guard contract, both in Virginia. Yeah, I know not exactly the most suffering state. Again, the competition for that AOL wireless job was steep, so I didn't get it. However, I actually received a tentative offer from that coast guard job. The best part about this is that the recruiter said that this project was almost surely from stimulus money at least in part(planned for years but never funded until now). So next time you hear that the stimulus isn't working, tell them to go to H3ll. Yeah, I know it's for the government as the client.
It get's even better though. The day after that interview, I got called about a job at a Lansing insurance company and a request for an phone interview in the same day. This company doesn't do that even in good times. That was last week. Then today was when I knew this was for real. My dice.com job search pulled in the most jobs in months. Some of these actually direct perm jobs(that's actually a big deal in this economy). One of these was for a software co in DOWNTOWN DETROIT. I applied, received a callback within 1 hour, a request for a phone interview that afternoon, and now in-person tomorrow. It feels like 1999!(ok, maybe not quite).
I know this is just one person, and I do have some in-demand skills, but I'm in worst of the worst locations, so if I can see some light at the end of the tunnel(and not just the Detroit Windsor one :)) then maybe it's not just an oncoming truck.