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in reply to "Tired of FUD" Followup: Where the Jobs Are

Unsurprisingly, it seems to reveal that the states with the most people have the most jobs. Maybe do a version that shows jobs per capita?
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Re^2: "Tired of FUD" Followup: Where the Jobs Are
by merlyn (Sage) on Feb 11, 2008 at 23:38 UTC
    Maybe do a version that shows jobs per capita
    You know, I've never understood the notion of "most jobs" or even "most jobs per capita".

    Just exactly how many jobs do you need... personally? One, right? So if there's even one job in an area that meets your needs, you're done, right?

    Yeah, that's what I thought.

    -- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker

[reply]

      Florin has a population of 100,000 and 10,000 openings for Plugh coders.

      Guilder has a population of 1,000,000 and also has 10,000 openings for Plugh coders.

      If you are an ordinary Plugh coder, do you think it will be easier to find a job in Florin, or in Guilder?

[reply]
        The math is clear, and given the assumptions behind this question, the solution is obvious. Sadly, life is not a math test.

        If we assume that I am "an ordinary Plugh coder", and that it's essential I work in that specific discipline, we go where the jobs are easiest to find and retain.

        If, however, we hold a higher self opinion (or as menolly said, we are from Lake Woebegone, where all the children are above average), competition doesn't matter.

        I, for one, would want to live in Guilder -- if only to avoid the corrupt government of Prince Humperdinck. If I can get a job in Guilder writing apps in Plugh, that's great. If not, I'll run a help desk, or manage an operations team, or flip burgers.

        In the words of Robert A. Heinlein, "Specialization is for insects."

[reply]
        I see 10K jobs in each. I only have to be 1 of 10K. Sounds like pretty good odds to me, as long as I've worked to be the best I can be.

        -- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker

[reply]
        Frankly, whenever I get a question like this, I find I've a marked yen to duck it.
[reply]

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