I think it varies a lot by area. Here in the Salt Lake valley we're having a horrible time finding qualified/competent software developers to fill our open requisitions.
We're specifically trying to increase our numbers in our office here to compensate for low development velocity by our offshore team, but aren't having much luck doing it. We get few applicants, and even fewer ones worth considering.
I have applied for several jobs in Utah, covering a pretty wide range of competencies (my resume suffers from "serial generalist" disorder, to wit: Database. Embedded. Windows. Linux. Gaming. Hospitality. Collections and billing. Device drivers. Direct mail. Blah, blah, blah.) And I've been doing it a really long time.
I haven't gotten any kind of reply at all from any of them. Nothing. At all.
Meanwhile, I'm getting bombarded by phone calls from places I would rather not live, given the choice. I guess the Portland area isn't that bad, but most of the work over there is "project" work, with 3-18 months as the general period.
I'm currently working my way through the "process" with two (about to be three) firms, and it's dragging ass. I'm past two months of interviews, testing, "cover letters" explaining why I'm fabulous, and stuff like that. I'm expecting an offer to fall out of the sky just any old minute now.
But not from Utah.
What is it you guys do, anyway? And do I want a piece of that action?
Regarding "qualified" developers, I have a resume with truckloads of experience in things I was not "qualified" to do when I started them. I wasn't "qualified" as a data warehouse programmer when I wrote my first one for a national brand. I wasn't "qualified" as an embedded engineer when I took my first full time gig doing that. I learned it on the job. I've learned all of it on the job.
Nowadays, I find more and more "must have 3 years experience coding in [random language
du jour]" and very little "must be willing to learn new stuff." My whole damned career has been "learning new stuff."
Oh, look. I seem to be ranting.
Anyway . . .
What is it you guys do?