If a bubble pops and there's nobody there to hear it, does it really make a sound?

It's a little encouraging to see recognition that talent (specifically tech talent) is pooling in places other than the Silicon Valley.  Those of us that have been responsible for recruiting that talent have seen the quality of tech talent elsewhere increasing in what I would argue is directly proportionate to the degree to which the Silicon Valley talent has become more demanding. Yeah, I just said it. There's some great talent there, but in recruiting, like in sales, you focus your efforts where you can make the sale, all things being equal. And when it comes to the quality of the tech talent, things have been getting equaller and equaller. And then some (hee!).

As the economy has hit the skids even many of the SV folks that would have considered moving cannot because of the depressed real estate market. All the more reason for technology companies to focus more of their recruiting efforts elsewhere. Especially if they can fund relocation. Times are changing, indeed.

One thing that the linked article has me scratching my head over, though, is the fact that a company developing an employment value proposition based on something other than compensation is newsworthy. Like someone just invented it. Makes me realize that there's a whole new crop of actively recruiting companies out there that have sprung up during this little recession. Because clearly the fact that they were even hiring and/or paying fairly well was enough to attract talent during their short existence. Fortunately, this time, when we all hear a thousand little bubble-popping sounds, it won't just be coming from the Silicon Valley.