The job forecast: partly cloudy

The job forecast: partly cloudy - from two years ago - has it changed by much? Hard to say, with articles like Job outlook better, not rosy which seems to share the same cautious optimism...

At the very least, "...2005 will represent only another year of progress in our recovery. It will not be a 'normal' labor market for job seekers. We will not be back to 'normal' until 2008 because only then will jobs, relative to population, be back to where they were before the recession."

There are a few bright spots though: in particular, "Health care has seen no lost jobs, so it looked spectacular...it's just solid." Also, software engineers in applications positions are expected to grow by about 4,000 by 2012 - "the former glamour industries will not be the engines of growth in 2005."