1/29    For those of you who changed jobs (voluntarily or involuntarily)
        recently, what was your pay?  I'm trying to get a sense of the job
        market. I heard that it has picked up, but there are conflicting
        info.  Recently == within 2 years (after the dotbomb implosion.
        same pay:
        lower pay: .
        HIgher pay:     .
        higher pay but my last job was underpaid (and I was cool with that) ..
        \_ where's the "yermom" option?  why hasn't someone added that??
                \_ This one's mom is too ugly.
        \_ 30% higher, involuntarily, but that was almost two years ago.
        \_ 101k pre-bomb, 125k as bomb was exploding, 120k very post bomb.
        \_ Higher pay because my last company was big on stock options, but
           lower than what I could have got had I been smart enough to take
           more cash.
           \_ It's a bit late to give this advice to everyone, but *always*
              take more cash over options.  There will always be more options
              from successful companies and we all know what most of the
              options grants from the last 6-7 years were worth.  I never let
              anyone tell me any bullshit about how many options I'm getting
              so they can't give as much cash.  Options are frosting.  You've
              gotta eat the cake.
              \_ I will still take the options, cause I am an optionist,
                 and a gambler, and this is America.
                 \_ I always took options.  I'm not saying I was cash only.
                    I'm saying I treated the "chat" like it was cash only and
                    *then* we discussed options as an unrelated topic like
                    the color of my chair or which monitor I want.
                    \_ I know someone who took a pay cut to get extra options
                       and literally made millions by doing so. If you can
                       make such a deal and afford to do it, it is worth
                       considering.
                       \_ It's also the exception.  I know hundreds of people
                          who got laid off.