Job market is heating up

Two weeks ago, a head hunter called my office phone. I didn't received these type of phone call for a long time. Does it indicate the job market here is picking up. I think so. Some of my friends just fired their boss recently, of course they already found new boss. And almost all of my friends have a job now.

Although job openings are there, companies are still hiring carefully. They look for very good match for their positions. Unlike the Y2K boom time, now employers won't rush to grab good telnet and then spend a few months to train them. They want good telnet, good experience, and expect people to work on day one.

For the employee, now seems finding a job isn't that difficult. Then we starts to be unsatisfied about what we have earned. One of my co-workers always want to sneak my salary information. He likes to ask somethings like: what is the percentage range of your bonus. Then ask if you ever get bonus more than $10K ... or he will ask how much $$ you put down on your ESPP ... etc. Well, personally I don't mind to reveal how much $$ I made. I don't earn much, barely enough to support my basic living. But there are two reasons I don't want to tell:

1. It is company confidential
2. If turn out I make more than him/her, he/she will be upset. If turn out I make less, then I will be upset. Why do something that surely will make someone unhappy?