>I agree with that. I still think at the moment companies are reluctant to hire people without experience.
>
>25 years of experience in solving business problems in a multitude of diverse industries is not something to be sneezed at. I have never had a problem selling myself as a developer by employing that logic - even when I did not have experience using the specific programming language that the employer was using.

I did not express it as well as I should have. I meant work experience with the particular tools the employer says they want. Personally I have seen them being more hard nosed about that in the down economy. That's not to say an, uh, seasoned applicant with a solid general background can't do it, just that there is more reluctance to give them the chance. YMMV. You are a quick study, after all ;-)