It makes sense to be hiring if you have work for people to do and the money to pay them. Take Amazon, if they are able to swim during this period where their competitors are treading water, they'll have a significant advantage when things pick up again. Likewise, labor is cheap right now (comparatively). Workers don't bargain as hard for salary because they don't think they can get another job. Often workers who get jobs in a down economy have lower earnings for years because the raises they get are likely to be based off that original, low salary for years to come - they might even start thinking that's the going rate for people in their position.
Google and Yahoo's profits aren't the same as Amazon and Microsoft's. They're probably more elastic as people rely on their free stuff rather than paying up. For example, we're no longer buying AdWords to my knowledge and rather just hoping people find us through regular search. Likewise, I'm sure the market for Google's premium $50/user Google Apps has dried as people use the free version that's almost the same.
It's tough times, but if you can see what needs to be done and have the money to do it now, you'll put yourself in a good position later.
Google and Yahoo's profits aren't the same as Amazon and Microsoft's. They're probably more elastic as people rely on their free stuff rather than paying up. For example, we're no longer buying AdWords to my knowledge and rather just hoping people find us through regular search. Likewise, I'm sure the market for Google's premium $50/user Google Apps has dried as people use the free version that's almost the same.
It's tough times, but if you can see what needs to be done and have the money to do it now, you'll put yourself in a good position later.