I think the time when you could get a programming job without a degree quietly just ended, during the massive layoffs. Of the dozen people I know affected by t

I think the time when you could get a programming job without a degree quietly just ended, during the massive layoffs. Of the dozen people I know affected by the layoffs, only the ones without degrees are still without work. In fact two of them have not had a single interview beyond HR phone screen in months of looking, even with 7-10 years experience. Note also that most of these people don't have CS or other relevant degrees, just degrees at all. Programming now seems to fall under the same rules as other white collar professions.