Read the forums and be prepared to compete. 

There is work "out there", but you need to be the best. 

On the Left Coast, all the rats fled the sinking ship over a year ago:  read this as all the fly-by-night firms left the playing field when times slowed.  The hearty, strong, knowledgable researchers who stayed ahead of the curve, buffered themselves for bad times, and knew how to compete can still be found, but even some of them have gone away.