Tracking Tech Layoffs the Web 3.0 Way

TechCrunch, you’ve outdone yourself.

Have you seen the TechCrunch technology layoff tracker? Without gushing too much, this resource page is awesome for its interactive features and for showing the scope of the affected–from the smallest of startups to the giants of the industry.

It’s complete with an interactive graphic that charts the chronology of layoffs, graphical pop-up links to sources and a user-submitted tip area for layoffs they might have missed. It’s got all the resource elements you’d want in tracking the somewhat depressing, but important information of this industry.

If you’re still reading this (and not playing with the graphical bar slider like I was for the last 10 minutes), here’s the skinny:

• There have been 440 total technology layoff announcements
• The layoffs have affected 310,714 people
• The information goes back as far as September 2008
• January 17, 2009 was the single worst day for layoff announcements (34,000 jobs)
• January 30, 2009 was the second worst day (29,640 jobs)

It would be amazing to see the information broken down in to job titles and positions, but getting that information is dependent on what companies are willing to share which varies widely.

One little nit picky thing I have with the list is that it includes retailers such as Circuit City which is not exactly a technology job employer, but a seller of technology consumer products. It also includes a number of media companies (many tech-centric, but not all), but I understand why it’s all being put on here: To show the widest spectrum possible without using all the financial services, manufacturing, teaching, and other layoffs we hear about all the time.

Tip of the hat, Arrington and company. Well played. I’ll be coming back to this thing frequently.