You and your son are literally on opposite ends of the current economy. Tech is in possibly the worst recession since dotcom, while in-person services and retail pay is booming
So the pay situation you describe isn’t surprising at all
So the pay situation you describe isn’t surprising at all
For corporations who don't have a money machine, yes, it's not a good time. You will not get new funding. For established corporations, I'd say that it's pretty sunny days, especially considering layoffs.
Stock prices have nothing to do with the employment landscape