I think we have a tale of two industries. If you're working for an operator whose business is largely contract driven then those contracts have to be serviced and very little has changed (except for a probable cost cutting exercise that any sensible business would undertake). Workers still need transporting and pipelines don't inspect themselves.
If you are working in the pleasure flying, charter, training and freelance sector then (speaking for the UK) I'd have thought you're a lot better at sudoku and DIY than you were 12 months ago. There's so little charter work around that pilots and operators aren't bothering keeping up Base and Line checks and pleasure trips (voucher flights etc) are very slow.
I know some cock will reply to this telling us all how wonderful life is for them and how they're flying 150hrs / month - but (if that's even true) it's very much the exception.
For those new to the industry the options are very limited (as ever). There's no point in becoming an FI when most schools have limited students and there's no point in getting an IR to join the back of a very long queue of twin/IFR pilots almost all of whom probably have 5 to 10 times the hours in their logbooks.
Tough times indeed.