Google has announced that it is eliminating100 jobs, the first permanent cuts in its history, as the technology sector braces itself for widespread cuts.

The move is an ominous sign for the prospects at other leading tech firms, with Motorola, the mobile phone manufacturer, announcing 4,000 job cuts today and reports that Microsoft is considering mass layoffs.

Google, one of the steadiest ships in the industry, said that it would dismiss 100 “recruiters” worldwide.

Writing in the company’s official blog, Laszlo Bock, vice-president for people operations, said: “Google is still hiring but at a reduced rate. Given the state of the economy, we recognised that we needed fewer people focused on hiring.”

A Google official said that it was not yet clear how many UK jobs would be affected.

In recent weeks, Google also cut an unspecified number of contractors and temporary staff, and downsized its annual Christmas gift to employees from a $1,000 bonus to a new T-Mobile G1 mobile phone.

Google cut 300 staff last year at Doubleclick, the internet advertising company it had acquired.

However, this is the first time the company dismissed staff that it had hired directly.

Google’s cutbacks are relatively minor compared to those being made or considered at other leading technology firms.

Motorola said that it would cut 4,000 jobs because sales for mobile phones have slumped with consumers making fewer purchases during the economic turmoil.

The majority of the cuts affect its mobile devices unit in America, and means that the company has reduced its workforce worldwide by 16,000 since the start of 2007.

Meanwhile, it was reported today that Microsoft were considering widespread layoffs across its various divisions as one possibility, in an effort to undertake drastic cost-saving measures.

Speculation emerged this year that Microsoft was poised to make 15,000 cuts.

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