Conflicting reports, confusing data and myriad statistics create an unclear look at the state of IT jobs in 2010.
There is no shortage of reports on high-tech hiring, computer industry compensation and IT jobs – or the lack thereof, depending on which research you choose to believe. But the glut of information creates confusion around a market place that continues to see demand for certain skills, yet seems to require a more evolved IT employment candidate.
Taking responsibility for my contributions and coverage of seemingly contradictory reports on the topic of high-tech careers, I still feel confident saying the trend seems to be that IT managers are hopeful they will be able to add staff in the second half of 2010. But the question remains: Will that represent new jobs for the overall economy or will the additional staff be acquired by way of part-time consultants or outsourced workers?
A recent Technisource survey can be added to the pile of pro IT jobs literature. The Technisource IT HIRE Intelligence Survey was conducted online in the U.S. by Monster Worldwide between April 16 and May 1, 2010. Some 245 human resource managers and recruiters responded and the results show that more than three-fourths of those polled “have confidence that their company’s performance will improve in the next 6 months.” And in relation to that, a tad bit more, 78%, said they plan to hire IT staff in the coming months, with applications and infrastructure positions in the lead. Of those companies planning to hire, 26% reported they would be new openings, while 9% would be replacement positions.
A recent article in Network World dubbed “8 trends driving IT job growth, salaries” calls out a slew of the various published reports and tells readers to expect ongoing “churn” because even if hiring is happening, it might not be traditional full-time positions. What are IT professionals to do in this unstable economic and employment climate?
For one, employed IT pros need to keep their skills up to date. Whether it be through training with their employer or at-home/online education, high-tech workers cannot afford to fall behind. All those interested in a career in IT also must consider staying informed on new staffing models created by technologies such as cloud computing. And most companies must go global to compete so IT workers should embrace the idea of collaborating with peers around the world. And lastly if currently looking for work, IT job seekers should exploit social media applications, tools and networking sites such as Linkedin and Twitter to broaden the job search, but also to show a comfort with the now-ubiquitous technologies.
What’s happening at your company? Are jobs returning or are IT pros being asked to deliver more services with the same or fewer staff resources? Let me know your thoughts by commenting here or e-mail me at Denise.Dubie@ca.com.
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