Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
As Tech Job Demands Grow, So Does Your Small Business
Monday, July 12, 2010 by Matt Hymel
Many factors contribute to the growth and success of a small
business startup: the idea, the demand, the innovation, the
determination, the passion, the resources, and much more. In a
struggling economic landscape, consumers turn to conservative
spenders, relying more on familiar consumer experience (word of
mouth) to aid in making important purchases. This gives small
business a window of opportunity, and, as we've stated previously, startups everywhere have
made the best of the times.
Looking at a networkworld.com write up from May, Symantec's annual study
revealed that "workers are being asked to manage more systems and
deal with new technologies that are being introduced" according to
the director of enterprise product management, Sean Derrington. The
article points out that corporations required different skills of
job seekers, those that included experience in virtualization, data
protection, identity systems, and cloud computing.
According to Dice.com (via Networkworld.com), in July 2009, their job
site reported 48,993 available tech jobs which included 28,713
full-time positions. As of July 1, 2010, these numbers increased to
66,672 available tech jobs which included 39,389 full-time
positions.
In a recent survey, Dice.com revealed the top 10 most difficult
positions to fill in the IT industry. While the top three list
Java, Security, and Software Developer, respectively, it is only a
year ago when Virtualization sat in the top three. Instead, the
presence of more virtualization technologies has pushed this skill
set of the top ten most difficult to find.
So why exactly are these spots vacant? Is it because nobody
wants these positions or the demand is fairly specific in terms of
experience and knowledge? A Dice.com spokesperson commented, saying
that "HR managers and recruiters are starting to pay higher
salaries for new hires - that is a result of too many openings and
not enough skilled professionals for stronger areas."
With an increase in IT jobs accompanied by a demand for a
distinct skill set, there will be two consequences for the upcoming
IT sector:
1. IT job seekers will turn to personal business or small
business experience to hone their skills in a specific field of
work
2. IT job recruiters will be more critical and explicit in the
desired experience, leading to a more focused IT presence (which
will benefit the company and reduce multiple-management roles)
For a small company, IT can be frustrating without the proper
resources, support, and knowledge. In order to grow at a rate that
you want, the technology needs to grow with you and sport a solid
foundation along the way. More companies have observed the demand
for distinguished experience-don't settle for a generic IT solution
when your small business needs a specialized solution.
Until Next Time -
Matthew Hymel
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Support &
Consulting
Rochester
IT Support & Consulting
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