Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
As IT Hiring Continues to Improve, What Kind of Skills Are Companies Demanding?
Thursday, August 05, 2010 by Bryan Anderson
Unemployment may still be at high numbers but jobs within the
Information Technology sector are opening and filling up. According
to a Computerworld.com article, 71% of
professionals in charge of hiring or recruiting for technology
positions "expect to add more employees in the second half of the
year than they did in the first," while over half expect this
number of new employees to be 10 or higher.
Manpower isn't the only growth segment-in a most recent CDW
study, spending for hardware and software is expected to increase,
signaling an unofficial rise from the "Great Recession," as the
article alludes to. The data also shows that "the hiring plans
follow more directly on the heels of spending unlike past trends of
increased IT spending followed by increased IT hiring."
IT workers are enjoying a 5% unemployment average while the
national average sits at 9.5%. While many technology jobs are
opening, those already holding a stable IT position can work
comfortably as 72% of corporate respondents from the latest Dice
Report say that" they do not expect any layoffs at their companies
in the next six months."
With the data showing improvement, what sectors are seeing the
most demand? According to a Networkworld.com article, financial firms are
heavily recruiting for programming and database expertise.
Accompanied with operation system skills, these employees will help
to "keep real-time banking and trading systems up and running," an
area also advancing slowly out of the recession.
While most of the overall recruitment activity is high among
cities like New York, San Francisco and Chicago, you will start to
see the demand for elaborate skill sets trickle down from large
corporations to small and medium enterprises. One of the skills
being sought is IT system risk evaluation and project management,
two large knowledge bases that small businesses need for efficient
growth and smooth operations.
For a time now, small business owners have effectively battled
the effects of poor economic activity and prepared for efficient
technology spending. Once corporations and Wall Street businesses
begin showing signs of economic growth, small businesses will
witness further consumer spending and open opportunities to adapt
further cost-cutting solutions. Technology is leading the way in
the fight to break the recession while small businesses have the
most experience in successfully overcoming it.
Until next time -
Matthew Hymel
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Support &
Consulting
Rochester
IT Support & Consulting
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