Tech On Top In Down Job Market

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Are you a highly skilled IT comptia security professional hot on the job search? If so, a recent study offers good

news for you.
Fifty-three percent of companies report they will increase staff in the next year, according to Veritude’s “2008 IT Hiring Trends” study. The staffing

company also identified the job roles that most need filling, namely: project manager, database administrator, system administrator, enterprise architect,

software engineer, network engineer and systems analyst.
“In many of those roles, the commonality is that [the professionals must be] highly skilled with good job experience,” said Tom Hart, executive vice

president of client management, talent acquisition, and operations and technology at Veritude. “But probably more importantly, they have two things that

hiring managers continuously look for, which are effective communication skills — both written skills and verbal skills — and a high level of business

knowledge with the industries that they work in.”
But even beyond these several ...
... jobs roles, “There are probably close to 100 job types in IT where the top talent [is] not going to have a problem finding

good work,” he said.
Indeed, a July study by Jobfox reported that the technology sector had the most job roles on its “Top 20 Most Recession-Proof Professions” list, with a

total of six.
While other sectors such as finance and the automotive industry continue to announce job cuts and buyouts, a number of factors are keeping skilled IT

candidates afloat in the job market.
First, while many industries are or will be affected by the vast pool of baby boomers retiring, it’s particularly true for technology, Hart said. The tech

skills that companies need are not continuing on to the next generation of workers, leading to increased demand.
Another reason for the demand is that there simply are fewer candidates to fill the open positions. Hart said enrollment in IT
comptia network programs at colleges and universities has been on the decline for years. Additionally, as the daily

role of the IT pro increasingly includes business elements, there is a need for candidates to be savvy in the soft skills arena.
“There are several factors at play, and collectively, they contribute to protecting this particular profession, at least for some time going forward,” Hart

said.
There are number of ways technology companies can reach out to top talent to fill these in-demand positions. In particular, Hart said, organizations will

fare best if they offer competitive compensation and opportunities for advancement in the company; employ the latest technologies for their workers’ use;

adopt flexibility in how they allow employees to do their jobs; and create a “healthy and young” culture. By this, Hart means companies should create a

company culture that evolves with the times to keep the workforce engaged.
In addition, Hart said companies should remain creative in their recruitment practices and look beyond traditional methods.
“The industry has evolved very, very markedly as it relates to how people go about looking for employment,” he said. “[Candidates are] not active about it

anymore; they’re not calling head hunters and saying, ‘Hey, I want a job.’”
Instead, candidates use social networking sites such as LinkedIn to share information about their skills. IT hiring professionals and staffing providers must

be knowledgeable on how to reign in these Network+ certification candidates in this new environment.