In Search Of Jobs And New OpportunitiesIn Search Of Jobs And New Opportunities

The political season is moving into full gear, and jobs are sure to be one of the pressing domestic issues candidates face. People's view of the issue depends, in a large part, on their political leanings and how they interpret the numbers.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the March unemployment rate was 5.7%, nearly flat compared with a year ago. Despite job losses to outsourcing, the country added 308,000 jobs in March.

Offshore outsourcing is having a measurable impact on IT workers' perceptions and morale. About three-quarters of IT professionals in information Research's National IT Salary Survey believe there are fewer jobs available because of outsourcing. But some folks are looking around just the same. Among the professionals surveyed, 9% of staffers and 8% of managers are actively looking for jobs at different employers, while about a third of both staffers and managers are open to new job opportunities.

Increasing compensation is the primary motivator. After years of salary freezes or minimal raises, IT professionals are anxious to jump-start their career and compensation paths. More than 40% cite dislike of their present companies' management and culture as a reason for considering a move. Increased personal fulfillment, job stability, and additional responsibility are other reasons why IT professionals are considering changing jobs.

The impact of the tight job market and the trend toward outsourcing IT jobs is profound. However, some IT pros are finding they can make a change for the better by moving to a new company.

If you're looking for a new position in IT, let us know why.

Lisa Smith
Managing Editor, Research
[email protected]

Recruitment Calls

Has a headhunter or recruiter contacted you regarding a job with another company in the past 12 months?

Nearly 30% of surveyed IT staffers and 39% of IT managers say a headhunter or recruiter has called in the last 12 months. For both IT staff and management, application development and general IT skills are most in demand. For managers, networking knowledge and ERP experience are in demand.

Quick Fix

What's your total annual cash compensation?

In the past, job-hopping was the best way to increase compensation fast. For the last few years, that hasn't been the case. This trend is changing slightly, but only for IT managers. IT staffers who joined their current employers in the last year make $4,000 less than their veteran counterparts in total cash compensation. IT managers who changed jobs in the last 12 months make an average of $5,000 more than veteran managers. This compares to a difference of only $2,000 in 2003.

Title Changes

Why did you have a change in job title in the past year?

Instead of leaving for a new employer, IT professionals are finding opportunities within their current companies. Of those IT professionals who changed job titles in the last year, 32% of staffers and 63% of managers were promoted within their existing employers. Some IT professionals have been reassigned or restructured within their organizations. And about one in six IT professionals has a new title because he or she left a job to pursue other opportunities.

Settling For Less

What would influence you to accept a lesser position or title?

After years of frozen salaries, belt-tightening, and layoffs, many IT professionals have had to re-evaluate what's important to them in a position and a company. To gain more job satisfaction, more than half of IT staffers and managers would consider a lesser position or title. Most IT professionals want to stay in the business, with only 15% of staffers and 14% of managers willing to accept a lesser position in order to change fields.