IT Pros Feel Better About Jobs And WalletsIT Pros Feel Better About Jobs And Wallets

Fatter wallets had IT pros feeling a tad more confident about jobs last month, but worries about layoffs persist, according to a recent survey.

The latest survey from professional staffing firm Hudson found that IT pros' job confidence was up 2.2 points from October, based on a 100-point scale. The slight boost was due primarily to renewed confidence about personal finances and improved job satisfaction, says Kevin Knaul, Hudson's executive VP.

With gas prices easing, nearly 48% of the 500 IT and telecom workers surveyed said their financial situations were improving, compared with 38% who felt that way in October. However, more tech pros--27% vs. 22%--were worried about their jobs.

"This is the time of year when projects come to an end ... and budgets for the next year are still being put together," Knaul says. This all contributes to the anxiety.

Looking ahead to 2006, Knaul says demand likely will be strong for people with skills in Oracle and SAP software, as well as Java and .Net developers. Also hot are business analysts, who can help companies ensure that IT is solving business problems.