IT Worker Job Optimism Levels SinkIT Worker Job Optimism Levels Sink

Job confidence levels among IT workers fell significantly in February as fears about job losses and slower hiring grew, according to a new report released on Wednesday by Hudson, a professional staffing and outsourcing unit of Hudson Highland Group Inc.

Since January 2004, Hudson has conducted monthly phone interviews with about 9,000 workers in a number of industries, including more than 350 IT workers.

In February, IT workers had plenty of company in their uneasiness--across all industries, Hudson says its national index for job confidence in the month slid significantly, although not as steeply as it did among IT pros.

Using a base score of 100, IT worker confidence sunk 12.5 points to 103 in February from 115.5 in January. Nationally, the index slid 5 points in February to 102, its lowest level in 12 months.

Despite the abrupt drop in job confidence among IT workers in February, their outlook apparently didn't hit rock-bottom. The lowest optimism score among IT workers over the last year came in May 2004, when their employment-confidence ratings for that month plummeted to 101.2. Optimism levels, which took several dips and jumps in 2004 among IT workers, hit its highest score last October, with a 120.8 rating.

Job confidence among IT pros last year was second-highest among the four other sectors surveyed by Hudson, who also tracks accounting and finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Compliance work related to Sarbanes Oxley helped make the accounting and finance sector the most confident industry last year; those regulations also buoyed that job optimism among IT pros, according to Hudson.

While February's score could indicate that job optimism among IT workers might be filled with the sort of ups and downs that colored last year's confidence levels, IT pros can take heart in some better news. A new report released earlier this week by IT research firm Foote Partners indicates that IT pay for dozens of certified and noncertified skills improved in 2004 after a three-year slump.