Tech Workers' Job Optimism Rises In AprilTech Workers' Job Optimism Rises In April

Technology workers were more optimistic about the employment market in April, sparked by anticipation of increased hiring and improved job security, according to a report released on Wednesday by staffing and outsourcing firm Hudson.

Hudson conducts monthly phone surveys of about 9,000 workers in several sectors, including 527 IT and telecommunications professionals, gauging confidence levels about jobs, hiring, and personal finances.

Compared with a base score of 100, tech workers' overall employment confidence levels rose to 114.2 in April, up from 111.8 in March. As a group, IT and telecom workers were more optimistic than workers in any other sector surveyed by Hudson. The national index--for workers in all segments--also rose slightly in April, hitting a score of only 102.4, up from 101.2 in March, which was one of the lowest ratings since Hudson began its surveys in January 2004.

Health-care workers were the second most optimistic group in April, scoring 109.5, up from 104.4. By contrast, confidence levels among accounting and finance workers--which typically tends to be among the more optimistic sectors--fell 3.5 points from March to 103.7 in April to 103.7. Manufacturing workers scored the lowest--falling 10 points from March to only 80.3 in April.

The rise in confidence among tech workers, as well as health-care professionals, was attributed to their decreasing concerns about their job security and predictions of increased hiring. Two in five tech workers said they expected their companies to increase their workforces in coming months. By contrast, worries about layoffs and personal finances significantly hurt job confidence levels in manufacturing.

In fact, uneasiness about personal finances--fueled by rising gas prices and interest rates and a fickle stock market--impacted workers in all sectors. Because of those factors, nearly 40% of all workers said they thought their personal financial situations were worsening, the highest level of concern in a year, according to Hudson.

Among those tech jobs seeing an uptick in hiring are those related to ERP software, particularly SAP, says Kevin Knaul, executive VP of Hudson's IT and telecom practice.

Also, over the last two months, Hudson has seen "a pretty significant' shift in the companies hiring full-time, permanent staffers. "Contract work had been strong, but now there's more hiring on a permanent basis," he says. "This resonates with workers, making them feel that their companies are more confident, too."