Where Are All the Tech Jobs?

By Marty Nemko

Everybody in the tech sector knows about offshoring--and many worry that it will happen to them. But plenty of tech jobs remain available in the U.S., according to a new survey by consulting firm Robert Half Technologies. The findings, detailed in this month’s Computer User, also include some specifics that job seekers will find helpful. Highlights:

++ "We are now seeing increases in IT hiring that are almost across the board," says Jeff Markham, West Coast Divisional Director for Robert Half Technology.

++ "Some of the areas that we see as really hot are internal and external IT network security," says Markham. "Companies want to get their arms around issues like spam and the latest virus definitions. They are also looking for highly specialized security skills at the network infrastructure level."

++ The Robert Half survey indicates that 81 percent of 1,400 CIOs across the country were looking to add network administration skills to their staffs.

++ Other areas that the Robert Half Technology survey identified as being in demand included wireless network management (50 percent of CIO respondents were seeking talent in this area) and SQL server management (46 percent).

++ "Virtually anyone with wireless skills is getting attention in the market," says Markham. "The jobs might involve handheld devices, or working with global positioning systems (GPS), or wireless voice and data integration. This field in particular has intensified over the past six months."

++ In the database area, Markham cites business intelligence applications like data mining and financial report writing. "

++ There are several (industries) that are especially active (in IT hiring), including health care, real estate, finance and insurance, advertising/marketing, and legal.

++ IT hiring is going on throughout the U.S., but some regions are hotter than others. The South Atlantic states are forecasting IT hiring activity well above the national average. Overall, however, the Mountain states are expected to lead all regions of the U.S. in IT hires in first-quarter 2006, with special emphasis on persons with experience in wireless network installations, regulatory compliance, and Internet-related business.