Economic downturn & effect on IT Jobs market.

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I'm close to sitting the A+ exams and I'm wondering what effect this economic downturn and looming recession are going to have (or are having) on the IT jobs market? Will there be fewer jobs to apply for in the coming months (or years)? Has anyone on this forum lost their job because of this? Have I picked the perfect time NOT to enter the IT jobs market .

 

A lot of agencies I have spoken to recently (not all dealing solely with IT) have all said the same thing, IT recruitment is experiencing a boom at the moment. This is obviously in a direct contradiction to what is happening to the economy so I don't know how much faith I put in it.

However that being said I have noticed a general up turn in the number of positions being advertised in the UK recently in my area.

I'm still looking for a new job myself but I am in no hurry since I have been in my current IT role for seven years now however I still tell people that if they are looking for a new job now to be cautious as I myself am.

No point in throwing away a steady job (even if not in the area you want to be working in) to get that dream job which a few months later no longer exists as the company closes or needs to downsize

 

Can't remember if I've said this before in another post but anyway :

I've been jobhunting for an IT Manager type role for the last six months (not going into reasons why again).

Anyway, just to add, I get loads of IT jobs via email from all the usual job sites and can honestly say I've not noticed any decline in numbers. It does, of course, depend what area you're looking in.

From my discussions with recruitment agencies (and there have been many)I would say that most are not reporting a downturn. However, what they are saying to me is that the more general IT jobs are harder to find as employers are looking for specialists with niche skills in particular areas. If you fit the bill then you have a good choice. If you're of a broad general background (like me) then choice is more limited at the moment.

In terms of entry level I think the current climate cuts two ways. On the pro side you can argue that people looking for entry level jobs will have more success as companies may take the view that they can pay less and train the staff to "their" way. On the con side, you may find companies saying they won't take on staff with a recession looming.

There are also a lot of people chasing jobs they are overqualified for and many recruiters won't put their CV's forward as the fear is that they will jump ship when something better turns up.

That about sums up what I've been told over the last 6 months.

 

All of the economic indicators coming out of North America and Europe are appalling. Things like this. Everyone is going to be affected.

 

I think the important thing we all should do is keep a positive outlook, make sure our spending is not excessive and keep on making ourselves valuable employees.

 

Yes it is having an effect. I've had an offer of £4.5k more than what I'm on now, withdrawn due to their budget cuts.

Goes without saying, I am hopping mad.

 

Could've been worse. At least you are still employed. They could have given you the role for a few months and then made you redundant leaving you with no job. It's happened before.

 

The economic hardship will impact IT, including employment and projects.
The projects approved will be more geared towards improving efficiencies as opposed to goals like improved use-ability. Don't get me wrong, the efficiency might improve other aspects as well, but the priority will be 'money saving' not so much 'income generator'.

For staff, it might mean less full time roles, and more contractors. Perhaps the cost to start an off-shore office might be too high, so local centers remain.