Is IT in a slump right now?

I have been tracking jobs posted to Dice by Metro for the past year or so, and while it goes up and down some months, for many metros the overall trend has been a steep decline in positions available over the past year.

This is not a specific search for any type of job, just all jobs listed.

Any thoughts?

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beads

Because you don't need a particular degree or education to work in IT - anyone can call themselves an "IT" practitioner. So, yes there has always been an ebb and flow to the number of available candidates. You need to look at your IT career in terms of short little careers instead of this is what I will be doing for the rest of my life. Actually, that, above really is golden. Go ahead and needlepoint that into a pillow for your cube!

-b/eads

E Double U

beads wrote: »

You need to look at your IT career in terms of short little careers instead of this is what I will be doing for the rest of my life.

I worked with a bunch of NOC lifers that thought the good times would keep rolling right into retirement. Boy were they wrong. Goodbye Los Angeles, Hello Sao Paulo

beads

Oh so true my friend. You should see the retirement home that is my office.

-b/eads

NetworkNewb

looks to be doing alright here from what I can see on Dice... lowest unemployment rate in 7 years.

Tech Hiring Trends Q1 2015: Unemployment Dips (Again) | Dice Resources

beads

And what was the market like 7 years ago? How about 2001? Lets go back to 1979-1995. Those were all periods where it didn't pay to even begin to think about a DP/IS/IT career. The field always goes up and down. Particularly local markets.

- b/eads

NetworkNewb

I'm just going off the OP's question of "right now"

beads

Right now is a job. Look further out and decide what it takes to have a career instead of just a 'job'. Then again if that's all you need is a 'job' then have at it. See you in the unemployment line as I drive by. LOL

- b/eads

N2IT

Anybody can get hit by the bus. Fact.

No one is irreplaceable.

olaHalo

E Double U wrote: »

I worked with a bunch of NOC lifers that thought the good times would keep rolling right into retirement. Boy were they wrong. Goodbye Los Angeles, Hello Sao Paulo

I have less than 5 yrs exp.
What happened to them?

networker050184

olaHalo wrote: »

What happened to them?

They cost the company more money every year for doing the same job. It's much better to have people moving up and doing bigger and better things while low level talent can be replenished with cheaper options. Or even outsourced.

Basically when the ax drops the guy that hasn't moved up and is likely now over paid for his position is the fist one to get it.

goatama

networker050184 wrote: »

They cost the company more money every year for doing the same job. It's much better to have people moving up and doing bigger and better things while low level talent can be replenished with cheaper options. Or even outsourced.

Basically when the ax drops the guy that hasn't moved up and is likely now over paid for his position is the fist one to get it.

This. I've never understood the "whoa is me, I've been here for 10 years doing the same thing and they replaced me with a kid out of college for half my salary" mentality. Uh, duh? Dude, if you just want to stagnate somewhere, that's fine. But don't expect annual raises for the same output. Cost-of-Living increases aside, you may have a wealth of institutional knowledge, but you're actually COSTING the company more than you're worth.

TheFORCE

Your research contradicts government research. Someone posted this link Occupation Finder : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in a different thread. Look under computer or information

E Double U

olaHalo wrote: »

I have less than 5 yrs exp. What happened to them?

They all got laid off when the team was offshored. There were other opportunities within the company (SOC, config team, network control center), but the other teams didn't want guys that have been doing the same exact job for over a decade. When you've touched Cisco routers everyday for years working for a company that reimburses for books and exams, it looks bad when you don't have the CCNA. Over two decades with a company without becoming a manager, team lead, or a senior role. It looks like you like ambition when you only apply for an internal position because you are about to be laid off when these positions have been available for all of the years you were content with reporting circuit outages to telcos.

IIIMaster

Yeah that is true. In my current team they trying to weave out the old heads who been working their for years. Some of those guys been working in that department for years and still have to ask a senior a technical question. At that point your questions should no longer be technical but requesting approvals.

N2IT

III - Boy have I met those types.

13+ years still in the same role, sure they do it well but man..........

Russell77

lilmansdad wrote: »

I have been tracking jobs posted to Dice by Metro for the past year or so, and while it goes up and down some months, for many metros the overall trend has been a steep decline in positions available over the past year.

This is not a specific search for any type of job, just all jobs listed.

Any thoughts?

One thing I have noticed over the last few years when I have been in job search mode is that the time of year has an impact on how many openings there are. This is natural because budgets tend to be a yearly exercise so getting approval for a new position has to be accounted for. I saw the most postings pertaining to my job skills between late October to around the beginning of March. I would recommend that time of year to consider a job switch as there may be more competition from employers for your services.

bmnaught

True

But you know what they say.

Lifers are way better than job hoppers who use companies for their career advantage and they gap in less than a year or a year.

The excuse of job hoppers

Oh I wanted to further my career

kohr-ah

bmnaught wrote: »

True

But you know what they say.

Lifers are way better than job hoppers who use companies for their career advantage and they gap in less than a year or a year.

The excuse of job hoppers

Oh I wanted to further my career

I do not see this as an excuse. This is exactly why I go.

When a company has nothing further they can offer me in terms of learning or advancement in my career why should I slow my progress down until I hit the point of where I feel I should be?

networker050184

Depends on the position bmnaught. Companies don't expect lifers on entry low level positions. Companies aren't nieve enough to think people aren't trying to progress in their career. Now hoping from a senior role to senior role might start raising eyebrows eventually.

yzT

basically what we are discussing here is the same we were discussing in the bye bye jobs thread. Due to the growing use of MSPs and clouds services there are less system-side jobs , hence, there are less IT overall jobs.

NetworkNewb

Pretty soon there will be robots doing everyone's job and running our lives. MSPs and outsourcing IT jobs are the least of my worries!

**puts tinfoil hat back on**

shortygirl

networker050184 wrote: »

They cost the company more money every year for doing the same job. It's much better to have people moving up and doing bigger and better things while low level talent can be replenished with cheaper options. Or even outsourced.

Basically when the ax drops the guy that hasn't moved up and is likely now over paid for his position is the fist one to get it.

Right. If you aren't already planning to expand your role in some fashion about every 2-4 years, then you've already lost. You HAVE to keep moving in IT,in some way. Even if it's just becoming more of an expert in your particular niche and expanding as the field changes. Gotta keep showing that you have value to more than one employer.

shortygirl

Russell77 wrote: »

One thing I have noticed over the last few years when I have been in job search mode is that the time of year has an impact on how many openings there are. This is natural because budgets tend to be a yearly exercise so getting approval for a new position has to be accounted for. I saw the most postings pertaining to my job skills between late October to around the beginning of March. I would recommend that time of year to consider a job switch as there may be more competition from employers for your services.

Budget absolutely makes a difference, especially when large contracts are being negotiated. (e.g., gov contracts)

kurosaki00

I would say entry level jobs are getting harder and harder to get into, but there's plenty of med-high level jobs out there.
I think there's actually a shortage of CCIE (with experience) level experts.