Where The Jobs Are: 2009 US IT Occupation Trends

The US market for jobs in information technology will not escape the US recession, with total jobs in IT occupations down by 1.2% in 2009. While the recession will be painful for those in IT occupations, the pain will be relatively mild compared with past recessions. IT vendors in this environment will find opportunities to acquire new talent, hold costs under control, and create new offerings to replace some of the IT department staff. What will happen? IT department staff will decline more modestly by 0.7%, while IT jobs in product development and support at IT vendors will fall by 2.8%. Average salaries for IT professionals will increase by just 1.1% — still positive in a year when consumer prices will probably show no growth. Jobs for systems analysts and network analysts will buck the downward trend and continue to grow in 2009. Jobs for computer support specialists in help desk roles remain strong, despite threats from outsourcing and offshoring.