WASHINGTON, 9 September 2003 — Several years ago, the information technology field was on fire.
Good pay, plentiful jobs, and flexible work environments were attracting lots of people with an aptitude for technology. But thanks to a three-year downturn in the field, things have changed. Should you still seek employment in technology? Read on for some answers.
Q: I’m a college student who has yet to declare a field of specialization. Should I forget about technology in today’s environment? I enjoy working with computers.
A: That’s a question that ultimately you will have to answer, but here are some things to consider.
The information-technology field, as you know, has been in the process of “right sizing” for almost three years. That means lots of people have lost lots of jobs. What’s more, even though most believe the current downturn in tech has bottomed, few hiring managers are getting the green light to add staff.
In addition, companies such as IBM, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard have made news recently by indicating that they will increasingly utilize the much less expensive labor force of technology workers in India to keep costs down. This is a trend that’s troubling many technology workers around the world — except those, presumably, who live in India.
The trend, in fact, shows every indication of picking up steam, as smaller companies follow suit, outsourcing various components of their projects to India, where, for example, the average technology manager can earn a fifth or less of the salary that a manager in western Europe does.
What this means is that while the number of technology layoffs in many areas of the world will probably dwindle, new hiring may not pick up steam as many hope. In addition, if you’re new to the field, your job prospects will certainly not be as good as they were a few years ago. So you’ll have to pick your concentration carefully.
For example, areas that will continue to show some demand are programming languages, technical communication, and some high-level management. Keep in mind, however, that college graduates will enter workforce in which they will be competing with many laid-off workers with years of experience. It could be some time before the excess labor pool is drained off. New grads could have the advantage, though, of being cheaper to hire than experienced workers in the short term.
Still, as in any career decision when you’re starting out, you should put as much time into thinking about what you would like to do as what will pay off. Business cycles come and go, and the reality of technology hiring today may not be relevant in five years.
Your personality and temperament, however, will remain relatively constant, so you need to test what you believe you will like to do against the reality of doing it. If at all possible, obtain an internship at a technology firm and live the day-to-day life of a tech worker before making a firm commitment to the field.
Enjoying working with computers is not the same as making a living with them. Most tech workers literally sit at computers all day, every day, often working hours longer than the average worker in other fields. The jobs are sedentary, typically with relatively little interaction with others, so some kind of physical fitness routine outside of work will be imperative to maintaining your health.
So first and foremost, know that you’ll enjoy what you’re about to get into — because you’ll be there for the long haul.
Q: I’m sure that I want to work in technology. Which jobs do you see as the most secure in the field?
A: If you had asked that question three years ago, you would’ve received specific answers such as “website manager,” “visual basic programmer,” or “java specialist.” Today, such specializations are just as likely to land your resume among a pile of dozens of others, as they are to land you a real job.
In addition to being in a slump, the technology industry is maturing, which means that your best chance of surviving long-term is to come at it with the ability to be versatile.
That means your training and skill as a leader, communicator, and project manager will be as important as bringing a qualification in a very narrow area of specialization, such as java programming.
Of course, a certain number of specialized people will always be in demand. But in a labor glut such as we’re seeing currently in the industry, which you know will be as important as what you know in separating you from other applicants and getting you a job.
For those looking to enter the industry, however, seek breadth in your educational training as much as specialization. Companies that downsize often attempt to hold on to workers that can be deployed in various ways. If you’re a specialist who cannot move into another area of responsibility easily, your job may one day be in jeopardy.
