Technisource Survey: IT Worker Confidence Dips, Yet More Companies Hiring IT Professionals

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The IT Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S. technology workers, showed a decline from 56.2 to 47.3 in the third quarter of 2011, according to a recent survey commissioned by Technisource®.  Surprisingly, the survey of 3,813 U.S. adults among which 257 are employed in information technology, marks the lowest confidence level amongst IT professionals in more than two years, despite Technisource seeing strong growth in new technology jobs available and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting that the industry added 115,000 jobs through June 2011.

While IT professionals' overall confidence in the economy and availability of new jobs weakened, personal confidence in their own abilities remained unchanged -- highlighted by little to no statistical difference this quarter in confidence to secure a new job or their confidence level in keeping their current job.

Results from the Q3 IT Employment Report:

• A paltry 13 percent of IT professionals still believe the economy is getting stronger, down 16 percentage points from Q2 2011.
• More than half (56 percent) of those surveyed now believe that there are fewer IT jobs available, with only 11 percent being confident that more jobs exist.
• Forty percent of respondents are confident in their ability to find a new job, down only four percentage points from the previous quarter.  Likewise, only a two percentage point difference exists from Q2 to Q3 2011 in job security confidence.
• Sixty-one percent of IT workers remain confident in the future of their current employer, down slightly from 70 percent last quarter.
• Despite the lowered confidence in the overall economy, a full 32 percent of IT professionals are still likely to look for new jobs while in their current position.

"It appears that current political and financial insecurities have led to a dramatic drop in confidence in our overall economy amongst those in the IT field," said Michael Winwood, president of Technisource. "However, these professionals remain very confident in their personal ability to find new jobs and still have a high desire to jump to a better job if available. This trend, combined with the upcoming growth of new IT jobs, means that employers need to focus not only on the future of their talent pool, but on their existing IT teams now more than ever -- or risk losing them to competitors."

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Technisource from July 11-13, August 10-12 & September 12-14, 2011 among 3,813 adults ages 18 and older of which 257 are employed in IT. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Katherine Van Pelt at [email protected].

Demographic Results

Survey Background Information

About Technisource

Technisource, one of the largest technology talent and services providers in North America, provides comprehensive suite of technology services, including recruiting and staffing, assessments, project services and managed services to Fortune corporations, mid-sized companies and small organizations. With nearly 40 years of experience, Technisource maintains a group of 8,000 experienced consultants to provide services through its network of more than 56 offices across the U.S. and Canada. Technisource is now a part of Randstad. For more information, please visit www.technisource.com.

About Randstad

Randstad specializes in solutions in the field of flexible work and human resources services. Our services range from regular temporary staffing and permanent placement to inhouse, professionals, search & selection, and HR Solutions. The Randstad Group is one of the leading HR services providers in the world with top three positions in Argentina, Belgium & Luxembourg, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Greece, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the UK, as well as major positions in Australia and the United States. End 2010 Randstad had approximately 27,500 employees working from close to 4,200 branches and inhouse locations in 43 countries around the world. Randstad generated a revenue of euro 14.2 billion in 2010. Randstad was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands. Randstad Holding nv is listed on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam, where options for stocks in Randstad are also traded. For more information see www.randstad.com.

SOURCE Technisource