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Current Unemployment Rate in the IT Industry?

Posted by Cliff on from the paper-versus-experience dept.

concerned-about-employment asks: "What's the unemployment rate in the IT industry currently? Years ago I heard it was 8-9% but with so many jobs going offshore and the general unemployment rate rising, could it be even higher than before? Has it really broken 10% as some people say? That would mean 1 out of every 10 IT workers is out of a job. Personally though, from the perspective of a recent college graduate, it looks like 20% from here." How does the actual national unemployment rate in IT compare to the number of IT professionals that you know who are currently out of work?

3 of 117 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Do it as your hobby by crazyphilman · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Funny post! Good one...

    I mean, you ARE kidding, right?

    Because A whole slew of articles in business magazines have been talking about how the success of outsourcing IT has given Corporate America all sorts of interesting ideas. Like outsourcing "non-core" departments, like HR, Payroll, Accounting, legal research, business forecasting and strategy, almost all of middle management...

    You DID know about that, right? Cause if you weren't joking, boy are YOU in for a shock... :)

    --
    Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
  2. It's worse than that... by Kevin+Burtch · · Score: 4, Insightful


    I know people who are no longer considered to be in the IT industry as they've had to get jobs stacking boxes at Home Depot, etc.

    They aren't counted since they aren't unemployed, even though they ARE unemployed from their profession.
    Any IT-specific numbers you find will be wrong for this reason.

    I'm not talking a 1st level phone-jockey, I'm talking about talented sysadmins with many years of experience!

    --
    - Preferences: Solaris 10 (servers), Ubuntu (desktops), Solaris 11 (personal servers) -
  3. College Grads Grab the Spots by MissMarvel · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The high rate of employment in IT has been of concern to me. My neice recently graduated from Gonzaga. I worried she might not be able to find employment in her field (Computer engineering), but she was picked up almost immediately by a defense contracter in southern California. According to her, they interviewed 200 graduates and hired well over 50 of them.

    It makes me think companies are opting to fill open positions with younger people whom they can hire at a much lower salary.