New year great time to look for new job

December 28, 2009

By Bob Weinstein
Managing Editor/New York Bureau Chief
Troy Media 

Bob Weinstein

NEW YORK, Dec. 28, 2009/ Troy Media/ — While some workplace pundits question whether the economy is turning around, leading growth indicators point to better days ahead. Major industries that laid off thousands will be beefing up their ranks throughout 2010.

Most people are happy to see 2009 end. Spencer Shaffer, president of IT staffing firm ConsultNet of South Jordan, Utah, is one of them.

Optimistic about 2010, Shaffer is betting on across-the-board hiring. “Experienced IT professionals and project managers will be landing more assignments because companies will be launching new projects and completing others put on hold,” he says.

Running parallel to an optimistic mood, Shaffer adds that many decision-makers are spending prudently and moving ahead with projects cautiously. “While companies feel the worst is over, a hesitant optimism exists,” he says.

Benefiting from prior recessionary periods, they’ve learned it’s best to take well-thought-out strategic steps rather than aggressively charge ahead. The companies that have weathered 2009 will emerge tighter and stronger in 2010, says Shaffer.

Identifying market drivers

Shaffer identifies industries that will be driving the US economy. Heading the list are the health care, pharmaceutical and life-science industries. Further buoying the economy are increased government spending and aggressive growth in social media networking mediums.

 Strong demand for experienced IT professionals

Many experienced IT people will fare well in 2010, says Shaffer. A recent ConsultNet report identified the top in-demand skills/jobs and the hottest industries for 2010. First, here are the top five skill sets/positions: 1. Net (Java, C#) developers; 2. Linux/Unix networks developers; 3. project managers; 4. business analysts; 5. industrial designers.

And the top five hot industries are: 1. energy; 2. health care; 3.national defense; 4. insurance; and 4. software design/development/production.

Along with the above skills, there will also be a consistent need for technical product marketing and salespeople. Understanding technical products is one part of the equation, but knowing how to explain and sell them translates to a priceless combination.

More jobs with Uncle Sam

Private industry won’t be the only big player in 2010. Government and government contractors will also fare well, says Shaffer. “The federal government is the largest employer of technical workers,” he says.

 VC funding fuels startup companies

As the economy picks up speed and stabilizes, Shaffer also sees new technology startup companies with hot technologies fueled by venture capital funding. Tomorrow’s Microsofts, Intels, and IBMs will emerge throughout the US from many of these tiny tech startups seeded by VC funds.

The worst is over

IT specialists who did well during the recession will do even better next year, says Dion Lim, president and COO of SimplyHired.com, a job search engine in Mountain View, Calif. Software engineers and software applications professionals benefited from the recession due to the buzz surrounding social media – specifically, its adoption for both personal and business use, he says.

In contrast, system administrators laid off in 2009 when companies pared their  ranks are enjoying the benefits of renewed demand for their skills. Similarly, Lim says the demand for software engineers and computer engineers will steadily pick up throughout 2010.

Eric Dickerson, who heads the IT practice at search firm Kaye/Bassman International in Plano, Texas, is also bullish about 2010. Initially, he sees some ups and downs, and possibly a hesitant start, but overall, “the worst is over.”

He also feels the job outlook for project managers in several industries looks good. Health care companies were hiring throughout 2009, but Dickerson says the pace will accelerate during the second and third quarters of 2010.

Once the country gets back on its feet, improving the environment will become a center-stage issue, Dickerson asserts. The fledgling renewable-energy industry, populated by companies that specialize in developing green technologies and products, will pick up steam. “Companies that want to decrease the carbon footprint will have a greater impact on the global marketplace,” he says.

Dickerson also sees an increase in dormant industries, particularly leisure and hospitality. Once Americans feel more secure, they’ll be spending money on vacations, which means destination types of businesses (amusement parks, gaming centers and hotels) will be benefiting.