The ‘hottest’ topic in our young decade so far has been, undoubtedly, the recession.
Where few understand the ins-and-outs of this ominously complex beast, nearly all of us are feeling its affects. Food is more expensive, mortgages are harder to come by and employment opportunities are ever more competitive.
Luckily for those of us searching, the job hunt has been made somewhat easier in modern times. Gone are the days of thumbing through the local newspaper to consider the suitability of two dozen advertised opportunities. Now thousands of listings are but a click away, the amount of which are only outnumbered by the prospective applicants.
However, it is very possible to feel overwhelmed by the volume of roles available and confused by whether that which is advertised represents a genuine possibility or a waste of effort. Thankfully, many websites tailored to more specific needs, such as IT recruitment, have sprung up.
Indeed, choosing to specialise could be key to ensuring that job stability ensues as we enter more uncertain times. IT is a prime example of a sector worth focusing on.
In a remarkably short period, computer technology has evolved and come to dominate the ways in which we work. Talking in a personal sense, the demand for computer technology has arguably surpassed other kinds of obsessive consumerism. For example, advanced technology such as broadband internet has become as ubiquitous and commonplace as gas supply. Today, in 2011, the three most valuable brands on the planet – Apple, Google, IBM – are hegemons of the computing industry.
The same increase in demand also goes for businesses, which have realised that through more effective operations, huge sums of money can be saved and invested into growth-generating areas.
One of these areas is systems analysis, which was developed in the 20th century for precisely this purpose. Although little recognised, it was a great achievement of the thinkers of former generations and led to new industries such as business analysis. It is no surprise that, in the current hostile economic climate where firms are looking to save, this industry has not exactly suffered. Where the work of these companies can mean pain for some (many of their conclusions lead to streamlining by way of redundancies), they also open up opportunities for others in terms of business analyst jobs.
The rapid growth of the sector has added to a healthy and increasing demand for IT professionals, with the number of UK IT jobs predicted to rise by 42% over the next decade. Likewise the opportunities to develop IT skills are numerous and therefore, in the increasingly competitive job market, IT remains one of the few safe bets.
As tough as it can be to face, as we move forward and things change there will always be winners and losers; people who benefit from those changes and those who are harmed. People who yearn for a secure future must think carefully about what the decisions they make will lead to. Choosing the right career path can be difficult; conflicting responsibilities and preferences can lead to many sleepless nights.
But a person would be well advised to consider how healthy their chosen sector will be in twenty years’ time.