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Why getting the right IT skills is vital in a recession

Despite an ongoing forecast of financial depression, rising unemployment and an economic crisis unprecedented since the 1930's, one area of business seems to be bucking the trend. IT is still recruiting, and it's not just general IT management and software maintenance that the marketplace is looking for.

The importance of the correct qualifications and training in IT cannot be underestimated, and there are particular areas within the industry where those who have the relevant skills are very much in demand. The global financial meltdown was, many believe, inevitable as business shifted its emphasis and a readjustment of the marketplace has resulted in new technology-based industries becoming dominant. Companies are moving away from traditional forms of advertising and promotion and the importance of an online presence is now paramount in a global market. Anyone with training, recognised qualifications and experience in programming languages specifically used for the creation of websites is in high demand, including those who can program in Java, C#, .net and HTML languages.

As business begins to realise the cost effectiveness of a strong Internet presence, languages that incorporate search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques are becoming more prevalent. For a company to rank well on the major search engines, certain criteria are required from each web page that they build. Programmers now not only have to be able to speak the required language; they also need a broader understanding of the nuances of SEO techniques and be able to build these into their programming. This particular area of IT is a rapid-growth field and businesses are becoming far more demanding when building their Internet 'shop window'. This is why continuous self-development and improvement of skills is so important for IT personnel.

The most popular operating system in use in the workplace is, of course, Windows. The vast majority of companies depend on the Microsoft brand, so training in advanced Microsoft Office and Windows application languages is a must-have capability for anyone entering the IT industry. The other major skill-set that can make an IT professional much more desirable is a good grounding in the database language SQL. SQL is a programming language for querying and modifying data, it manages databases and allows the retrieval, insertion, updating, and deletion of data. A database management system also includes management and administrative functions, so it is easy to see why people with knowledge of this particular language and the associated professional qualifications are so attractive to business.

The jobs market has shifted away from full-time, long-term contracts and more towards shorter term, more transient contracting. Businesses struggle to financially support an entire IT department during times of economic recession, so outside contractors are more likely to be brought in on a short-term basis to trouble-shoot and upgrade systems rather than maintain established ones.

Those with the relevant skills in demand from the modern business world are finding that the recession is hardly impacting on them at all, and those with a wide range of IT skills are reporting that they have never been busier. By 'reading' the business indicators and training accordingly, IT consultants can ensure that their livelihoods are secure, even during a period when other businesses are suffering.