Survey Shows Dip in Confidence among IT Workers

IT workers are less confident in their job market even though the IT industry is apparently growing, according to the latest IT Employment Report from IT staffing firm Technisource.

Measuring confidence among IT professionals, the IT Employee Confidence Index dropped to 47.3 in the third quarter from 56.2 in the prior quarter, its lowest level in more than two years. The results are based on a survey of 3,813 U.S. adults among which 257 work in IT.

However, Technisource expressed surprise at the findings, citing robust growth in new tech jobs and a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noting that the IT industry added 115,000 jobs through June 2011. The firm even says that it’s even run into difficulty finding qualified IT professionals quickly enough to satisfy demand.

Though IT workers seem dour about the economy and their industry, many remain relatively confident about their own ability to find a job.

Among the specific findings, only 13 percent of the IT pros surveyed feel the economy is getting stronger, down 16 points from the second quarter. More than half (56 percent) believe there are fewer IT jobs in the market, and only 11 percent are confident that more jobs are available.

A full 40 percent of those polled are confident that they can find a new job, down only four points from the prior quarter. And 61 percent are confident in the future of their own employer, down a bit from 70 percent in the second quarter. Finally 32 percent still expect to look for new jobs despite the sour market.

This survey is interesting because it shows that perception is often stronger than reality, as it often the case. The failure of the overall economy and job market to fully bounce back continues to have a ripple effect across all industries and across most workers. And until people start to see and perceive a change in the economic environment, a sense of pessimism is still going to persist, which itself feeds into the downturn, creating a vicious cycle.

The survey was conducted online in the U.S. from July 11 to 13, August 10 to 12, and September 12 to 14, 2011 by Harris Interactive (News - Alert) on behalf of Technisource.