The Computer and IT Job Market in the US

There have been many new technological waves sweeping over the IT and computing fields in the past couple of years, but nothing that has really been able to stall the negative effects of the recession.  The development of cloud computing along with other cutting edge technological developments have put companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon back in the limelight.  But what do these developments mean to those looking for jobs in this field or those who have jobs but are fearful of the next round of layoffs?  The path the US is taking technologically points to more and more green technology development and implementation, but does that translate to more jobs for US workers?

The IT job market in the US has been rocked by the massive push to outsource as many of the US jobs as possible.  Companies like Microsoft give foreign workers priority when hiring new employees.  Microsoft is not required to pay into these workers’ retirement accounts or even provide basic health insurance coverage.  Under the visiting workers program, Mircosoft is able to shave quite a bit of overhead off of their payroll.  And it’s not just the Redmond, Washington software giant that has been giving jobs to non US residents or sending jobs overseas.  Companies like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T have long had their IT and customer service headquarters in countries like India.  It’s great for the company, because they can save billions annually, but it hasn’t done anything to create a target rich environment for job seekers in the US.

It’s extremely hard to say whether future technological advances and developments in the way we socialize and communicate will have large positive effects on the US job market.  It has been the case historically that whenever the IT world restructures or shifts itself or its focus that the resulting new jobs are often sent overseas where US are not able to reap any benefits.  It is true that labor is cheaper outside US borders but in terms of the US economy, there is nothing worse than creating jobs in the US that will be filled by foreign workers or outsourced entirely.  Something workers in the US auto industries are sadly already very familiar with.

With Google announcing it has posted a $1.6 billion dollar profit, the climate for IT and computing jobs is right in the US, it just seems that the jobs will likely float elsewhere.  Computers and networking are fast becoming more and more prevalent in our ever growing, efficiency obsessed society.  It will likely be the case that along with newer, more efficient green technology implementation that the IT market will open up in the US.  There is little hope however for a real, consistent, meaningful employment recovery in this field until US companies being to bite the bullet and hire within their own country.  There are some jobs that have to be done by Americans, especially those involving matters of national security and government work, but the prognosis is not great for entry-level and middle-level jobs in the IT and computing sector.