The other side of the staffing story

The job outlook is not a bed of roses for everyone. In Internet communities, including Network World's forums, it is still common to find posts from people who were laid off during the downturn and who haven't yet succeeded in finding new jobs. Many in this boat are veteran professionals nearing retirement age who had commanded good salaries.

In the past few years, some U.S. companies have winnowed the pack by using rather Draconian hiring policies. With labor so plentiful, they could get away with it. But as the IT talent pool tightens, many companies are revisiting their hiring practices, says Brian Gabrielson, national practice director for Robert Half Technology, a provider of IT outsourcing services in Menlo Park, Calif.

"They know they need to get their hiring closer to the decision makers and away from [human resources] or the person who is initially screening resumes," Gabrielson says.

Some point the finger of blame back on the workers. "Those who say there is no IT staffing shortage have found themselves with skill sets that are not in line with where the market is going," says Bennett Ockrim, vice president at Spherion Professional Services, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "IT has a business-first perspective now. Businesses expect ROI for their investment in human capital."

That ROI does not come from being able to write a line of code faster, he adds, but in being able to solve a business problem. "You have to learn how to couch solutions in a business-first wrapper," he says, granting that this skill can be elusive if one didn't acquire it on the job.

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