Question:
Which has collapsed the most in the last 12 months?
- the stock market
- crude oil prices
- Web technology opportunities
Answer:
If you answered c. you are correct.
- S&P 500 Index 1 |
43%
- Light Sweet Crude 2 |
- Web technology opportunities |
Top 20 Web Technologies
The technologies mentioned most often in Web-related job descriptions are listed in the right-hand column. The list has been updated for March. Opportunities have declined dramatically over the past 12 months for these skills and reflect a 66% decline in average job postings. While some technologies have rebounded in the past month, the general downward trend continues as employers exhibit caution in their hiring plans.
IT Hiring Index & Skills Report
This long-term trend is evident in the chart below.
According to latest Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index & Skills Report, chief information officers (CIOs) still expect to hire more technology workers than fire during the second quarter of 2009. Nationally, a net two percent hiring increase is expected. The New England states can expect a net five percent increase. Details can be found in a Robert Half Technology press release.
While Web-related skills are not at the top on the demand list, 39 percent of CIOs are looking for technology workers with "Web development/website design" skills.
Stay the Course
The implications are clear. Despite a significant drop in opportunities over the past 12 months, employers still expect to hire technology professionals during the next three months.
Technology workers who want to maximize their opportunities should continue to focus on developing skills listed in the Top 20 list in the right-hand column. They should also continue to expand their network of professional contacts most likely to value these skills.
The best opportunity this month to learn about the Web technology marketplace and make valuable business connections is by attending the next gathering of the Web Innovators Group.
(1) source: Yahoo! Finance
(2) source: NYSE.TV
