January: Full-time work is so last year
The year opened with a series of developments on the IT careers front.
First, we reported that the percentage of independent contractors in the IT labor market was on the rise. One estimate held that about 18% of all IT workers were self-employed, and another put the median percentage of contract workers at large organizations at 15%, up from 6% in 2011.
Consultants who offer services to freelancers tried to spin the shift as good news because there were plenty of opportunities for people who value autonomy and flexibility. But as the cartoon in our Jan. 13 print issue pointed out, not everyone -- not even young people regarded by their elders as carefree, footloose job-hoppers -- sees being "tied down" by the structure and stability of full-time work as a bad thing.
The good news? There should be more full-time opportunities for younger IT professionals as baby boomers retire and take skills such as Cobol expertise with them.
Source:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2858429/2014-the-tech-year-in-cartoons.html
First, we reported that the percentage of independent contractors in the IT labor market was on the rise. One estimate held that about 18% of all IT workers were self-employed, and another put the median percentage of contract workers at large organizations at 15%, up from 6% in 2011.
Consultants who offer services to freelancers tried to spin the shift as good news because there were plenty of opportunities for people who value autonomy and flexibility. But as the cartoon in our Jan. 13 print issue pointed out, not everyone -- not even young people regarded by their elders as carefree, footloose job-hoppers -- sees being "tied down" by the structure and stability of full-time work as a bad thing.
The good news? There should be more full-time opportunities for younger IT professionals as baby boomers retire and take skills such as Cobol expertise with them.
Source:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2858429/2014-the-tech-year-in-cartoons.html
