How to Find a Job in Our Bad Economy

As our global economy sits in a slumped position on the floor, happily playing that domino knockdown game with our job markets, many awoke in shock this morning to find that the grouch who stole Wall Street had paid them a visit last night while they slumbered. With shaky hands, pink slips are turned from front-to-back in hopes of finding the magical answers to existence in this strange new game of unemployed life.

Today, some experts are estimating that unemployment in the United States of America may be as high as 20%. Labor statistics do not monitor the unemployed population or under-employed populations that do not have adequate jobs when their unemployment insurance runs out. College graduates are often forced into minimum-wage jobs after unemployment benefits expire if their field of expertise has suffered recession blows.

Guess what? It is totally possible to call that minimum-wage pizza job tonight and tell them to find somebody else to run their dishwasher. Quality jobs still exist, and it is possible to be hired into one tomorrow. As our recession eliminates brick-and-mortar workplaces, shopping ability, and disposable income for entertainments, it is building new job options in a field called information technology or IT.

Information technology jobs are those that provide information or services through the use of technology: computers, telephones, media images, or in written data. In other words, IT jobs are what you were doing before that pink slip landed on your desk. While it is true that many IT jobs require advanced computer technology skills, this is not the case for all IT employment opportunities.

The big secret to landing a good paying job in the IT field today is simply the ability to remain flexible. Recession-proof jobs are those that our society can not live without: education, energy, health care, security, and international business. While aligning your resume for the IT job market, consider ways to attract an employer from one or more of these prime recession-proof areas.

Flexibility also requires an understanding of the three ways that an IT job can be yours:

~ A direct hire is when a company hires an employee on an hourly basis for permanent employment.

~ A contract hire is when a company hires an employee for a specific amount of time to perform and complete a given job function.

~ A contract hire to direct hire is when a contract job ends with an offer of full-time permanent employment.

While direct hire IT jobs are the most desirable jobs to have, these are the jobs that are getting hit hardest by the recession. Large business has found that it is cheaper to hire a specific job done on a contract over keeping a full-time labor force available on pay at all times. Direct pay jobs still exist, but many feel that defined contract jobs hold better security while the economy is still trying to stabilize.

Contract IT jobs normally last from 3 months to 3 years, with each employer responsible for setting their own time durations. If this recession has put your home into jeopardy, or your name onto the creditors redial list, contract employment can help to settle things down. Being away from home for 3-6 months can quickly add both income and helpful tax benefits back into your failing cash stash.

Contract jobs that can lead into permanent IT employment are the ticket to ride for those who have been run over by the recession. These jobs offer working chances to explore new geographic regions, and at times offer new skills training while working on contract so that candidates for permanent employment become highly skilled for unique company opportunities and benefits.

Right now, many employers are actively transferring their business ventures from live into virtualization as a cost cutting strategy. What this means is that there are many IT jobs available today for network administration, database structures, technical support, and 'soft skills' workers who can interact well with coworkers and the public.

It is the 'soft skill' jobs that start many recession refugees on their climb back into financial stability rather quickly. Many of these jobs are entry-level positions with employers who need a friendly person to interact with the public. From the employer point-of-view, if an employee can make an unhappy customer smile, they can be trained in the technical skills that are necessary to make that smile happen.

If the current recession is stepping on your dreams, contact a friendly IT recruiter today and chat with them about your past job skills and trainings to see where these precious skills crossover into the exciting field of IT employment opportunities. IT is the employment answer that you have been looking for.