Some regulars feel I am spreading doom and gloom, and if everybody just keeps strong things will turn around in the IT sector. I will do my best to be positive.
If you are searching for a position in North America or Europe, then do not limit yourself to networks and security. A job, any job, in IT will be a good place to start. You would do well to conduct a personal inventory of attributes a potential company might find valuable and to emphasise these in your cover letter.
If you are considering starting a business, the same applies. Add to it niche markets that you might fit well with or that may be underserved today.
Adjust your expectations to the current economy. Forbes has an interesting article on what certain US based firms are now paying employees in India versus what they payed in the US.
Security has never reached its expected potential, even following 9-11. There are openings in the government sectors, and financial verticals. The expected demand surge in conjunction with HIPPA never materialized as anticipated, and did not generate a large new demand in the health segment, but positions do occur.
Networking continues with a reduced demand in relation to volume. At one time, a skilled modem installer who could analyze and tune the circuit as well as option the modem was a must with any new remote site. Today, routers are user installed and remotely configured. Configurations tend to be boiler plated more than engineered, so support demand is down while volume is up. Demand exists for the server side of networking, but this is also decreasing in relationship to volume. The days of a site with a server requiring a full time support person have pretty much gone by.
A system approach offers a better long term opportunity. Think of the system as encompassing everything from user to database with the exception of carrier systems - setup, configuration, design, programming. The more you can do the longer you can demonstrate value.
The broader your customer base the better. As an employee supporting internal systems, your customer base is limited. A change in management or a downturn in the company fortunes can result in a quick elimination of IT. A carrier has a much broader base, but do your homework and make sure that IT services are a major part of the revenue stream. Many have built their business on voice services and are hurting from the competitive pressures.
Good luck to you.
