The Evolution of the IT Professional

What happened to the pocket protector?

by Glen Gardner

The profile of the IT professional has changed incredibly.  When I first started in the recruiting business almost eight years ago, solid technical skills and knowledge were the only criteria necessary to place a candidate.  Supply and demand allowed candidates to dictate salary and pick and choose among positions in a variety of different industries and geographic locations.  My phone was ringing off the wall with employers desperate to fill positions in order to build their technical infrastructure and keep up with the competition.

Then everything changed. As we all know, historical events in 2001 had a profound effect on the economy and business. Just about everyone in the technical field was affected in some way, either directly or indirectly.  Most were affected negatively, through layoffs or because of a halt on new projects.  Simply put, business was slow. And when business is slow, budgets aren’t dedicated to improving technology.  As a result, my phone quit ringing.  Completely. 

After a couple of bleak years in IT things began to change.  As the economy stabilized and spending picked up, most businesses realized they needed to update their technology and those projects that had been put on hold now desperately needed attention.  My phone started to ring again as clients began the process of rebuilding their technical departments, and the technical recruiting business steadily picked up.

But things are different than before for the IT professional.  No longer are employers seeking just solid technical skills. Their requirements have become very narrow.  Employers of IT professionals are looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack…and lucky for me, clients don’t always know where to look…sometimes they can’t even find the whole haystack.

For example, “team player”, “excellent communication skills”, “great attitude” and “exceptional work ethic” show up on my job orders more often than ever before, and employers place as much weight on these “soft skills” as they do on the technical skills.  Of course, technical skills are the most important factor when screening candidates, but technical skills being equal, the candidate with proven interpersonal/communication skills will have a competitive edge.

Another change I have noticed in recruiting is that industry specific knowledge is much more important than it used to be.  Clients are looking for technical skills as well as experience in their industry, whether it’s manufacturing, insurance, finance or software development.  While technical skills may be transferable, clients have come to realize that knowledge and experience in their industry is invaluable.  This makes my search narrower and much more challenging, as only candidates with industry experience will be considered in most cases.

Finally, the biggest change I have observed in the evolution of the IT professional is that my clients, the employers, want IT professionals who provide business solutions.   Employers don’t want their IT team members to just blindly follow orders.  They want solutions, suggestions and business savvy professionals who can actually contribute to the bottom line by increasing efficiency through technology.  No longer are companies looking for technical players who simply bury their head in code and produce only what is asked of them.

Bottom line, it’s clear that the profile of a successful IT professional has evolved, and it’s all about the bottom line.  The ability to be business savvy and provide solutions to business and not just technical challenges is what makes today’s IT professional successful and sought after.  So, while the phone is ringing off the wall again, the conversation that follows “hello” has changed considerably.