While IT field service professionals are pessimistic about the economy, nearly 25 percent have seen an increase in business during these tough times.
Networking service professionals, in particular, seem to be faring well with 63 percent saying that downturns in the economy have either increased business or have had no impact at all.
“Talented IT entrepreneurs in networking are always in demand – especially if they carry vendor certifications like Cisco’s CCNA,” said Cannone. “Keeping current with the latest skills is essential. Whether it’s networking, Apple, VoIP, or mobile, having in-demand skills will maximize a service professional’s chances for business success no matter what the economic realities.”
It’s not all bleak. In fact, 73 percent of those surveyed expect businesses to use more contractors and fewer full-time employees for IT work in the next six months.
Less than 10 percent expect to see increased hiring.
Networking and cloud computing services ranked number one among IT service professionals surveyed on where they expect to see increased demand in the next six months.
Mobile device services ranked second highest for IT service professionals – where service businesses expect to see greater interest in security services.
Networking services professionals have the most positive outlook for the next six months, with more than 36 percent expecting to see increased opportunities.