(Source: The News & Observer)
By David Ranii, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.
Dec. 15--It's not a good time to be looking for an IT job.
Information-technology job vacancies in North Carolina fell by about a third in November compared to the previous month, according to a report issued today by the N.C. Technology Association and SkillPROOF, which focuses on job market data and research.
That's bad news for IT workers that are hunting for jobs. A growing number of Triangle technology companies have laid off, or disclosed plans to lay off, workers in recent months. They include Hatteras Networks, Lenovo, IBM, Sony Ericsson, Nortel Networks, Lulu.com, Qimonda, ChannelAdvisor, Misys Health Systems, Allscripts, Amkor Technology and Alcatel-Lucent.
The 32.3 percent decline in vacancies was much worse than the national IT job market, which declined 15.6 percent compared to the prior month. It was the second consecutive month that the state job picture was worse than the national picture.
Brooks Raiford, NCTA's president, was unable to account for the difference.
"That's the $64,000 question," he said. "I really don't know what the answer is to that."
The IT job market in the state's two largest markets -- the Triangle and Charlotte -- posted a similar decline to the state's, according to the report. The report does not provide individual numbers for the two markets.
The 2,010 IT job vacancies in North Carolina last month was down nearly 50 percent from a year ago, when there were 3,910 job openings.
Raiford said he doesn't expect the IT job market to improve in December, given the struggling economy.
david.ranii@newsobserver.com or (919) 829-4877
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