Job Security?

[gula187]

How good is job security in the IT field? is it like all other jobs or is it better because computers is constantly changing?

 

[veedubfreak]

All depends on the industry. If you work for the government, you are more likely to survive the downturn than working for say, GM.

 

[SparkMonkeyHellion]

Yeah - and really it depends on your company. Big companies (GM, Cisco, etcetera) are ALWAYS more dangerous than small companies.

If Cisco or Nortel has a bad quarter they will just let 3000 people go on a whim. It happens often.

The problem with smaller companies is that they can go under - which is happening lately - happened to me last year.

however the company I am with currently is "immune" to the economy. We do insurance. Insurance is always necessary. We ride on the backs of hundreds (or thousands) of other companies - I don't know how many we serve really. Anyways, if one of them goes under, it doesn't matter because we get the business for whoever takes their place!

 

[veedubfreak]

Heh, i work for the health department. And pretty much at this point, 1 senior admin is retiring, and the other is out on extended leave for his health, and odds are he wont be coming back. So i might be in for a promotion.

 

[NightSurge]

Yeah - and really it depends on your company. Big companies (GM, Cisco, etcetera) are ALWAYS more dangerous than small companies.

If Cisco or Nortel has a bad quarter they will just let 3000 people go on a whim. It happens often.

The problem with smaller companies is that they can go under - which is happening lately - happened to me last year.

however the company I am with currently is "immune" to the economy. We do insurance. Insurance is always necessary. We ride on the backs of hundreds (or thousands) of other companies - I don't know how many we serve really. Anyways, if one of them goes under, it doesn't matter because we get the business for whoever takes their place!

My father is a computer programmer/analyst at an insurance company. He said 2008 would have been a great overall year except that their stock market investments didn't do so hot.

As to the OP: If you are in a medium sized business with a history of long employment, I'd say that's a safe place. Large and small businesses are more dangerous for the obvious reasons people have already posted. If you work for a University like I do, funded by the government and am the only LSP for the entire department (does all tech related work for entire Math Department; no assistants), I'd say you would be safe.

 

[SparkMonkeyHellion]

and the other is out on extended leave for his health, and odds are he wont be coming back.

That happened when I was at the public school system - dude had been out sick since before I got there, then he passed shortly before I left - there were promotions all around!

 

[veedubfreak]

Nah, his "illness" is more due to the political climate + our other boss retiring.