Technology Professionals Associate Industry with both Stress and Creativity
NEW YORK, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dice.com, the leading career
site for technology and engineering professionals, today announced the
results of the third Dice Tech Appeal Index, a study of professionals from
within and outside the technology industry that gauges overall interest in
working in the IT field as compared to other industries.
The study reveals that technology professionals continue to be
overwhelmingly satisfied and loyal to the technology field. Ninety-one
percent of respondents report that they are somewhat or very satisfied in
their current job and 92 percent say they intend to stay in the IT field
for at least the next six months.
However, the Index uncovers notable shifts in IT professionals'
likelihood to recommend a technology career to others and their openness to
other industries. Eighty-six percent of technology professionals are still
likely to recommend technology as a career to others, which is
statistically flat from the October 2006 study. However, technology
professionals increased their likelihood to recommend a career in other
industries, like financial services (56 percent versus 47 percent) and
media/entertainment (44 percent versus 34 percent).
"Although the satisfaction and loyalty levels of IT professionals
continue to be strong, we're seeing evidence of possible retention issues
over the long term," said Scot Melland, Chairman, President and CEO of Dice
Holdings, Inc., parent company of Dice. "It's possible that technology
professionals' willingness to recommend or move into a new industry comes
as a result of their perceptions of growth and higher pay. As the gap
between increased demand for IT workers and decline of new technology
graduates continues to grow, it's critical that colleges and companies
promote the field's dynamic aspects and the benefits of a career in IT to
the broader market in order to fulfill the industry's ongoing need for
talent."
Perceptions of the IT work environment may contribute to this
underlying shift in interest. Ninety-one percent of technology
professionals associate the field with stress, primarily due to workload
(26 percent), dealing with clients (23 percent) and the pace of the job (21
percent). The study also illustrated a change in the perceived stability of
the technology job market, as there was an increase in technology
professionals' fear that jobs will be outsourced overseas since October
2006. Forty-six percent said that they are very or somewhat concerned about
the issue, as compared to 39 percent a year ago.
That said, the study also reveals positive results about the industry's
internal perceptions. Technology professionals overwhelmingly associate the
industry with creativity (92 percent), as compared to 75 percent of
non-tech respondents. Additionally IT professionals are as statistically
likely to correlate the ability to be creative to job satisfaction (26
percent) as non- tech professionals (23 percent). Additionally, 10 percent
of IT professionals view themselves as creative or "cutting edge."
"For IT professionals, creativity in the workplace goes beyond being
'artistic' by enabling workers to take new approaches in solving business
and IT challenges," said Mr. Melland. "Giving workers these types of
opportunities and fostering a creative work environment are very important
in building a stable, productive workforce and potentially drawing new
talent to the field."
The 2007 Tech Appeal Index score for technology professionals was 119,
down from a high of 124 in February 2006. The score for non-tech adults is
102, down from 105 in February 2006. The ratings indicate that the level of
interest in recommending a technology career has declined slightly among
technology professionals, which is also exemplified by the group's
increased likelihood to recommend other fields over IT.
The Dice Tech Appeal Index serves as a measurement of a person's
inclination to recommend the IT field to others as opposed to another
industry. A value of 100 indicates that a person would recommend the IT
field and other fields equally, while a value above 100 indicates a
stronger likelihood to recommend technology as a career. Dice conducted the
survey among a nationally representative sample of more than 1,000 adults
over age 18, including an oversample of 565 adults currently employed in IT
positions. The margin of error for the sample of non-tech adults is +/-4.7
percent and the margin of error for the sample of tech professionals is
+/-4.1 percent. Interviews were conducted by telephone between August 8-14,
2007.
About Dice.com
Dice.com, a Dice Holdings company, is the leading career website for
technology and engineering professionals, and the companies that seek to
employ them, in the United States. Our mission is to help our customers
source and hire the most qualified technology and engineering professionals
and to provide those professionals with the best job opportunities in their
respective fields. With a 16-year track record in meeting the ever-changing
needs of companies and recruiters, our specialty focus and exposure to
highly- skilled technology and engineering professionals enable employers
to reach hard-to-find, experienced candidates.
About Dice Holdings, Inc.
Dice Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) is a leading provider of specialized
career websites for professional communities, including technology and
engineering, capital markets and financial services, accounting and
finance, and security clearance. Our mission is to help our customers
source and hire the most qualified professionals in select and highly
skilled occupations, and to help those professionals find the best job
opportunities in their respective fields and further their careers. Over
more than 16 years, we have built our company by providing our customers
with quick and easy access to high-quality, unique professional communities
and offering those communities access to highly relevant career
opportunities and information. Today, we serve multiple markets in North
America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
Media Contact Information:
Jennifer McCullam
FD
jennifer.mccullam@fd.com
212-850-5600
Jennifer Gill
FD
jennifer.gill@fd.com
212-850-5600
SOURCE Dice Holdings, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.diceholdingsinc.com
http://www.dice.com
CONTACT:
Media, Jennifer McCullam, +1-212-850-5600,
jennifer.mccullam@fd.com, or Jennifer Gill, +1-212-850-5600,
jennifer.gill@fd.com, both of FD for Dice Holdings, Inc.
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