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IT Manager Positions on the Rise

I ran across a post on Employment Digest that mentions a surge in IT manager positions. Although I have seen an increase in IT management positions from my own clients, I wasn’t aware of just how many IT managers are making it onto the scene. For example, the post references that IT managers employed in the US have jumped 44 percent since the dot.com collapse of 2001, compared to a 19 percent decline in the number of programming and support jobs. Also, the BLS states that managers now represent 11.2 percent of IT employment, the fourth largest technical job category.

The blogger mentions that this growth reflects the importance of IT implementation in our current business landscape. But he also points out that organizations today are looking for “soft” skills such as leadership, management of people and budgeting as much as they are technical knowledge.

I would add that a very important change in the makeup of IT workers today is also driving the growth of IT management positions. A technology renaissance has intersected with a time in which aging boomers are exiting the workforce and moving into retirement. I believe many of the “soft skills” companies’ value and need from their IT folks were often found in baby boomer workers where the mix of soft and hard, technical skills is generally more balanced. Many of today’s younger IT workers have tremendous technical know-how, but can lack the ability to connect their IT work to larger company objectives, leadership or project management skills.

If you’re in the IT field and looking for ways to manage your career, this is an important trend to understand. Many of my clients are seeking IT workers who have the strong technical expertise, but who also understand how technology helps improve a company’s business. In other words, the ability to roll up your sleeves and get the work done, but also the ability to see the business impact, lead and direct others. Focusing on your management skills as much as you focus on your technical toolbox will help pave the way for a very successful career.