Blog

People commonly ask whether IT jobs are recession proof.  The simple answer that IT staffing companies would give is yes.  IT recruiting firms can point to the recent recessions as direct proof that IT professionals are very safe in their jobs, no matter how rocky the economy gets.

For solid proof that IT staffing agencies can help you find a job that will weather a recession, consider 2009.  That year, when unemployment rates in the US were over 10%, for the tech field it was more like 5.4%.  This number is strikingly low—it’s nearly as low as the unemployment rate is now after the recession (4.9% as of October 2016).

Why are IT jobs recession proof?  IT recruiting agencies find that these kinds of jobs are necessary for two big reasons.  Firstly, technology has become absolutely imperative to the basic functions of most businesses.  From the hardware a business uses, to the email system and customer management tools a business uses, to the web presence it maintains to attract and maintain customers, there is simply no way most (if not all) businesses could run without technology. This means that technical recruiters are constantly asked to find the IT professionals to maintain, improve, install, and help users understand, that technology.

The other reason that IT jobs are recession proof is that the technology is a way to improve business processes and cut costs in hard times.  IT recruiters find that in a recession, companies will often be all the more inclined to need tech professionals to help them streamline and save money.

If all of this doesn’t convince you to reach out to IT recruiting companies, the field is even stronger outside of a recession.  IT staffing firms are seeing an especially low 2.5% unemployment rate in tech this year.  IT jobs aren’t only recession proof, they’re a great way to go when the economy isn’t in crisis!