If you are facing a possible layoff or are fearful of your job security, becoming an independent contractor or consultant may be something to consider. But it won't necessarily be easy. Research firm Staffing Industry Analysts projects zero growth in IT staffing this year and a contraction of five percent in 2009. Yet, some firms will hire skilled contractors to protect their company against uncertainty or because they can't afford a full time position.

InfoWorld.com notes that becoming an independent contractor requires an entrepreneurial drive and the willingness to work unpaid hours as your own sales and marketing department. It also means accepting the fact that jobs may come and go at a moment's notice, and that you have to file your own quarterly tax returns.

A Forrester Research study released earlier this year found that some IT skills are still in high demand. They include desktop virtualization experts, account managers, mobile operations and devices experts, and those involved in areas such as VoIP, software design, networking and systems administration, data warehousing, and Web 2.0 technologies.

For more on the changing job landscape:
- see this InfoWorld.com article

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