Where are you going to get your workers?

IT is clearly stuck in a hiring rut. With baby boomers retiring, there will be a significant number of IT professionals leaving the workforce in the next few years. And there are few driving forces attracting the next generation of workers. "If you ask a young person looking at a career in other functions if they would consider a career in IT, you will probably get a response something like, 'Are you crazy? I wouldn't work in IT for any amount of money,'" said Bruce Skaistis, founder of eGlobal CIO, an IT consulting firm.

It might be time for IT to do its own public relations job to eliminate the perception that IT means long hours, repetitive tasks and plenty of job insecurity with offshore outsourcing growing. Skaistis says there are many positives for the industry to underscore such as flexible work schedules and tuition reimbursement. But it is unclear whether this kind of argument will have a real impact on a younger generation that wants it all right now. It might be wise to underscore the importance  of  IT to any organization--fledging or well-honed. And it might be a safe bet to talk about all the new technology coming down the pike that few people have even dreamed about.

Having said all that, it's probably important for the IT community to make sure it has a unified strategy because tech jobs have become the most important component of any successful enterprise. Just think, where would we be without technology? And how interesting it is seeing developing nations using technology to make giant strides into the 21st century instead of taking baby steps into a better world?

"I have nothing against computer nerds, but having too many computer nerds in IT is one of the main reasons why many enterprises think IT is not doing a good job of supporting their business and competitive initiatives," Skaistis said. It might be wise to think about IT professionals in different ways. What about the mom returning to work or the retired executive who is too young to retire and too old to go back to school? Think hard and creatively because you might miss the very talent you need to keep your operation going at full steam.-Judi