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“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good [people] to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” – Theodore Roosevelt

We all have people in our lives that have shaped who we are and how we see each day or a given situation. My Grandfather is one of those people; I don't remember as much as I would like about my Grandfather, but I do know from stories others have told me, that he was a man of great character, a leader and a man of very few words. He spoke through his actions, though when he did speak, everyone in the small town of Many, Louisiana, listened.

I think most people arrive at their desk each day with the full intention of working hard and having an effective day.  I think most people plan their day.  Some have their plan in their head, some write out a list, and some have their day outlined in their OUTLOOK calendar.  I am willing to bet that most people do a combination.  I am guilty of a combination.

Since November 2009 the IT job market has been changing drastically. Across the IT recruiting world we have seen an increase in job postings on sites such as Monster, Dice and the like. We have also seen an increase in the number of permanent and contract positions that are not posted, but are filled through word of mouth or through agencies / corporate recruiters. All of these trends have continued upward and even more so through the mid part of 2012.

I just want to ask you two quick questions about your job:  How much do you like it, and what are you working for? 

The IT staffing industry is very much alive and vibrant coming out of an economic recession. In fact, if you were employed by an IT staffing firm and not watching the news or your 401K over the past few years, you may not have even known about the downturn. As nationwide unemployment flirted with double digits, IT staffing firms were met with high demand for very low supply skills sets with certain skills reaching less than 2% unemployment. Parents get your kids interested in IT.

Currently, if you’re an IT software developer things are relatively good.  The unemployment rate for software developers in this market is 4.4%, compared with 7.7% for all other jobs and there were an estimated 20,000 IT jobs added in the first quarter of 2013. When we find ourselves in a vibrant market it can be tempting to hop from job to job very frequently. 

Today is the official first day of spring and with spring comes a renewed since of purpose. Among other things, the sunny days, warm weather and blossoming tress gives us a sense of brand new possibilities and opportunities when it comes to our job search. Many of us, employers and job seekers alike, struggle to keep up momentum through the doldrums of winter. There seems to be a lack of jobs available and those that are out there are slow to move. It’s a painful waiting period, but never fear, spring is here and the business world is beginning to rev up on a new cycle which means a fresh bounty of new jobs.

Anyone remember this during the election season?