IT Seen as Anti-Social - May 2008

Wednesday, 27 August 2008

IT professionals are seen as lacking social skills and having no social lives, according to a survey into public perception of the industry by IT recruitment firm GCS. The study found that 40% of people consider the industry to be full of “techie geeks” and, in spite of a Europe-wide skills shortage, 31% of respondents perceived IT as “hard to get into”. However, only 17 percent described IT itself as dull. GCS managing director Chris Bartlett said industry needed to create a “balanced image” to attract the right candidates. "A common misconception is that the IT industry is full of 'techie geeks' working in back offices, when in reality it is now much more diverse," he said. It appears that the social implications of joining the IT industry are what deter people, not the content of the work. This has serious implications for the future of the industry. “The IT industry needs to take significant and swift action now, and make the necessary changes to avoid a serious shortage of staff and ensure profitable growth in the future,” Bartlett said. While the industry might be working to shed its geeky image, the perception that IT staff lack social lives could be close to the truth. A study by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) released in February found that 83% of IT managers work more than their designated hours, with only a quarter doing so by choice. Two-thirds said that overwork prevented them from exercising, 58% claimed they didn’t have time to develop their skills, and 42% believed their morale suffered because of it.

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