Briefs

Boston Globe (04/29/02) reports that IT workers' total compensation declined for the first time in five years, driven by the economic recession and reduced consumer demand for computers and computer services.

An InformationWeek study estimates an 8 percent decline in median compensation for technology managers and an 11 percent decline for IT staffers in the last year. Study author Rusty Weston also finds that base pay for the former group rose a mere 3.8 percent while the latter experienced a 1.7 percent increase.

He concludes that there are more pay freezes and cost-of-living adjustments taking place. IT unemployment is currently maintaining a level of 5.7 percent, and Hayward Simone Associates Chairman Morris Green describes the market as being "flooded with talented people."

Hiring freezes vary according to region--for example, former high-tech boom leader Silicon Valley has had a severe dip in demand for technology services. Study says unemployment is particularly pronounced among networkers and application developers, while security, groupware, and wireless specialists have a better chance of finding and keeping jobs.