High-tech job openings in North Carolina hit two-year low

High-tech job seekers in the Tar Heel state face some tough sledding in finding work – or a different job.

The daily average of advertised information technology jobs in North Carolina dipped to a two-year low in January – 3,000. That’s the grim news from the latest North Carolina IT Job Trends report, which was issued Friday.

In January, 2012, daily openings averaged 4,120.

A year ago, openings were 3,590.

The drop last month to 3,000 follows what had been a stabilized job picture of 3,230 openings in December and November.

Increases in demand for web services, off-shore coordinators and XML could not offset big drops in demand for Windows Operating System and Linux jobs.

While openings for IT management increased, demand for software development and IT architects/consultants plunged.

And no one sector of employment was to blame.

The malaise has spread everywhere.

Notes talent management firm SkillProof, which produces the data used in the North Carolina Technology Association report:

“In January all industries tracked by SkillProof reduced their job openings. Employers in Financial Services continued their exit from the market for the fourth month in a row.”

IT job opportunities – at least those publicly advertised – are drying up even though the state’s unemployment rate is dropping.

But SkillProof says there are indications of an upswing. What’s unknown is how big of an uptick there might be.

“IT professionals in North Carolina found 7.1% fewer advertised employment opportunities than in December. The bleeding of job postings slowed last month and our indicators suggest that the market is turning around. Over the past three years, job seekers have seen a cyclical job market resembling a ‘camel back’ that is aligned with the calendar year.

“This “camel back” will reappear this year but it is uncertain whether employers will post more that last year. The trend has been negative since 2012 taking a toll on job seekers in the state.”

Here is information about what areas in which firms are hiring with 2013 numbers in parenthesis:

Job Openings by Category: