Computer Weekly Editor's Blog

The downturn is beginning to bite it appears, with one of the big boys of the industry - BT, announcing a large slew of redundancies. What does this mean for the industry as a whole, or more importantly the average jobbing contractor?

I had a friend who decided to become a contractor just as the last bite began to hit in early 1998 - he found it tough, but there was work to be had. I think this downturn will be the same, regardless of how hard it hits the rest of the economy.

IT will always be in demand, and highly skilled IT professionals even more so as companies lean down and take on the best with a view to using their skills as an investment to keep their systems in tip top shape, and to make good sound decisions that will make sense in a new business landscape that will favour the more cautious roadmap.

I think this is the first time that global media has been able to ram down our collective throats the concept that we are nearing or now in fact in recession.

Will this relentless media onslaught rig the scales in how quickly we launch ourselves into or indeed, out of the bottom of the barrel?

The next few months will be an interesting time. Share with us how you are going to plan for the lean times.