IT Jobs in Austin
According to indeed.com, there are nearly 5,500 IT jobs in Austin right now, mostly full-time positions. Monster.com presents more than 2,600 IT jobs in Austin and glassdoor.com lists a whopping 18,500 jobs in Austin. It’s no wonder so many companies are looking for IT talent in Austin. Austin is currently the fastest growing city in the U.S. and is expected to continue that growth trajectory at a six percent rate.
Austin used to be a college and government town, but over the past several decades, has transformed into an IT company mecca. Thanks to a lower cost of living and doing business relative to California, tech companies have moved or started up in Austin instead. In fact, Austin is sometimes lovingly referred to as Silicon Ranch, an ode to Austin’s Texas vibe.
Tech companies inevitably attract a younger generation of workers and workers are often attracted to fast-growing, innovative companies. The symbiotic relationship fuels the Austin economy. Interestingly, Austin’s median age is 32.4, younger than its Dallas and Houston counterparts. This youth brings creativity and vision required to develop and implement emerging technologies. With 105 people per day moving to Austin, one would assume there is a constant pool of talent from which to choose. Not so fast.
According to Angelos Angelou, founder and principal executive officer at AngelouEconomics, “The Austin economy is operating near or at full employment, which is making it difficult for firms to hire workers.” As such, finding skilled IT talent in Austin often requires assistance.
Strategic IT Staffing Companies in Austin
Austin boasts many employment agencies but only a few reputable IT staffing companies specifically focused on the IT industry. In the past, IT companies were where IT talent worked. Today, more companies outside of the IT industry are hiring their own IT talent, whether full time or to fulfill a particular short-term IT need. In either case, it can be challenging for companies to find the skillsets they desire own.
Related: Outsource IT Projects of Hire and Internal Team?
IT staffing companies provide a much-needed service to organizations throughout the Austin area. Most organizations do not have their own pool of IT talent looking for jobs, much less relationships with IT talent satisfied with their current positions. An IT staffing company, on the other hand, is more apt to have established, ongoing relationships with people with varying IT skills who, for the right opportunity, would be willing to make a job change. This expands the talent pool significantly, which is needed in a tight market, but requires constant networking.
IT staffing companies in Austin are also looking to help companies determine which IT talent they actually need and to what extent, particularly if they are not an IT company. Depending on the initiative and project at hand, this could vary widely. Companies can depend on a good IT staffing agency to ask the right questions and assess their current IT staff and technologies before beginning the staffing search.
What’s Next for IT in Austin?
As Austin continues to grow, it not only will attract talent from all over the world but from area universities that graduate thousands of prospects every year. From The University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University and nearby Texas A&M University to the many smaller public and private universities and community colleges within a hundred miles of Austin, Austin will never be short of fresh talent.
According to the Austin American Statesman, Austin ranks among the most digitized labor markets in the country. “The density of tech firms and their effect throughout a metro economy has helped Austin, Silicon Valley, Boston and other tech-oriented cities to tighten their grip on jobs that require both a depth of technical knowledge and a lot of time deploying those skills.”
In the Statesman article, Angelou says, “Austin is nowhere near its ceiling, and job creation should continue to grow faster than most large U.S. metros.” Angelou bases some of his prediction on the fact that small and large corporations alike are coming to Austin. Apple Facebook, Google, Oracle and Amazon are among the biggest future employers in Austin.
Still, startups find their own way in Austin, with many active early-stage venture firms calling Austin home. This growth would not be possible if there wasn’t talent in the area to fill the positions. For IT talent looking for opportunities and IT staffing firms in Austin looking for them, it appears Austin provides the perfect fit for both.
