Software Developers Taking a Starting Salary Hit

A shrinking dollar forces technology
 workers to accept positions at lower
salaries
 than they did just a month ago.

With news of hiring
 freezes and budget cutbacks popping up everywhere,
 the
job market is looking increasingly stormy
 for new graduates.

A new report offers
 scant encouragement.

Starting salaries
 for software developers and network and systems
administrators have dipped by as much as
 $10,000 in May, according to
JobFox, an
 employment firm.

Software designers and
 developers reported that though they'd been
requesting a median salary range of $95,000
 to $105,000 in Apr - 


 

	
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range had fallen to $85,000 to
 $95,000 in May. Networking professionals
and systems administrators reported the same
 $10,000 drop, but with a
bigger impact on
 their now $65,000 asking salary.

These two job categories were among five in
 which job seekers reported a
reduction in the
 salary range they were requesting, including
 product
managers, now asking a median salary
 of $85,000, and those in government
contracts administration, who were settling for
 $55,000 instead of
$65,000.

To many, these lowered salary expectations are a
 sign that the economic
slowdown once limited
 in impact to the credit sector has now inched
 into
other areas.

"It is
 alarming. I don't think it's a two-alarm
 fire or anything yet, but
what we're
 hearing is that job seekers are maybe not landing
 the job or
the salary they thought they
 would, so they're lowering their salary
brackets," Barry Lawrence, a JobFox
 spokesperson, told eWEEK.

"We're feeling the squeeze at the pump,
 and new graduates are feeling it
as
 well."

Other economic indicators
 have also painted an ominous picture of the job
market new graduates are walking into. The Labor
 Department reported that
hourly wages are
 stagnating, rising just one cent in April, and
 that
average hourly earnings are up 3.4
 percent over the last 12-month period,
lagging behind inflation. The Consumer Price
 Index, or "cost of living"
measure,
 has also increased, as has the number of people
 working part time
because their hours have
 been cut or they could n - ot find full-time jobs.

Despite this,
 JobFox says that software design and development
 positions
are still the top category in their
 online job board, in line with the
Bureau of
 Labor Statistics' 10-year economic outlook,
 which found that
software developers and
 engineers are expected to be the fourth
fastest-growing occupation between 2006 and
 2016.

JobFox advises graduates not to
 focus too heavily on salaries, which are
expected to improve in time.

"While overall median salaries may be
 slightly lower in a few professions,
keep in
 mind that many new job openings are filled by
 professionals who
are still getting a
 personal salary increase to go along with
 greater
responsibilities and opportunities to
 grow," said Rob McGovern, CEO of
JobFox.

"I advise job seekers to
 pick the best jo - bs over the best salaries. Salary
rewards
 will eventually catch up."

Furthermore, graduates are advised to opt for
 jobs that will provide them
with the best
 training and foundation for future jobs.

"Go for jobs that will give you exposure to
 the hottest technologies and
higher languages
 such as AJAX," said Lawrence.