When the U.S. economy crashed in 2007, much of corporate America went into a spending freeze. The Information Technology, security, and audio/visual (A/V) industries were especially impacted. Today, the IT and U.S. economy as a whole appear to be on the rebound with industry pundits suggesting consumer confidence is back, especially after a strong second quarter that has economists believing we will close 2014 on solid footing. In fact, the gross domestic product expanded at a higher than expected 4 percent annual rate after shrinking to just 2.1 percent in the first quarter. Consumer spending, which amounts to two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, grew by 2.5 percent, another sure sign that the U.S. economic picture is improving.
Security, A/V, and telecommunications services are just a few of the industry sectors that are beginning to capitalize on the increased flow of consumer dollars. Confidence and competitiveness are returning to the market as evidenced by the large number of mergers and acquisitions that have occurred during this year alone. Companies are expanding in new directions, and the smarter ones have or are acquiring firms with the additional expertise needed to grow in new areas. For example, Carousel Industries, which integrates and manages a wide range of technology solutions, unified its A/V and video conferencing services after acquiring OmniPresence, an A/V integrator. And all signs indicate that confidence will remain high in this sector for the foreseeable future.
Market improvement has caused business leaders to once again resume spending on research and development (R&D) of new products and services. Spending on industrial equipment is also on the rise, as businesses look to upgrade infrastructure and core networks while maintaining A/V and improve security.
More private sector companies are hiring IT professionals to oversee the purchase and installation of new projects and these critical upgrades. Companies are broadening their service offerings, switching from interconnects to PBX and changing the way they communicate with themselves and others – adding display and A/V equipment for sales, meetings, presentations, and collaborations while updating security, wireless local area networks (LANs), structured cabling and low voltage power. As more organizations incorporate A/V into sales, the market has barely kept up with the demand for experts specializing in A/V installers, project managers and lead installers.
If you are an IT professional looking for work in the aforementioned sectors, J. Patrick & Associates wants to hear from you. With over 20 years of executive recruiting experience, J. Patrick & Associates has the resources to connect you with the right organization. Click here to contact a representative and get started in the recruiting process today.
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