The “Recent Graduate Survey 2012” by TARGETJobs found that 87 percent of those working IT jobs were satisfied with their working lives. To conduct this survey, 129 grads working in different IT roles at 11 different companies were asked about their work experiences. They were asked about factors like: hours worked, travel opportunities, coworkers, geographic location, and responsibilities. The 13 percent of the graduates who were dissatisfied cited long hours and too much travel as reasons for their unhappiness.
Sixty-seven percent of grads planned to remain in the IT jobs sector long-term, while 28 percent said they were “undecided.” Thirty-seven percent of grads said they would stay with their current employer with five years or more, while 39 percent said they’d stay between 3-5 years. Only 7 percent of those surveyed planned to stay for less than one year. It appears that half of the people applied at their ideal employer, while the other half took a job to get their feet wet before moving on. The group seemed optimistic about the IT jobs field and genuinely loved working in such an exciting “bright spot” of the economy.
However, these new workers had a word of advice for undergrads who may be considering IT jobs after graduation. The grads stressed the importance of getting into IT jobs because you’re passionate about the work – rather than just a quick paycheck. They described their work as “fast-paced,” “demanding” and “challenging.” Technical problems can be frustrating for people whose hearts are not in the game, they say. Those who don’t put the effort in will quickly be left behind. “You need focus and determination… nothing gets handed to you on a plate,” one grad commented.