Finding IT Profs. Just as Hard for Government

Many CPAs and accounting professionals lament that finding good IT professionals is difficult. The first problem is actually recruiting Mr. and Ms. Gen-X to join the firm, while the second problem rests with getting the IT person to stay for the long haul.

One of the most difficult areas in which to find good IT people is the government sector. Even public firms have a better chance of luring the IT professional. For example, consider working conditions and pay scale within the government sector.

The CIO of the IRS, Paul Cosgrove, commented that the average age of the federal IT worker is 47, and most IT workers are nearing retirement because they were the baby boomer generation.

The government, and the private sector as well, are calling for help. The head of PriceWaterhouseCooper's Endowment for the Business of Government [1], Mark Abramson, believes that government must restructure its rewards system, and change its attitude towards employment.