Digital industry confidence bottoms out

Each month, the slightly gloomy chore of publishing the Digital Pulse result hits the top of my to do list. Or more accurately, I finally get hassled to the point where I actually manage to get the results on the website.

Since we began compiling this data from a monthly user survey (why not take it now - for each completed survey a donation gets made to WWF) the trend has been a fall in confidence which seemed to accelerate with all the bad financial news.

Despite rosy predictions from the blogosphere and beyond of the digital sector's immunity from the economic traumas, the scale of recession looks like the whole economy is in for quite a kicking.

Perhaps November's results indicate a small rebound in confidence across the digital industry, with the Digital Pulse showing a very small (1%) increase. A last minute of business before the festive season wind-down? We'll know the results in two weeks' time when December's survey results are in.

The optimism of the Summer months evaporated as it became clear the economic news was bad. Note that the Digital Pulse was already falling before the news of Lehman Brothers broke and the full ramifications became clear. The small rebound in November may be an anomaly which December's results may clarify.

Anecdotally, there's plenty of gritted teeth waiting for what 2009 will bring. There's also lots of optimism around the focus and drive that a more competitive environment should bring with it.

Peruse onwards for the results of November's Digital Pulse in easy-to-digest graphical format...

• How respondents feel about current market conditions
• How respondents feel about market conditions in six months time
• Whether respondents feel there are ample job opportunities currently
• How likely respondents are NOT to move jobs in the next six months
• Whether respondents feel their current salary reflects their true worth
• The extent to which respondent feel that employers are more likely to hire staff who have had previous permanent experience for permanent roles
• Current satisfaction with the market by sector
• Current satisfaction with the market by length of time in the industry
• Current market conditions by employment type
• Whether there are ample job opportunities by length of employment
• Whether there are ample job opportunities by type of employment
• Whether there are ample job opportunities by sector
• Current market conditions by salary
• Market conditions in 6 months time by salary bracket
• Market conditions in 6 months time by sector
• Intention to move jobs by sector

How respondents feel about current market conditions

How respondents feel about market conditions in six months time

Whether respondents feel there are ample job opportunities currently

How likely respondents are NOT to move jobs in the next six months

Whether respondents feel their current salary reflects their true worth

The extent to which respondent feel that employers are more likely to hire staff who have had previous permanent experience for permanent roles

Current satisfaction with the market by sector

Current satisfaction with the market by length of time in the industry

Current market conditions by employment type

Whether there are ample job opportunities by length of employment

Whether there are ample job opportunities by type of employment

Whether there are ample job opportunities by sector

Current market conditions by salary

Market conditions in 6 months time by salary bracket

Market conditions in 6 months time by sector

Intention to move jobs by sector

[Pic courtesy of gaelenh]