November 2004

IT SPENDING PROJECTIONS RESUME UPWARD MOMENTUM IN OCTOBER

FRAMINGHAM, MA November 1, 2004 -- After a slight dip in September, the CIO Magazine Tech Poll results this month indicate that CIO's are predicting spending growth of 8.7% over the next 12 months, compared to last month's 7.4%. Spending trends of CIO's in October's poll indicate that Security Software, Data Networking, and Computer Hardware are the top priorities for CIO's. Also, when asked what government policy or action was most critical to the successful management of their IT programs, almost half the respondents (48.9 %) cited less regulation. This was well ahead of tax cuts (23.4 %), accelerated depreciation (16.4%), more regulation (7.2%) and more H1-B Visas (4.3%). The survey also found that nearly half of all respondents (48.5 %) have no plans to implement a voice over IP (VOIP) plan in the next 12 months.

"October's 8.7% forecast, the strongest October since 2000, suggests chief information officers are winning the 2005 budget battles," says Gary Beach, Group Publisher of CIO magazine. "After three years of operating in a 'do more with less' business environment, CIOs are approaching the coming year with 'do more, more quickly' marching orders. Also interesting is that for all the political talk about cutting taxes, CIOs would rather see less government regulation. Perhaps after the election our elected officials will take heed?"

Read the rest of this story.

Industry News

Hiring for 2005 Looking Up

>By Katherine Spencer Lee
November 5, 2004: After years of layoffs and staffing freezes, the IT hiring outlook is becoming more optimistic for 2005. CIOs may not be adding employees as extensively as they did in the late 1990s, but they are slowly rebuilding their teams to support specific needs. New research indicates spending on IT goods, services, and staff will grow in 2005 and continue at a similar pace through 2008. Read the rest of this story.

Veredus Consultant Party: Wed. Dec. 1, 2004

YOU AND A GUEST ARE INVITED TO A TROPICAL HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE WITH VEREDUS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2004 6 PM - 9 PM THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM 701 Channelside Drive
Tampa Stop by for a while or the whole night! Live Music with Rich Whiteley • Fabulous Food
• Lots of Fun • Great Door Prizes • Caricature Drawings, too! Please RSVP with the number attending to party@vereduscorp.com

Career Tip

Successful Communication Strategies

• Picture your communication goal. What do you want to achieve with this person you are about to speak with?
• Focus less on being clear and more on being understood.
• Know your audience.
• Know yourself. What are your communication foibles?
• Create pictures with your words.
• Rid your language of cliches.
• Stick with an upbeat tone.
• Make your nonverbal communication reinforce your words.
• Speak less; listen more.