If you’re like most Information Technology (IT) job seekers, you dream about working at one of the fastest moving U.S. technology companies, like Facebook, Google or Apple.  But with nearly 15 million Americans looking for work, it’s hard to imagine what it takes to find your dream job at one of these employers.  Surprisingly, some of the best companies to work for are facing a talent shortage, especially in some of the top IT positions.  While there may be plenty of workers available, few of them possess the skills to meet the highly specialized needs of Silicon Valley.

In a recent MarketWatch article posted on CareerBuilder.com, the shortage of qualified works is felt most acutely in companies seeking positions that cannot be automated.  These include Information Technology (IT) jobs such as software developers, mobile-app developers, systems engineers and database administrators.  These positions require a certain level of insight about the ever-changing technology landscape.  While some employers sought to fill these positions through outsourcing, they soon found that this gave them less control over the direction of integrated IT functions.  As a result, the push is on to hire the most competent minds in the industry.

To illustrate the U.S. employment outlook as it pertains to jobs in Information Technology (IT), a recent Econowatch blog featured some interesting stats on how to land a top job in Silicon Valley.

According to Google, one in four young professionals considers a job at Google to be their “dream job,” but only one in 250 applicants actually land a gig at the Internet giant.   But take heart; not all of the prime Information Technology (IT) jobs are in Silicon Valley.  One graph in the article shows a summary of average earnings in the IT industry.  Not surprisingly, Silicon Valley jobs offer the highest pay rate, at just over $99K per year, but the Washington DC area is not far behind at $89,149.  New York, Boston, San Diego and LA are also among the top-paying IT job markets, with Houston coming in 8^th place at $83,625.

Want to gain more insight about the top Information Technology (IT) jobs, check this space over the next two weeks for insight about the job scene at Google, Facebook and Apple.  Meanwhile, for the best IT jobs in Dallas, consult with the technical recruiters at GTN Staffing.