Outsourcing has contracted during these hard economic times, at least according to this article. The reasons given seem to make sense: less projects, less investment, those things mean less spending in the areas that your company might be sending offshore, like application development. However as the recovery happens, it's possible that more outsourcing and offshoring will occur in developing nations, where direct, hard costs can be lower.
What does that mean for data professionals? If you are performing a base function, something that does not require interaction with customers, that is easily defined, perhaps a function that requires fewer skills, then you should rethink how you do your job. You should be looking for ways to show that you do more than just make backups. That's important, but it's also a function that someone might look to outsource.
One of the keys to success that I have seen in my career is the ability to add value to the company, above and beyond what others do. I look for ways to improve situations, to make things run smoother, to build a solution that helps the company, or a person in the company. This makes me more valuable, and also less likely to be on anyone's layoff list.
It does also mean more work for me at times. However I have balanced that out by getting additional time off, long lunches, early Fridays, etc. when there isn't a lot of work to be done. Ultimately we go to work to work, and if you show your company that you are valuable, and not just drawing a paycheck while avoiding work, they have a reason to keep you around.
Outsourcing and offshoring will become popular again, as they seem to do in a cyclical fashion. While not every company will be looking to take advantage of it, some will. Make sure they don't have a reason to try and outsource your job.
Steve Jones
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