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What Matters Most About Your Job In Uncertain Times?

Do you expect your paycheck to grow much fatter this year? Maybe you're just glad you get a paycheck, especially with all the gloom and doom about the economy. If that's the case, then maybe other job traits or perks -- besides money -- are moving higher up on your priority list right now when it comes to work.

A study released this week by career site Dice found that the average IT salary inched up only 1.7% in 2007, compared with the average raise of 5.2% IT pros received in 2006. The survey of more than 19,000 tech and engineering professionals was conducted online between August and November of last year.

By contrast, an InformationWeek salary survey conducted earlier in 2007 (from February to March) found that median annual base salaries for IT managers climbed 6.6%, while median base pay for IT staffers rose 5.7%. More than 7,200 tech pros took part in that online survey.

It's important to note that the recent Dice survey was conducted later in 2007, when general economic news began to sour. So, maybe the IT pros participating in that later poll had been starting to feel the tightening of their employers' financial pinch.

Indeed, another recent survey (by IT staffing firm Hudson) found that IT pros were feeling more pessimistic about their jobs in January than they've felt in four years. Fears about a possible recession were the biggest factor in that nervousness, according to Hudson.

It will be even more interesting to see what happens in the next couple of months, as InformationWeek conducts its 2008 salary survey to identify the trends playing out now. You can take part in that poll, too, by clicking here.

Tell us how much your pay is growing -- and also let us know what's most important to you about your job right now. Your responses are confidential.

If you're as worried about the economy as some of your peers appear to be, then maybe your employer's tuition reimbursement program, job stability, and flexible work schedule mean more to you now than they did before.

We'd like to know. And feel free to share your comments here, too.

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