After dipping for two months, job optimism among tech professionals climbed in July, according to the latest monthly phone survey by staffing and outsourcing firm Hudson.

Compared with a base score of 100, job confidence among IT and telecom pros rose 8.4 points to 112.7 in July, the same level it was this time last year. Each month, Hudson surveys about 9,000 workers in several sectors, including more than 400 IT and telecom professionals.

The mood in July among tech pros also was considerably better than it was among all the general population of workers, which rated their job confidence at 105.8, up 4.6 points since June.

So, why did the mood improve so much among techies?

For one, there were fewer tech professionals who worried about losing their jobs in July, down five points from June to 20%. Also, fewer techies -- 16% -- thought their companies would be reducing staff, compared with 18% who expressed that worry in June.

There also was a substantial jump in tech workers who rated their personal finances as "excellent" or "good" in July -- 62%, compared with only 52% who felt that way in June.

"We're seeing very steady job orders, very steady requests" for tech talent, said Tim Bosse, executive VP of Hudson's North American IT and telecom practice, in an interview. "Organizations continue to hire. There are not crazy spikes, but consistent demand."

Among the most sought-after talent right now are project managers, Web developers, and business analysts, he says. Another trend Hudson sees is a demand for Java and C++ programmers in the Orlando, Fla., area, where "defense simulation and gaming" projects are hot right now, he said.