If you're a front-end Web developer, Los Angeles is waiting for you. Not one but two local IT recruiters say Web development is about the hottest thing going in L.A. these days.

Susan Bernstein, senior director of the technology division for the TriStaff Group, says, "The people whom I've noticed are in the highest demand are front-end Web developers who have used Flash and ActionScript, as well as those who have worked with PHP and DHTML. This is a big change over the last six months, so I'm seeing it as a trend." She also sees more companies needing open source software skills such as MySQL. On the engineering side for hardware devices, "I'm seeing more companies in need of GUI developers who have worked with C# or at least VC++," she tells us.

As far as job titles go, TriStaff's Bernstein says, "I've also noticed over the last year an increase in need for individuals to work as product managers (not product marketing managers) - those who have a strong technical background along with the skills to coordinate across departments the vision and then launch of new products."

While L.A.'s entertainment industry is taking a big hit due to the current writers' strike, some media segments are thriving. "Players in the digital media space have brought a lot of talent into the area, and they are still looking for more," says Jordan. "The demand is so high that sometimes we need to look outside the area to find the qualified technical professionals the clients need."

Recruiter Robert Half Technology's IT Hiring Index indicates just 15 percent of L.A.-area CIOs plan to hire new staff during the first quarter. On Dice, the number of L.A. IT job listings dropped 8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007, the second consecutive quarter in which listings have fallen off. Still, there are 4,277 listings available, and salaries are holding steady. The annual Dice salary survey reports the area's average IT job is paying $81,039, up 1.83 percent in 2007 and ahead of the national average by $6,500. (Keep in mind, though: California has a relatively high cost of living.)

Still, day-to-day job hunting can be tough. One participant in Dice's discussion forums reports a six-month struggle to find a good post. "I had a very tough time landing a new gig in L.A. in the second half of this year," he says. "There are jobs, but they are almost all junior or supposedly senior but drastically underpaid. I've been approached for an increasing number of tiny jobs. I even talked to one solution provider that specializes in providing contracts that are shorter than 30 days." With only 15 percent of CIOs planning to hire soon, struggles like his may continue through the first quarter.