As the economy slows, tech industry workers are showing more interest in leaving the fast-paced world of start-ups for jobs at larger companies with solid cash flow and financial cushions, the same companies that not so long were seen as sometimes dull, less-agile places to work. No hard data is available, but The Wall Street Journal says "early signs of a mind-set shift are unmistakable." One recruiter told the newspaper he's finding it easier to convince "certain types of engineers to consider abandoning their jobs at start-ups" than he did even six months ago.

But while larger companies may offer more security in tough economic times, there's a flip side to the story: A survey by of 1,400 U.S. CIOs by recruiting firm Robert Half Technology found larger companies are more likely to pursue overseas technology outsourcing - in other words, offshoring - than small companies. In addition, businesses that are already offshoring are more likely to expand those activities in the next two years compared to those that have yet to try the practice.

How concerned should you be?

Although many people consider offshoring to be the most direct threat to technology jobs in the U.S., 94 percent of the CIOs surveyed say they aren't moving IT positions overseas. Only 11 percent of companies with 500 or more employees have some type of offshoring strategy in place. And, 59 percent of the respondents who had once sent IT jobs offshore have discontinued the practice because of the difficulty managing the remote work. Unrealized cost savings and quality control also were factors, cited by 30 percent and 23 percent of respondents, respectively.

"It's a bit of a myth out there that everybody is outsourcing," observes John Estes, vice president of Robert Half Technology. "Some companies are saying let's bring it back in-house."

Overall, 86 percent of the survey's respondents said there will be no change in the amount of offshoring by their companies. Of the small group that currently is sending work offshore, nearly 43 percent plan to increase their offshoring in the next two years. However, 13 percent intend to cut back.  

Not-So-Green Grass

The survey data hints at why some companies are beginning to signal demand for tech workers who have retooled themselves as project managers or IT architecture strategists. For instance, companies that have begun sending key software development or IT administrative positions overseas are finding they need strong, process-oriented managers in-house who can oversee geographically dispersed projects and processes. Bottom line, de-centralizing IT workers - particularly teams that are dispersed geographically outside of the U.S. - require a new level of management oversight.

As for smaller companies, they may lack the resources to conduct an effective long-term offshoring strategy, says Katherine Spencer Lee, an executive director at Robert Half Technology.

In general, many companies are starting to believe challenges such as language, culture and time-zone barriers can outweigh the potential benefits of outsourcing. "There are many implementations of offshoring that have not gone according to plan," says Dave Sanders, a managing partner with World Bridge Partners, an executive search firm based in Roseville, Calif. "It requires a lot more project management and communications in order for it to be done right. For instance, if you are off the mark just a little bit when writing code, you could end up with a lot of garbage."