Tech Hiring Stalls, Cloud Costs Rise, Layoffs Linked to Breaches, Pango Acquires Kaspersky Users

The August jobs report revealed that the U.S. economy added 142,000 jobs, falling short of expectations, while the unemployment rate decreased to 4.2%. Small businesses are facing challenges, with 40% of owners struggling to fill positions and a significant number reporting a lack of qualified applicants. Despite these hurdles, there is a slight increase in job openings for skilled workers, especially in construction, and a net 33% of business owners raised pay in August.Host Dave Sobel highlights a cautious approach to tech hiring, noting that overall tech employment remains flat. While the tech services sector saw a modest job increase, the tech manufacturing sector experienced losses. The unemployment rate for tech occupations rose to 3.4%, with active job postings for roles like software developers and data scientists increasing. Additionally, he shares market news about Palantir and Dell joining the S&P 500 index due to their success in the generative AI market, while American Airlines and Etsy are being removed.The episode also delves into the rising costs associated with cloud services, as over a third of organizations feel their transition to the cloud has not met cost-effectiveness expectations. More than half of the organizations reported increased bills, contradicting the anticipated stable or decreasing prices. Despite these challenges, CIOs continue to rely on cloud solutions, creating opportunities for service providers to assist with cloud cost management and optimization strategies.Lastly, Sobel discusses a new study linking layoff announcements to increased cybersecurity risks, emphasizing the need for companies to secure their systems proactively. He notes that companies undergoing layoffs should engage IT service providers to implement stricter security protocols. The episode concludes with news about Pango Group acquiring Kaspersky's U.S. antivirus customers, providing an opportunity for IT service providers to support clients during this transition. Overall, the episode provides valuable insights into the current state of the job market, cloud services, and cybersecurity challenges. Four things to know today00:00 Tech Hiring Stalls as Overall Job Growth Slows: Why Outsourced Services Are Gaining Value04:23 Over Half of Organizations Report Cloud Price Hikes: How IT Providers Can Help Manage Cloud Expenses05:45 New Study Links Layoff Announcements to Cybersecurity Breaches: How IT Providers Can Help Mitigate Risks06:53 Pango Group to Acquire Kaspersky's U.S. Antivirus Customers: Transition Opens New Opportunities for IT Service Providers Supported by:  https://www.huntress.com/mspradio/http://blumira.com/radio/  Pulseway Event:  https://www.pulseway.com/v2/land/webinar-nexus-msp?rfid=vendor/?partnerref=vendor     All our Sponsors:   https://businessof.tech/sponsors/ Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/ Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” - Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com Follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftechBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessoftech.bsky.social