On a daily basis, I receive email from people asking me what area in the IT field is the best from the job security point of view. Well folks, as of right now it looks like Linux can be added to your queue.

As it turns out, Linux consultants are in hot demand right now. NewsForge reports that people that are marketing themselves as Linux consultants are find that staying busy is anything but a problem.

Once the hallmark of a laid-off dot-commer, the job title “consultant” is now legitimately paired with “Linux.” Linux consultants, often called in to supplement the in-house staff of large corporations, are also finding fertile ground in the growing number of small businesses seeking powerful and cost-effective IT solutions that let them compete with bigger firms.

Who Click Here needs a Linux consultant? As it turns out, lots of people. Consultants we interviewed for this article are providing a range of services, largely focused on small businesses and small to medium-sized ISPs. Their service portfolios include Web and database design, system administration, networking and systems implementation, and programming projects. Linux consultants appeal on price, creativity, flexibility

Linux consultants fill a variety of roles: supplementing in-house IT staff during crunch times, augmenting the experience of in-house staff, completing custom programming tasks and offering small businesses a cost-effective way to stay technologically current.