IT contractors should ensure they are aware of the growing co-evolution and convergence of email and social media, a leading organisation has claimed.

Matthew Cain, writing for Gartner, has asserted that Google's addition of social networking features to its Gmail service has highlighted an industry trend for the sectors to come closer together.

He interpreted the introduction of Buzz as "the path of least resistance" when trying to capture the social networking market.

Email vendors are increasingly on a collision course with companies such as Facebook and Twitter, he predicted, which could affect IT contractors choosing between projects.

Mr Cain stated: "Consumers clearly need a point of aggregation for relevant social activities. Presenting those activities in an e-mail metaphor is the quickest way to adoption."

IT Job Board head of marketing Jamie Bowler recently claimed that the number of IT sector jobs available for contractors is set to grow in 2010.