However, some signs point to improving conditions, with SaaS (software-as-a-service) firms doing well, Thomas added. With hardware costs minimized, SaaS seems to be a popular and conservative choice for a lot of buyers, he said.

While orders were down for the Silicon Valley tech sector in December and January, "opportunities are starting to return," Thomas said. "They're not happy yet with the level, but they are seeing signs of improvement and there's some encouragement on the horizon."

For all of 2008, software services added 86,200 jobs across the U.S., according to TechAmerica, and engineering and tech services added 26,600 jobs. Those jobs only include jobs at tech companies, not IT jobs at other companies, such as banks or hospitals.

Those gains were offset by a 23,100-job decrease in high-tech manufacturing, including computer and peripheral equipment, communications equipment, consumer electronics and semiconductors. Another high-tech sector losing jobs in 2008 was communications services, including Internet service providers, wired telecom carriers and mobile carriers, which dropped 12,700 jobs during the year.

Software services employment even increased, by 12,600 jobs or 0.7 percent, in the fourth quarter of 2008, TechAmerica said.