Another year of milestones and launches, and what do you have to show for it? A rekindled resolve to make your career in IT more worth your while this year in terms of the pay you take home.

Sure, there have been upticks in pay for IT pros since the downturn, as the 2007 InfoWorld Compensation Survey attests. And yes, projections by analysts such as Robert Half Technology suggest brighter days ahead for some of your tech cohorts. But who is content with playing the law of averages when it comes to compensation?

[ For a granular look at compensation trends, see: 2007 InfoWorld Compensation Survey: Personal gains and personnel woes and 2007 InfoWorld Compensation Survey: By the numbers ]

Especially as the art of cashing in on added responsibility requires more than just the desire to earn more money.

Especially as reports from analysts such as Goldman Sachs, JMP Securities, and ChangeWave "indicate that credit crunch and fears of a possible recession have convinced IT execs to rein in spending in 2008," as InfoWorld blogger Bill Snyder noted in a recent post.

And everyone knows what executive budget anxiety means. Yet another increase in outsourcing -- and in particular, offshoring, which 2007 InfoWorld Compensation Survey results suggest will reach a tipping point in 2008, with more companies tapping offshore labor than not this year.

The time to marshal your plan for raking in more dough is now. Here, you will find a wealth of valuable InfoWorld resources to help make your career in IT more rewarding in 2008.

Project management pays
For the nearly one in three tech workers concerned about job security, Snyder serves up worthwhile advice on avoiding jobs ripe for outsourcing in 2008: Hone your project management skills.

"Jobs that combine business-savvy with technical expertise will remain; purely technical positions are vulnerable," writes Snyder, whose Tech's Bottom Line blog takes a financial tack in navigating IT.

But if spearheading a project this year is the best means for bagging a promotion or raise, how best to get your hands on one?