It’s unlikely we’ll see job recruitment ads listing personal smartphones and other hand-held devices as requirements for employment. But considering how quickly user devices and consumer apps are being integrated into the corporate IT landscape, the ads just might say “Personal iPad a plus.”

No doubt about it, allowing employees to use their own devices to access corporate systems has its challenges – security tops the list of things IT pros worry about. But the advantages are plenty.

Companies save money on the equipment and training and support too. Plus, companies are likely to benefit from the latest in technology, because many employees – at their own expense – will upgrade to newer equipment faster than corporate budgets might allow.

Some companies are opting for more control of personal devices use by adopting a choose-you-own-device strategy. Allowing employees to select equipment from an approved menu of products eases some of challenges with integration and concerns about security.

The security of employee- or company-owned devices is  also being addressed by technology that kills or wipes clean mobile devices that are lost, stolen, or owned by former employees.

Mobile evangelist Ian Thain has more to say about the growing trend for enterprise consumerization. Watch this recent interview on consumerization and BYOD.