Hays Information Technology - January 2010
Hotspots
A burst of pre-New Year hiring in the business analysis area by employers has led to increased demand for the next-phase of resources. Project Managers, additional Business Analysts and Software Developers are consequently in demand.
Telecommunications professionals, Senior Developers to Architect level (C#, VB.net, Java, MOSS, BizTalk) and Senior Network professionals are also sought. With increased positivity in addition to BAU and project work and new financial budgets in March/April, there is an expectation that the year ahead will be a positive and active one for employers.
The coming quarter
Employers plan to recruit permanent staff for projects rather than contract staff where possible. Vacancies will thus be the result of targeted requirements and project work. They will be exciting and appealing, although the demands on the individual's skills will be greater.
Vacancy activity in the executive market is very slowly improving, particularly at the mid-management level.
Employer trends
Employers are scrutinising their employment process. They are taking longer to make a decision and are thoroughly vetting each candidate.
In a concerning trend, recent market conditions have created an expectation from employers that high quality candidates can be secured for a salary below market rate. This has longer-term retention consequences.
Candidate trends
The lower salaries on offer are not prompting quality candidates to apply for vacancies. Those that do respond often still believe they can negotiate salaries up at the offer stage.
A shortage of quality technical candidates remains in New Zealand.
