Robert Walters believes hiring managers in the IT sector will see highly contrasting levels of demand in 2018, depending on the jobs they are recruiting for. Skills shortages and average salary growth will continue in cyber security, robotic process automation, AI, business intelligence and analytics, not to mention digital roles in UX and UI. However, there is a surplus of candidates for lower level roles such as infrastructure operations, helpdesk and manual testing.
In niche areas of high demand,proactive employers will step up their efforts to retain staff in 2018. That may be through a combination of training and development, pay rates, flexible work environments and career progression opportunities as well as access to interesting projects and emerging technologies. When it comes to attracting and hiring technology specialists, larger organisations are sometimes hamstrung by processes that are inefficient or salary bands that no longer reflect market rates. In 2018, this may call for a fresh approach to recruitment.
Salary bands and internal rate cards may need to be regularly reviewed and, where necessary, adjusted for niche skills or emerging roles that don’t fit into historical bands. Hiring processes should also be streamlined to allow hiring managers to move fast and avoid missing out on talent.
Another challenge for employers in 2018 will be up-skilling their existing technology workforce and investing in the next generation of technology talent to help fill the growing void in skill sets. It is progressively challenging for entry-level IT candidates to enter the market with so many low-level roles drying up due to years of continued offshoring or automation.
Professionals are keenly aware of the need to work with new and emerging technologies to keep their skills relevant and in demand in the future. Employers who offer comprehensive training and development will have a competitive advantage in the jobs market in 2018 and beyond…Click HERE to read full report.
