IT employers more confident about recruiting contractors

IT employers are becoming more confident about employing contractors, according to industry experts.

The increase in confidence is likely to create an increase demand for IT staff or those looking for a new career in the industry.

James Smith, director of Networkers International, said that employers appreciate the flexibility of contract workers.

'There is still a strong demand in both permanent and contract recruitment, but clients are more confident about taking on contractors for specific projects due to the flexibility they get with it,' he told Recruiter.co.uk.

He said that while the recovery is still slow, contract IT staff allow employers to get projects underway without having to commit fully to a new member of staff.

A recent KPMG study revealed that the number of contract positions has increased at the sharpest rate since July 2007.

Bernard Brown, partner and head of Business Services at KPMG, said that the results of the study overall reveal that the job market remains volatile.

Permanent and temporary vacancies increase in March

The number of permanent and temporary staff securing jobs increased at a slower rate in March.

Research from KPMG revealed that the number of appointment slowed down following a peak in February and despite an increase in demand for staff.

Permanent staff vacancies rose at their fastest rate in March since April 2010, while the number of temporary roles on offer experienced their sharpest rise since July 2007.

Kevin Green, chief executive of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, said the findings show there is much to be positive about with respect to the growing UK job market.

'People changing jobs are clearly looking for higher pay to compensate for inflation … Whilst it's important to reward quality candidates appropriately it's important that this trend doesn't limit opportunities for job creation or hinder business growth in the future,' he added.

Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, seemed to agree, adding that parents need to be flexible and should consider the needs of their employer during the recovery.

IT pros get 5% salary increase

Salaries paid to IT professionals have increased by five per cent since 2010, according to new research.

A study by CV Screen found that the average wage for those in IT has risen in the last year, as demand within the industry increased.

The company gathered the information through a study of 50 IT roles and 7,000 advertised IT positions within the UK and found that the average salary is now £38,946.

CV Screen's Matthew Iveson said that the increase is down the recovery of the economy and jobs market, which has allowed for an increase in IT department budgets.

'Rather than cutting back on staff, we are now seeing employers looking to grow the size of their workforce and are having to offer more competitive salaries to secure the best talent,' he explained.

The research follows a similar study from Hays which predicted that IT employers would have to increase salaries and benefits if they wanted to encourage new workers in the face of rising competition.

A bad job is worse for mental health than unemployment

New research has revealed that staying in a bad job can be more detrimental to health than being unemployed.

The Australian National University (ANU) released the findings following a study of employment in several different countries, Digitaljournal.com reported.

Over 7,000 people were surveyed and the findings revealed that while those in employment had an average happiness and wellbeing score of 75.1 out of 100, and, while unemployed people's score dropped by one point, those in bad jobs saw a drop of 5.6 points below average.

'There could be a greater focus on ensuring a more positive psychosocial environment at work ... Workplace policy and job design needs to be recognised as a potentially important determinant of population health,' said study developer Dr Peter Butterworth, from the Centre for Mental Health Research at ANU.

However, IT staff could soon be on the receiving end of improvements to benefits and salary as increasing demand and shortfall of skilled workers drives up competition, Hays revealed.

Microsoft offers 32 apprenticeships

Microsoft has announced it is offering apprenticeships to 32 jobseekers through the Reading Job Fair.

The big technology name said that it has put the scheme together specifically for school leavers and the unemployed to get more people with no previous experience working with IT.

Stephen Uden, head of skills and economic affairs at the Microsoft Thames Valley Park campus, told Getbracknell.co.uk that the apprenticeship organised by Microsoft with affiliated small local businesses is an excellent opportunity to get into a growing job market.

'The IT industry is one of the sectors in the UK economy which is still growing and we work with thousands of small companies in the Thames Valley who are looking to take people on but struggle to find the right people,' he added.

Following the apprenticeship, individuals will receive a Microsoft and a City and Guilds qualification to help them continue with their IT career.

Spencer Mehlman, managing director of Notgoingtouni.co.uk, agreed that employers place a high value on workplace experience when looking for new staff.

IT staff likely to benefit from increasing demand

IT staff who are currently out of work are likely to benefit from increasing demand.

According to research from Hays, 15 per cent of IT staff are currently unhappy with their benefits package, with another 61 per cent conceding that their manager could be more generous.

Hays has warned IT employers that the increasing demand for IT staff, as well as a shortage in skilled workers, means they will need to improve their benefits and consider pay reviews in order to hold on to existing talent and encourage new workers in the face of stiff competition.

'Employers have very high expectations of candidates, and look for those that meet all their criteria. But as more IT professionals switch to better paid and more flexible contract roles, they may struggle to find people to fill permanent positions,' said Andy Bristow, manager of information technology at the firm.

However, a survey by Robert Walters suggested that IT staff remain cautious about moving jobs despite the increasing demand, Computerweekly.com reported.

Job applicants cannot rely on qualifications

Recruiters are looking for candidates who offer more than just academic qualifications, according to an expert.

In an interview with the Guardian, Margaret Dane, chief executive of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service, said that in the current job market it is essential to have a number of skills to bring to the table.

'It is essential for careers advisers to get university managers and funders to ensure student employability is right up there on their agenda, especially in the light of increased tuition fees that has raised student and parent expectations,' she explained.

Ms Dane told the newspaper that although academic learning is often critical, it is not enough for students to rely on anymore.

She said that students must start to live their CV before they need to start writing it.

Dan Hawes, co-founder of the Graduate Recruitment Bureau, said that anything that sets jobseekers apart, be that an internship or a year out, is beneficial in the job search.

London Olympics offers IT contractor opportunities

The London 2012 Olympics will create a boost for the IT job contractor market, according to an industry expert.

 James Toovey, founder and director of Langley James, said that the use of IT contractors and trainees for the Olympics and Paralympic Games will benefit all involved.

'I strongly believe that people should go for voluntary work experience and companies like the Olympics should allow people to come and shadow experienced people to gain commercial experience and also to help with tight deadlines,' he explained.

The use of IT trainees, even those without any specific prior training, will allow IT staff to get jobs done quicker, which is essential on such a tight schedule, because it allows the companies to take on two people for the cost of one.

People who want to volunteer to help out at the London 2012 Olympics need to register online or visit a volunteer centre.

Jobseekers enlist professional CV help

Many jobseekers are enlisting the help of professionals in order to give themselves an edge over other candidates, according to The Write Stuff.

Peter Panayotou, senior consultant at the CV advice firm, said that professional assistance is often the first thing people seek out when trying to stand out from the crowd in the competitive job market.

'[It is] certainly something that I've been aware of since we had this downturn. A lot of people are coming to me that would normally have attempted to do their CV themselves but have decided that, in order to get the edge, they need to do everything they possibly can,' he explained.

A report by independent think-tank NEF (New Economics Foundation), confirmed that the job market is likely to get tougher.

It found that the public sector cuts could create a shortfall of 520,000 jobs, because it has not created a clear enough strategy for growth in key sectors of the economy.

Global IT spend to hit $3.6tn in 2011

Global spending on IT is set to rise by 5.6 per cent this year, a new study has predicted.

Research company Gartner has forecast that business and consumer spending on IT will reach $3.6 trillion (£2.2 trillion) in 2011.

The prediction comes in at this figure despite the political unrest in the Middle East, said Richard Gordon, research vice president for the organisation, and he admitted that no one can yet calculate the full effect of the Japan crisis on global IT markets.

'We are looking at two potential effects on IT markets as a result of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan: consequences of disruptions in the global electronics supply chain and impacts on IT demand,' he expanded.

Mr Gordon added that a lot of the growth has been down to the increasing use of media tablets, including the iPad.

Charlie Abrahams, vice president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa at MarkMonitor, said that online piracy is expected to grow alongside the rise of legitimate content.

Mental health has a stigma to employers

A lack of understanding about mental health problems is creating a stigma with some employers, according to a psychologist.

Nick Adams explained that many jobseekers will not disclose the fact they have suffered from mental health problems or depression in the past, as they feel it does not impact on their work but may be detrimental to their job chances.

'The truth is that many people in employment may have mental health problems that their employers are unaware of. Some people can channel their thoughts in work and even become more productive as work gives them good feelings,' Mr Adams said.

However, he added that unfortunately there is still a stigma attached to mental health issues, so jobseekers who tell recruiters they have suffered from the problem may be at a disadvantage.

Emma Mamo, policy and campaigns manager at Mind, said that long term unemployment can cause depression in some cases, especially among men who closely associate working with their personal identity.

Jobseekers need to "demonstrate commercial acumen"

Candidates battling it out for a job in the private sector need to 'demonstrate commercial acumen', according to Hays.

Mark Staniland, managing director of career transition services at the company, said that former public sector workers may find the transition into the private jobs market difficult.

He warned that applicants were at risk of 'talking a completely different language' to private sector recruiters.

'There are more similarities between the two sectors than people think, but jobseekers need to be able to work hard to show how this is the case and if they are to find work in a more commercial environment, they are going to need support from their current employer,' Mr Staniland explained.

New research from the New Economics Foundation (NEF) found that job losses in the public sector are unlikely to be fully compensated for by increased demand in the private sector so jobseekers could find themselves in an increasingly competitive market.

Mr Staniland said that employers had a responsibility to offer support to workers moving between the two sectors.