You are here > Home > News
IT Recruitment January 2010
IT News |
19/01/2010
It is fair to say that 2009 was a tough year for IT departments, with budget cuts leading to recruitment freezes and leaving small, under-funded teams to struggle on as best they could.
However, new research suggests that bosses are waking up to the fact that a strong IT team can have benefits for their business as a whole.
A recent study by BT highlighted that companies are becoming aware of the wider benefits of having a strong IT team, with a quarter of senior executives believing IT budget cuts have caused them to miss out on new business, and a similar number suggesting that the pressures placed on scaled-back departments has impacted on innovation.
So, moving into the new year it is likely IT bosses will be making developing the skills and talent of their workforce a top priority, with many firms keeping their eyes peeled for strong candidates.
This view is supported by a recent survey from the BCS - The Chartered Institute for IT, which highlighted that nurturing their teams was a top three priority for IT managers in 2010, just behind strategy planning and business change.
Commenting on the findings, Cliff Lineker, strategic business development director at the institute, said that with a fragile economic recovery on the cards for 2010, companies need to make sure they have skilled IT staff onboard so they can use the department to help move the business forward.
The results of the BCS's pre-Christmas survey also highlighted the importance of having the right team members within the IT department, with 87 per cent of chief information officers questioned saying it is important for them to be able to map the IT skills of staff members against the needs of the business as a whole.
"It is important that companies still invest time and energy into recruiting and retaining key employees of the future. Even in a recession, people with sought-after skills and abilities will always find an appropriate market," Mr Lineker concluded.
But has the realisation that a strong IT department can lead to a stronger company impacted on IT recruitment in recent months?
The latest Report on Jobs from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG suggested that this may be the case, highlighting that demand for permanent staff within IT and computing grew at a faster rate than any other category. The index for the sector posted a reading of 65.7, with anything over 50 indicating rising demand compared to the previous month.
With IT teams increasingly seen as crucial to moving a business forward, it may be time for firms to put an end to recruitment freezes, unless they want to miss out on the top talent.
Posted by Jon Aspinell
------------------------------------------------------------------------
IT Recruitment Agency - 12.5% Fee / 3 Month, 100% Rebate - Transparent Recruitment Fees Since 1999.
Sign up to our e-newsletter service to receive our headline news directly to your inbox
