Half of IT jobseekers still finding work quickly

Overall demand is falling, but most IT professionals are able to find a new job within three months

IT jobs are out there

The recruitment market for IT jobs may be at its lowest ebb in years, but half of IT professionals looking for work are still managing to find a new employer within three months, according to research.

The survey of 350 jobseekers by recruitment consultancy First Point also suggests that only 16 per cent of candidates are taking a year or more to find work.

But the recession has affected IT professionals’ attitudes, with 40 per cent of those polled saying they expect to stay in their current role longer than intended because of the downturn. A further 39 per cent would consider moving job, but only for the right opportunity.

“These figures clearly show just how in demand good IT people are,” said Tom Fahey, managing director of First Point.

“Information technology remains a key business need across all industries. The fact that both permanent and temporary workers continue to find work in a short period of time demonstrates the value placed upon skilled personnel.”

The survey found that the most in-demand skills are in software development and testing – in particular, those with experience of agile programming, Scrum methodology, and Microsoft’s .Net, Silverlight and SharePoint tools. Business analysis and project management expertise are also proving popular.

According to research earlier this month by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG, the rate of decline in the demand for IT professionals has eased, but the number of jobs available is continuing to fall faster than at any time over the past five years.

Demand for IT staff in May was down 25 per cent from April, although the speed at which the job market is contracting has eased since its peak in February, when it fell 40 per cent per month – a six-year low. But job openings are still shrinking faster than at any rate pre-2009.