Crisis, what crisis? IT workers swimming in cash

Lia Timson
Thursday, 05 June 2008 08:35

IT People - Enterprise

Careful to point out that salaries have not increased this much for every role in every location, Peter Noblet, regional director, Hays information technology, agrees these increases are over and above the average.

“It’s cautious optimism now in IT – there are a lot of projects going on. Companies are realising there’s a massive lack of talent,” Noblet says.

IT projects have also grown in importance within corporations helping drive salaries up in areas where technologies are converging, such as in IP telephony, unified communications and Web2.0 integration.

In addition to money, employers are also more willing to offer better training opportunities, flexible working conditions to accommodate a realistic work-life balance, and bonus rewards linked to key performance indicators (KPIs).

“Traditionally bonuses were geared towards sales people or those with a client focus, but increasingly IT people are responsible for the client experience,” he says pointing to systems that support CRM and online interfaces.

Hays continues to look overseas for talent to fill vacancies here, especially in telecommunications areas involving high-end network engineering and design. Project managers with “big picture experience”, advanced .NET, MS Sharepoint and ERP technicians are also in great demand.
 
Noblet says restrictions imposed on 457 temporary visa arrangements last year are forcing clients to value local talent.

“More and more they are looking at in-country talent in Australia and New Zealand and that’s a good thing because companies then have to invest more in training their people.”

Michael Page International’s Technology Summary and Employment Forecast due for release on June 23 will predict further salary increases of up to 8% in 2009.

What about you? Have you been the lucky recipient of the IT salary bonanza? Tell us your experience.