A recent survey from Jobsite and specialist tech recruitment agency Robert Walters has found that 47% of managers in technology expect to increase hiring in 2017.
The ‘Technology & Recruitment – The Landscape for 2017’ campaign surveyed over 700 senior technology professionals from across the UK to gain insights into how demand for tech specialists will develop in 2017, the challenges employers will face and what strategies they can use to attract top talent.
Cyber security is expected to account for much of the hiring in technology in 2017, with 54% of managers saying that they will be recruiting for positions in this area. In light of high-profile breaches in data at security at major firms in 2015, IT security has become a growing priority, driving demand for specialists to fill in-house roles at large companies and to work with startups specialising in data protection and information security.
“Specialists in cyber security have been highly sought after by employers over the past year and this trend is set to continue into 2017.” says Ahsan Iqbal, Associate Director for technology at Robert Walters. “With a limited supply of candidates with the required skills, competition will be high among employers to secure the best candidates.”
“Competitive salaries will be essential to attract the best candidates, but employers shouldn’t underestimate the importance of other policies such as flexible hours, the option to work remotely and the potential for long term career development.”
Data Wranglers
Business intelligence and Big Data experts can also expect to see high demand for their skills in 2017, with 36% of hiring managers planning to recruit specialists in these areas.
“As businesses look to increase market share and drive cost efficiencies, analysis of external and internal data is becoming more and more prominent.” says Lee Allen at Jobsite. “Demand for BI and Big Data specialists is particularly high from employers in fields such as FMCG, media, automotive and manufacturing, with employers competing to secure top talent.”
As employers become increasingly aware of the valuable market insights and ROI sophisticated data analytics can offer, demand for professionals specialising in this field is set to continue growing.
Hiring Tactics
69% of senior technology professionals said that offering candidates flexible working options is an effective strategy to ensure staff retention. Hiring managers also emphasised that considering the long-term ambitions of staff and clearly communicating the opportunities for career development is important (54%), as is providing training to demonstrate this commitment (53%).
