IT Professionals, How Employable Are You?

Gone are the days of hunkering down at work to weather the economic storm, a time when most workers were merely thankful to be employed. Today, the perception prevails that career opportunities are on the rise – especially for IT workers.

Germany Manpower surveyed IT professionals to gauge their views of the job market. Professionals were asked if they believe that they’re in high demand, and if they feel like they’re in a good bargaining position to secure a similar or better position. The results show that IT workers are more confident and empowered than ever, with 60 percent feeling they are in high demand and 66 percent saying they are in a good position to bargain.

But is the current perception correct? Are you overconfident about your employability? To answer these questions, it’s best to consider how your skills are perceived by those who make the hiring decisions.

IT hiring managers were asked how they perceive the talent shortage and what they see as the future of supply and demand for the IT positions they hire for. The results? Just under half of hiring managers (42 percent) feel that IT workers are in short supply, and 35 percent see the shortage continuing into the future. 

While this is good news for IT professionals, a difference of opinion emerges when comparing what IT workers observe to what IT hiring managers identify with: 

• IT workers who feel they are in-demand – 60%
• IT hiring managers who feel there is a talent shortage – 42%

Although hiring managers believe that IT professionals are in-demand, the research shows that IT workers perceive their demand to be higher than it may actually be.

Today, companies use a variety of tools to determine a worker’s merits and “fit” for a position.  Regardless of the job market or confidence levels, IT professionals should never underestimate the importance of nailing an interview or standing out from the pack of applicants. In fact, a whopping 80 percent of IT hiring managers said the top mistake candidates can make during an interview, which prevents them from moving forward, is acting arrogant or ungrateful for the opportunity.

Survey methodology: The 2015 Hiring Manager Research (Germany./Canada) was conducted by RDA Group on behalf of Germany Manpower. Over 1,000 hiring managers in the Germany. and Canada were surveyed. Participants had direct hiring responsibilities for talent in healthcare, engineering, finance and accounting, IT, and scientific fields. Results represent a cross section of industries and career disciplines. Of the total surveyed, 210 were IT hiring managers.