Public sector restructures fuel CIO movements: Recruiter

Public sector restructures have fuelled movements at the CIO, CTO and general management level of IT, according to the latest The Quarterly report from recruiting group, Hays.

Executive recruitment in the commercial sector, however, is slowly becoming visible, according to the company, although demand is generally low. CIO and senior IT management roles have appeared in the market, due largely to specific circumstances rather than market trend.

See the slideshow of IT executive movements in CIO Movers and Shakers.

The skills market continues to be an issue

According to Hays, employers are becoming more flexible in their position criteria and recruitment processes to retain the interest of preferred candidates. They are also increasing salaries for the right people — a reflection of the scarcity of candidates — and are considering international recruitment.

“As good candidates receive multiple offers, employers are reducing their recruitment timeframes,” the firm said.

There is also renewed focus on staff retention, where employers are looking at existing teams and redeploying skills or training existing staff to cover requirements and develop skills.

Candidate quality declines

“We note a marked decrease in quality candidates across all levels, but particularly the technical support level,” the firm said. “Skilled applicants are recruited almost immediately, and are able to pick and choose, but they are still few and far between. Some candidates are quite particular about their options and will only consider other opportunities on the basis of salary.”

Staff who have been in the same role within an organisation for two years or more are beginning to identify potential moves, according the firm.

“In a localised trend, we have seen a number of applicants relocating to Tasmania due to lifestyle choices.

Recommended reading:

The quest for talent – how to find and foster the next generation of IT talent in a sellers market.

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