With the introduction of our new IT department the past quarter has been busy for sevenhr. We have spent a lot of time looking at the challenges in the industry, so we fully understood what to expect. Hassan Mirza, Head of IT Appointments talks us through one of the growing challenges; the shortage of .net skills.
All industries are experiencing problems when it comes to finding people with the right skill sets at the right time. Coupled with this are the changing dynamics of the market; employees are in a stronger position to demand more from employers with regards to salary and benefits.
The technical bit..
Wikipedia describes .net as a “framework of pre coded solutions which cover a range of an organisations programming needs” It is possible to combine the .net codes with the businesses own to produce bespoke applications; which can lead to a real competitive advantage.
Indeed, according to a survey undertaken by Computer Weekly, .net skills have increased in demand by 25% over the last year. This is because of an increase in the use, and a preference of, Microsoft based development applications. This has lead to a real challenge to attract the best candidates, quickly.
The challenge for skilled individuals
Technology is a key differentiator for a business, and as such demands expert skills. All businesses are vying for employees with the same abilities; an excellent mix of technical capabilities and sound business understanding.
A possible solution to combat the shortage is through reskilling or retraining the internal workforce. Indeed, as finding the right candidates demands a more creative strategy, and with salary increases of 3% in the last year it seems that focusing on the existing workforce is proving popular within the IT market.
Of course this may not always be possible and so it is important to build relationships with suppliers of talent also. By having recruitment partners who understand the industry and what motivates talented individuals to move, and can portray the business accurately; you will be in a stronger position to counter the shortage.
With the launch of Windows Server 2008 next year, and the growing sophistication of technology the battle will continue to grow.
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