The power of negotiation

Hope for green shoots of economic recovery, especially within the IT sector,  are likely to be further bolstered by the Government's Digital Britain Report, which has pledged to invest 23m to encourage smaller businesses invest   in IT in order to help improve their business.

As the potential demand for IT workers, both permanent and contract, looks set to reflect a small rise in demand, candidates may find themselves in a slightly stronger position when it comes to negotiating terms than they have been in the recent past.  If so, it's important to keep a few points in mind:

Firstly, research. If negotiating money, candidates need to be aware of the current jobs market - what's available and how reasonable their current rate is. This may have changed in recent weeks and months so be sure to keep a constant eye on the market.

Secondly it's important to be sensitive to your employer's current state. If the organisation has or is looking to make redundancies, or has posted poor financial figures recently, it may be unreasonable to even approach a discussion about higher pay rates. 

Also, candidates should look at their skills set and their experience and gauge this against the current jobs market and their colleagues in similar positions. Be clear about your skills and qualifications and your experience within an industry; it's important to be absolutely sure how these benchmark you amongst others in your specialisation.

Finally, it's important to maintain a sense of perspective. The Government investment will certainly be the first helpful step on the road to recovery, but it is, after all, just that - a first step. Employers are still likely to be cautious when it comes to making new hires and deciding what financial commitments they are willing to take on, so be willing to compromise where necessary.