For many years the most dynamic and cutting-edge IT roles have traditionally been seen as the sole territory of the private sector, yet on closer inspection there are some mouth-watering opportunities available if you choose to go public.  

 

Just as many private companies aim to maximise productivity and efficiency, the same rings true in the public sector, with IT playing a central role in achieving and delivering those goals. Several large-scale projects with a significant IT presence will be launching over the next few years, which in turn may swell the opportunities open to IT workers looking to delve into the world of the public sector. The government's £1.2bn investment in the e-borders initiative as well as numerous opportunities arising from the London 2012 Olympics are just some examples of where both permanent and contract work will be available over the coming years.

 

If you're thinking of making the move from private through to public then there will be numerous differences to take into consideration. For example, in the private sector when there's a problem, there's often a tendency to throw money at it until a solution is found. Public sector IT is largely governed by strict budgets, which are set annually and fixed, its important to consider some of the experience you have developed in managing budgets in the past and apply them in your future role. What's more, salary and career progression could be a little slower off the mark in the public sector as the variety and scope of opportunities is slightly more limited. However, what you get in return is a chance to be part of some dynamic upcoming IT projects, job security, peace of mind, good holiday entitlement and an excellent pension. All in all, definitely worthy of your consideration!

 

The relationship between employer and candidate has often been seen as a one-way street, with that often-dreaded interview question; 'why do you want to work here?' springing to mind. However more and more, it's the employers themselves who are being asked the tough questions. Following a recent BCS report on how better company cultures would attract more women back into the profession; how much do we look into the company we're applying for? 

 

In the current job market, although many people searching for a new role will be keen to make a swift move back into work, the ways in which people make employment decisions is showing signs of change. For many IT workers, company culture is still high on the job-hunting agenda. Similar to the BCS findings, Computer People's Salary Survey conducted earlier in the year also suggested how the culture of an organisation is key to a happy and contented workforce.

 

Some 70% of those questioned placed high importance on the quality of their working environment and culture. Many also saw the culture of a company to be a deal breaker in their choice to apply for a position or not. Findings such as these highlight the shifting onus on companies of all sizes to sell themselves to the candidate rather than vice versa.

 

A key part of this process involves alerting all potential candidates, male or female, to what your company offers over and above a paycheque. From offering flexible working hours or childcare facilities to regular company-wide social activities or duvet days and sabbaticals, employers that offer the best mix of work and play will be the ones attracting and retaining the best candidates.

As the credit crunch bites, IT contractors are quickly picking up the pace as organisations look to take action as the permanent market begins to slow. Although hiring contractors can be pricier than salaried employees, it's often the case that companies are more likely to pay that little bit extra to hire someone on a temporary basis to allow them to switch that resource on and off as needed. In the current climate it's a certainly a trend we've seen developing.

For those considering a move into contract work there are certainly benefits. For permanent staff, many employment niggles lie with a lack of variety of opportunities available. For many contractors the freedom and flexibility of their work allows them to focus on a specific project and remain 'psychologically distant' from company politics, moving on to new opportunities when the occasion arises or according to their own circumstances.

For the uninitiated - on a typical contract, you'd spend around 8 hours a day, for 5 days a week working on a specific project, with your roles, responsibilities and goals outlined in your contract description. Typically your work would be overseen and monitored by a manager within the organisation. However as jobs tumble, contractors and temporary staff are often the first to feel the effects.

One of the issues people have with moving into contract work is the very cutthroat nature of the business. As competition increases, we've also seen contract pay rates decrease over the last few weeks, so there are a number of reasons to weigh up the pros and cons of such a move before diving in. For those IT staff currently working on contract the expectation of going from one role to another in quick succession has been tempered, forcing contractors to be much more pragmatic about their work.

The overall feeling remains optimistic; as organisations seek short-term measures to offset a period of instability, opportunities will be there. It's for those with the right skills, determination and confidence to go out and take them.

For IT staff the City has always been a popular destination, with attractive salaries on offer, advanced technology at your fingertips and employers eager to snap up the cream of the IT crop. Yet with the shake-up in the City and jobs foundering, IT workers may have fresh thoughts about the importance of job security. With their confidence in the City dented, IT professionals could be forgiven for thinking a role in finance might not be the most secure career path.

 

However no one can ever predict what the future holds for any industry sector and despite the economic downturn there is still demand for IT professionals in the City. IT remains at the core of most businesses, and improving efficiency, boosting customer experience and often helping organisations remain competitive. As such, few businesses would be willing to cut corners by sacrificing their IT, or the staff that manage it on a daily basis.

 

Currently the banking sector has shown the same level of demand for IT professionals as before the credit crunch, as many organisations are now keen to set up systems that manage risk more effectively. Middleware, Java and transaction processing specialists all are examples where demand remains high. 

 

Though IT and the City have had a turbulent relationship over the past year, there are still opportunities available out there for the taking, for those who know to look for them.

For years the South East of England has been the Mecca of the UK's IT community, with swathes of IT companies setting up camp along the M3/M4 corridor. Of course the region's status as an IT hub has rarely been questioned and seldom challenged until now.

 

With councils and development agencies ploughing money into local business schemes, and larger corporations setting up shop in the region, the north of England has recently started giving London and the South East a run for its money on the IT scene. After years of lagging behind in terms of opportunities, benefits and technology, northern cities such as Leeds and Manchester have firmly established themselves as the new hot spots on the IT map; something both businesses and IT professionals are beginning to take heed of.

 

Research conducted last year showed that just under 90% of IT workers in the South East are considering relocating in the next five years; a huge percentage which seems to imply a growing realisation that opportunities can and do exist outside the Southern counties. What's more in the last few years even well known organisations such as The BBC, The Bank of Scotland and the Bank of New York Mellon have embraced the idea of migrating north as rising costs in the capital and advances in mobile and wireless technology make relocation an increasingly attractive and viable option to big business.

 

For IT workers, the main concerns in relocating often revolve around both the opportunities available to them and the sacrifices they'd have to make to their salaries, with the north-south pay divide playing a significant role in the decision not to move outside the South East. Also in the current housing climate a move north that doesn't quite work out in the long run may hamper chances of finding and buying a home if and when you decide to head back south.  On the plus side however the pay gap is undoubtedly narrowing, as salaries grew by 4.8% in the north of England last year, compared to just 3.7% in the capital. Northern IT workers can now expect to earn an average of just over £30,300 per annum.

 

In terms of skill demand, the North of England has seen a need for IT support staff with .net and Oracle skills over recent months, as well as some of the more niche skill sets such as business intelligence, as companies look to cut costs by analysing their own performance internally rather than through engaging with outsourcers. As with the South, the Northern IT market is still fairly buoyant with demand for staff still relatively high. If the hectic pace of London or the tedious queues on the M4 don't really appeal to you anymore then the answer may lie due north.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding that next rung on the career ladder can often be a daunting process with an expectation that a host of IT qualifications under the belt will set you apart from the crowd. Unquestionably having the tech skills in place can be beneficial but it's also important not to overlook the changing demands of the IT workplace as well as the checklist of other skills employers will look for.
 
The IT industry changes on a daily basis, with new technology and new qualifications emerging all the time. Keeping up to speed with the changes is becoming increasingly difficult and rather than hoarding accreditations and milking them for all they're worth on your CV, it's crucial you don't overlook the basics. It's often said that IT and business are one and the same, a sentiment which in today's industry is becoming more and more potent. The ability to demonstrate a flair and understanding of the business environment has found its way to the top of the recruiter's wish list, with businesses keen to employ IT professionals who can link their technological wizardry to the overall business objectives.
 
One area that best reflects this growing trend, is the demand seen for IT staff with Web 2.0 knowledge and qualifications such as Ajax and Microsoft's Silverlight. With many businesses keen to build a Web 2.0 presence, candidates with knowledge of these applications and an awareness of how they can work for the business on a wider basis are becoming increasingly popular. Even now, employers are ever more open to recruiting individuals with limited or no previous background in the world of IT, looking to those who can demonstrate an understanding of the business environment and apply it accordingly with the existing infrastructure.
 
As we all know, IT is a constantly changing industry and it's important IT professionals are aware of and adapt to the changes as best they can. When it comes to updating your CV or looking for a new challenge - knowing what the employer is looking for will help to put your CV on the top of the pile.

When you're looking for a job, it's a good idea to have an answer to this question: What have you learned lately? It doesn't matter what you've learned, as long as you've learned something. Stop learning, and what good are you?

If you're not currently employed, read something. Work on an open-source project. Manage a project in your social network (kid's school, your church, your ham radio buddies). You have no excuse not to learn something--preferably something that excites you, that you can use at work.

Don't be a lump of yesterday's or last year's or last decade's knowledge. No one wants to hire a lump.