Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Q4 2009
Technology Recruitment
Australia
Introduction
Welcome to the fourth quarter edition of the Ambition Australian
Technology Market Trends Report. To use a baseball analogy, this edition
looks at whether we’ve really shaken off the worst of the GFC and if those
businesses coming off the bench have “come out swinging”.
The November 2009 Commonwealth Bank – ACCI Business Expectations
Survey “shows that while business expectations for the December quarter
are showing signs of improvement, trading conditions remained challenging
over the September quarter as most indexes remained in negative territory,
albeit with signs of recovery”.
The Survey measures a number of key indicators including that of Expected
Economic Performance and this report shows the strongest recording since
back in March 2002 and indeed the first positive reading in over two years.
Businesses confidence continues to grow and across the Technology Industry
the projects, the workforce and hopefully the capital to fund both are
gearing up to launch in to 2010 with full force…or is that just a little too
optimistic, read on to find out more.
This report is a general market overview of IT recruitment and we are happy
to discuss any specific situations and queries you may have about your
market sector and geographic location.
Summary
The key market trends are:
Projects held over for most of the year are at last being dusted off and
reviewed in light of the returning business confidence. The first to be hit 12
months ago were the banks and financial institutions and as the recovery
begins they are the first to pick up where they left off with project plans
being reviewed and resourcing plans drawn up.
It’s fair to say that pain felt throughout this year has not dissipated enough
that anyone is launching in to capital expenditure without very careful
evaluations of short, medium and long term risk and reward. Of course this
Ambition Technology Market Trends –Q4 2009 | 3
is prudent business sense, but if this year has taught people anything it’s the
very real significance of effective project planning, risk management and
return on investment modelling.
Review any previous recession and recovery and you will see a picture of
repeated mistakes and corrections. It is maybe surprising just how few
employers making redundancy decisions over the past year were cognizant
of protecting those IT workers who could be instrumental in helping them
get back on their feet when the market returned. In any post-recession
environment the company culture and the business operational drivers will
change and this is where the problems can begin if you don’t have the right
team in place.
Ensure that you engage in regular and open communication about the
opportunities the future may bring in your business and how people can
avail themselves of these. The alternative is as much stress and anxiety as
you had during the recession itself so be prepared.
1. What are some of the new features involved in Windows 7?2. Are there
any flaws or concerns with in Windows 7?
3. How does Windows 7 compare with Vista and XP?
4. What has been the general feedback from clients who have already gone
live with Windows 7?
5. Are you going to install Windows 7 at home, and why?
For more information about what iProfile can do for your job hunting
success, contact ambition info@ambition.com.au or log on to the iProfile
web site http://www.iprofile.org/
Industry Sectors
Applications
The Application Development space has maintained something of a ‘wait
and see’ approach this quarter with continued development work taking
place but the high demand for exciting, cutting edge development work still
yet to return.
That said, Australian companies have been quite active in the merger and
acquisitions space this quarter with ANZ bank recently announcing it’s
A$1.6b acquisition to ING for its stake in wealth management and insurance
operations in Australia and New Zealand. In October, Macquarie also
announced its intention to buy Fox-Pitt Kelton Cochran Caronia Waller, a
US-based boutique bank for $130m cash and assume $16.7m in long-term
debt.
Demand for third party vendor products has improved this quarter requiring
additional developers in the architectural and integration spaces. Salaries
and contractor rates have remained stable with a slight trend upwards for
those more niche skill sets. The outlook is looking more positive than it has
been for some time.
Ambition Technology Market Trends –Q4 2009 | 6
Business Information
Perhaps the biggest pick up in recruitment activity in Q4 has appeared to
take place within the ranks of Business Analysts and Project Managers. Led
by the financial services sector there is demand not only for experienced
resources but also for more junior staff who can be moulded in to company
culture.
Also a concern is that many feel a root cause of the economic mess we
found ourselves in recently flows from a lack of effective business
intelligence. It is recognised that it’s difficult to get right, but surely it has
to be a focus of any company to provide meaningful financial and business
data to the people who have to make strategy and purchasing decisions.
Despite what the survey finds, at the grass roots level we have seen a strong
resurgence in demand for skilled professionals in this space, take advantage
and if it isn’t on your radar, perhaps you should be looking at the areas of
Project Governance or Business Intelligence.
Infrastructure
Government spending and continued commitment to spend across the IT
Infrastructure space has helped boost confidence levels of those working in
this sector.
Other good news in the sector relates to the successful launch and
numerous installations (both private and corporate) of Windows 7. A
successful TV and marketing campaign albeit with perhaps less fanfare than
that which surrounded Vista’s arrival, heralded what appears to be a genuine
step forward for Microsoft’s latest Operating System. Demand for roll out
and deployment staff should continue to grow in the coming weeks and
months.
More Information
For answers to your questions on market trends, salaries, retrenchments or
grading please feel free to contact Ambition with the contact information
listed on the back page or visit www.ambition.com.au
About Ambition
Through a network of national offices we are able to recruit IT professionals
from junior support staff through to senior executives. Our consultants are
experienced recruiters who have strong technology industry exposure and
who focus on both the contract and permanent recruitment markets.
Andy Cross
andrew.cross@ambition.com.au
Managing Director
Ambition Technology
www.ambition.com.au
Melbourne AccountAbility
Level 36, 140 William Street Suite 2, 684 Princes Highway
Melbourne, VIC 3000 Kogarah, NSW 2217
Tel (03) 8629 1000 Tel (02) 9588 0999
Parramatta www.AccountAbility.com.au
Level 4, 3 Horwood Place
Parramatta, NSW 2150 love* Recruitment
Tel (02) 9633 7300 Level 5, 55 Clarence Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Brisbane Tel (02) 8234 1100
Level 7, 410 Queen Street
Brisbane, QLD 4000 love* Recruitment
Tel (07) 3211 9333 Level 7, 410 Queen Street
Brisbane, QLD 4000
www.ambition.com.au Tel (07) 3007 1600
www.ambition.com.hk
Singapore
65 Chulia Street
#39-05/06 OCBC Centre
Singapore 049513
Tel (65) 6854 5600
www.ambition.com.sg