IT professionals typically change jobs every three
years, but whereas boredom pushes technical staff to move on,
stress is a key factor for IT directors, two studies have
revealed.
A poll of 50 CIOs by research firm Populus for IT services
supplier
EDS found that most stay in position for just over three years,
despite overseeing projects that take much longer to deliver
results. And a survey of more than 500 IT professionals by
recruitment firm CV Screen revealed that most move on within three
years.
Veronique Dargue, former CIO at Centrica, Novar and Prudential
Retail, said IT directors usually take on too much.
"The CIO tries to make their mark quickly, and will tend to
embark on a big, visible transformation programme. They will not
quietly continue implementing previous strategies, or make small
incremental changes - if they did more of this, they would take
less risk, be under less stress and might last a bit longer," she
said.
"The mindset is that once the CIO has done their time, they will
have to change companies because there is nothing left for them at
the current firm."
But for technical staff, it can be boredom driving them on.
Dave Evans, IT technical director at clothing firm Moss Bros,
said people tend to get bored with routine. "They want to have a
change, look at new technologies and get involved with new
projects. I have found that most IT people who are training and
developing are happy to stay in their jobs."
Training plans are key, said Don Taylor, director at employee
management software firm Infobasis. "People who work in the
technology industry want new things to learn - it is an important
part of what they are doing. If they are stretched, the staff
turnover decreases."
Tina Holt, operations director at IT recruitment company NESco,
said candidates often cite training and development opportunities
as reasons for changing jobs. "Companies who offer training as
incentives are able to win over conscientious workers," she
said.
The high demand for staff is enabling experienced IT
professionals to switch jobs to further their careers, said Matthew
Iveson, director at CV Screen. "There is so much demand that they
have a lot of opportunities to move, and many move on for higher
salaries and career progression," he said.
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