Demand for IT staffdropped
significantly between December 2007 and December 2008.
The
latest report
from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG showed
demand for staff slumped in most sectors.
In December 2007, IT and computing had a demand ratio of 58.5,
compared to 2008's ratio of 35.3. The ratio is above 50 if demand
for jobs rose compared to the previous month, and below 50 if
demand is falling.
Some areas of IT are still experiencing shortages in supply,
however. Employers are having trouble finding permanent staff for
.net, PHP, C# and web developer roles. They are also looking for
temporary CNC programmers.
The decline in demand is putting downward pressure on salaries
across the whole economy, with year-on-year growth of salaries
slowing to 3.3% in October 2008. This is compared to 3.9% in 2008
and 4.1% in 2006.
The report said, "Many respondents commented that a large pool
of available labour meant that negotiating power rested with
employers at the present time."