IT Recruitment in Ireland Jobs Market Review - Q3 2014 - Archer: IT Jobs Market Quarterly Review
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IT Recruitment in Ireland
Jobs Market Review
Q3 2014
Archer: IT Jobs Market Quarterly Review
Content Guide
Introduction 3
.NET developers 4
Java developers 5
Testing & Quality Assurance 7
Business Intelligence 8
Business Analysts & Project Managers 10
Senior IT Management 12
Summary 14
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 2Introduction Business optimism combined with
continued mobile proliferation to drive our
About Archer
highest levels of Q3 demand this decade.
Archer Recruitment is focused 100% on IT.
There were strong opportunities for IT
We are a team of specialist consultants,
specialists across all disciplines. The
each working within a unique IT jobs
apparent abundance of roles can be
category. Our mission: to unite the top IT
misleading – it in no way guarantees an
employers in Ireland with the best IT talent.
easier path to a top role. Employers, in the
main, are interested in talents with very
Archer has facilitated successful hires for
particular skillsets and transferable niche
leading tech, financial, telecom and
experience. Whether they are Irish or
software firms. In an automated sector our
international is of reducing significance. All-
personal approach is what sets us apart. We
rounders or people who haven’t kept pace
can connect companies with a worldwide
with technology are at a disadvantage.
bank of top candidates that no jobs board
can reach.
By its nature, niche expertise is rare and
sheltered, challenging to reach or sway
Archer people live and breathe IT, meaning
from a chosen path. Niche specialists are
we have deeper insights into how the IT
largely immune to job ads and averse to
jobs market is performing and how
unsolicited contact; starting a dialogue with
emerging trends are impacting hiring
them requires exactly the type of personal,
activity. Every quarter, we publish this free
high-touch approach that Archer has
Jobs Market Analysis to give you a snapshot
believed in over the years.
of developments in six key job sectors.
Referrals from our network of close
The IT Economy in Q3, 2014
connections have been an invaluable source
As Ireland’s economy finds its feet again
of candidates in Q3. We are confident we
our ICT sector remains a critical catalyst for
will continue to find hidden niche talent and
forward momentum, generating the second
convince them to explore career
highest contribution to national revenues.
alternatives – but be warned, prize talent
FDI continues to flow in, bringing ascendant
waits for no man. Employers who are
new tech and finance firms, new working
quickest to the close will continue to reap
practices and exciting IT positions with it.
the rewards.
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 3.Net Developers Checklist Job Specs are a turn-off for top
talent. Roles described in terms of prospects
Key Q3 Trends they offer to push boundaries and upskill are
If Q2 was all about senior hires, Q3 saw a attracting the best candidates. In a small
marked spread in the level of experience pool of top talent exact-match candidates
being recruited. As budget limits for the are rare; employers that are flexible enough
year approach there are strong roles for to accept close matches and adapt to
specialists at every level through junior, mid market salary rates are notably more
and senior. Renewed business confidence is successful at hiring.
driving constant activity in this jobs market
as teams expand and a regular stream of Right from the outset, it is important to
vacated positions needs to be filled. assess a candidate’s motives for attending
interview and their real intent to move. Some
Demand is highest for ASP.NET C# ‘active’ candidates are using interviews for
webforms developers and web-based research/practice to weigh up the market
application specialists. Opportunities for and their perceived value to employers.
.NET winforms developers are increasingly
scarce. Even those clients that are working International candidates, on the other hand,
on winforms applications want their new tend to be fully committed to securing a
talent to have web expertise. role. Those that have just arrived offer the
added advantage of immediate availability
Employer Insights without a notice period.
There is a defined trend toward making
faster hires. Companies that would The more senior the developer the more
traditionally have operated a 3-round strategic they will be about making a move.
(including phone screen) interview process A salary increase is rarely the key motivator.
over weeks are now closing within days of Employers need something special to attract
their first contact with candidates. The best specialists at this level: a distinctive vision,
developers will have a number of roles to an opportunity to spearhead innovation/
choose from – it is important to stay top- change or clear potential to hone skills and
of-mind in their estimation. Even delaying advance.
feedback beyond an agreed timeframe can
The better the candidate, the greater the
cause a promising situation to unravel and
challenge to make them aware of your role.
result in losing an ideal candidate.
The A Players don’t consult Job Boards and
bridle at unsolicited contact. Which is why
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 4Archer’s policy of staying in constant Java Developers
contact with longstanding candidates is so
Key Q3 Trends
important. Our connections may not be in
Buoyant business confidence drove a
the market for a job but their referrals are
significant increase in development project
vital sources of hidden talent.
activity in Q3, with a particular emphasis on
Candidate Insights UI/UX projects and cloud-based products.
It is a good time to be a .NET developer The swing back to a growth focus means the
with web-based expertise. Interesting roles appeal of contract roles to employers is
abound, far outnumbering candidates. It waning. The best new roles for Java
would be easy to get complacent and think developers tend to be permanent in nature.
you can glide, with minimal competition,
Mobile usage continues on its upward vector
into a better role for which you can name
and is set to drive significant developer
your price. This is by no means the case:
activity for some time. Java specialists that
Closer examination of why demand exceeds
have mobile, front-end and web UI skills are
supply reveals important insights.
in line for the best roles, as are developers
Employers with positions of note have their with full stack experience and a good mix of
sites on attaining developers with server side languages, web frameworks and
noteworthy track records. Their criteria are web technologies.
demanding and it takes something special
Perhaps because of their exposure to the
to make an impression. Those that do make
latest development trends there was
it to interview stage may have the
heartening news for graduates as employers
advantage of being in a smaller group of
created a host of opportunities for junior
contenders but these will be formidable
java developers. Those graduates that had
rivals. And, though an end to austerity may
taken voluntary holiday internships clearly
be in sight, companies will likely continue to
had the upper hand, their practical
favour the pay structures that kept them
commercial experience giving them the edge
competitive in leaner years.
on their peers.
Overconfidence and over-valuation are
Employer Insights
costing candidates great roles at the
Modern Java development requires an ever-
moment. Stay grounded, prepare dilligently
evolving skillset, encompassing expertise in
and show passion for the role and a team
emerging frameworks, UX design, application
personality if you want to succeed.
security, cross-platform compatibility and
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 5API integration, amongst others. Candidates Throughout this job market the keyword is
with complete domination of the modern upskilling. Everyone is upskilling, from digital
Java environment are coveted and closely natives fresh out of college with ambitious
guarded. For many businesses, their future mobile and web skills to refine to mid-and-
growth and competitiveness depends on senior-level developers acquainting
their ability to prove they have more to themselves with network programming and
offer top-tier Java specialists. server-side processing. Reliance on last-
century wisdom is no longer an option.
Java development is a broad term that
Employers want people who embrace the
refers to a galaxy of specialisms. Though
accelaration in technology and are compelled
employers tend to want very niche talents
to stay at the cutting edge of their craft.
from within that spectrum many complicate
Evidence of being committed to lifelong
matters by starting with too broad a
learning and self-instruction is definitely
search. Microtarget a very particular
attractive to employers.
candidate set based on a very specific
definition of role requirements and you set The separation of front and back end
yourself up for a more successful process. developers has continued again this quarter
Archer’s skills-linked internal database as teams become increasingly focused on
means we can quickly identify niche specific business areas. Though prospects
individuals with the exact value-adding remain bright for fullstack developers who
potential that a client needs. can develop at both ends, opportunities for
generalists are evaporating.
Candidate Insights
Front end developers had the pick of the So much more can now be achieved at the
roles again in Q3 as mobile development front end of development; the expansion of
continued to gather momentum; Web creative possibilities means that front end
framework experience is the dominant salaries are on the rise. Back end salaries,
requirement. Angular.js expertise is though healthy, have plateaued.
particularly valued since the framework is
Portfolios of relevant work on Git Hub and
still in an early phase of adoption and talent
similar sites are becoming even more
with commercial proficiency is scarce.
important as they are continuously being
Regular positions are opening up for
used by employers to gain an insight into the
specialists in Node.js and Backbone.js.
work of candidates.
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 6Testing & QA Archer’s ‘People First’ philosophy really pays
dividends when you need to pinpoint the few
Key Q3 Trends
candidates that may entertain a move. While
Roles for testers outnumber available
other recruiters have moved to automate
candiadtes as businesses start to plan
contact with candidates over the years we
ahead for 2015. Demand remains strongest
have stayed true to our belief in maintaining
for automation specialists with developer
meaningful personal contact. Many of our
backgrounds. Multiple opportunities are also
successful tester hires in Q3 were referred
opening up manual testers as finance firms
to us by existing connections.
seek to perfect proprietary software
applications. Contract roles, too, are Many candidates will have taken steps to
expanding. In the main, employers are improve on their own initiative, giving them
recruiting experience, hiring for mid to self-awareness and a stronger sense of
senior level and lead roles. career direction. In order to pique their
interest a prospective employer needs to
The quality of the local candidate pool
demonstrate how their role represents a
continues to increase as more testers
forward step. Great people gravitate towards
upskill and add ISTQB and mobile/web
great propositions. To stand a chance of
expertise to their armoury. There is talent in
attracting top calibre attention, future Job
abundance – the challenge is to convince a
Specs need to emphasise opportunities to
settled specialist that your role offers
work with new technologies and highlight
better prospects. The appeal of
real potential for career growth and personal
international specialists is growing steadily
development. A strong benefits package will
the longer the shortage of active Irish
be important to seal the commitment and
candidates persists.
see off competing overtures and counter
offers.
Employer Insights
A strong appetite for upskilling has been Speed is vital. Any candidate that switches
evident in the local tester market for some to active mode will have a choice of multiple
time now, making it rich in the demanding roles. The employer that reacts fastest when
and varied competences that contemporary they identify a fit wins every time.
roles demand. More skills are what every
employer wants - the downside to this
upskilling is that it removes candidates from
the active market as their conditions and
importance to a business improve.
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 7Candidate Insights Business Intelligence
For a time, ISTQB certifications, web/mobile
experience and skills in Selenium, QTP and Key Q3 Trends
Java were enough to give you an edge. Renewed business confidence is leading
Candidates have upskilled to such a degree companies to increase their investment in BI
that this no longer applies. and experiment with leading edge data
management tools. Organisations within the
What now sets successful candidates apart banking sector are investing in new Data
goes beyond technical proficiency to Warehousing technologies as cornerstones of
something much less replicable: Employer significant change. These organisations are
decisions are being driven by the level of looking for candidates with the vision and
genuine enthusiasm and inner drive creativity to steer a firm a fresh direction,
exhibited during interviews. specialists who can present compelling
business cases to drive decision-making
Software houses, in particular, favour those
based on Big Data analysis and insights.
testers that exhibit most excitement about
the company’s vision and offerings. New and established companies alike are
showing an appetite to reduce their reliance
Do not rely only on your technical skills to
on relational databases. Popular in the US,
land a great role. Spend as much time
new technologies such as Hadoop and NoSQL
researching the employer as you do plotting
are rapidly gaining prominence in Ireland,
how to bring your CV to life. The top
starting with the multinationals and quickly
testing positions are going to candidates
being applied by the more progressive
that most impress with their level of
domestic businesses. The telecoms and
preparation. Really wanting a role is a good
gaming sectors are prime movers in
head start – build on this motivation by
implementing the new data systems.
analysing the company in-depth and
identifying what makes your unique skillset The contractor market remains very strong
the missing link. with significant demand for candidates
expert in Microsoft and Oracle technologies.
Employer Insights
Data’s growing business value is giving rise
to ever-more sophisticated storage,
extraction and interpretive technologies.
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 8With competitive advantage at stake, Candidate Insights
companies need specialists that can make Demand is rising for candidates with a BI/
the right choice of system and harness its DWH background that have gained exposure
full predictive and transformational power. to Hadoop or NoSQL database technologies.
The prospects for data modellers and data
The relative newness of these technologies
architects have improved significantly, too,
to Ireland means specialists with commercial as companies embark on enterprise scale BI
expertise are scarce. The more niche the
DWH implementations in growing numbers.
technology (Teradata, Microstrategy, SAS)
A great deal is expected of candidates in this
the smaller the local candidate pool. niche area, requiring as it does a unique
blend of technical proficiency, industry
Securing the necessary skills will tend to
knowledge and soft skills. In Q3, these roles
require convincing a candidate to leave a
were commanding permanent salaries of 80-
secure, well-paid role in a multinational or
120K and contract rates of 500–750/day.
looking abroad to countries like Spain and
Italy where these technologies are more
The migration of BI talent from consultancy
established. Local BI professionals are
to industry continues apace. The importance
moving to catch up through online and of having contemporary technical expertise
distance learning but, for now, the domestic
is a given – what employers need are
talent pool is limited to a small number of
specialists that can champion emerging BI
individuals, few of whom are active on the software and practices and convince key
jobs market.
stakeholders to embrace data-driven
decision making. Boardroom-level political
BI candidates know their value; getting the
and presentation skills are fast becoming
attention of a top performer will invariably
pre-requisites for the top BI roles.
mean matching or bettering the market
rate. Cap your salary below this and you will
The temptation to exaggerate your people
not appeal to the higher echelon. Can your
skills and pitch yourself as a niche expert are
company offer a candidate an opportunity strong, but doomed to failure. BI interviews
to work with better technology? Companies
are structured to reveal candidates’
with a progressive stance on BI are very
presentation skills and depth of technical
attractive to the A Players. Speed is knowledge. Our advice: Safeguard your
essential as most candidates have at least
reputation and only apply for roles that fit
one other competing offer on the table. Q3
with your technical prowess and consensus-
saw many excellent talents drop out of building agility.
lengthy processes to join rival companies.
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 9Business Analysts & Project than compensating for the lack of security.
Managers The best contractors will still find themselves
in-demand despite the changing market
Key Q3 Trends
conditions. With permanent roles in
In Q3 we registered our largest quarterly
oversupply and inflationary pressure on
increase in permanent BA & PM roles since
salaries, many companies will continue to
2008. There has been a sea change in
employ contractors until the right permanent
employer sentiment, a renewed focus on
candidate becomes available or they find a
growth eclipsing the concentration on cost
right-fit contractor who is open to making a
control that characterised the recovery
long-term commitment.
years. The trend for short-term hires, so
dominant in recent years, appears to have Employer Insights
reached a turning point. Longer-term Buoyant corporate and consumer confidence
commitments are becoming the norm. has infiltrated BA & PM candidates. Not
since the noughties have they been this
Twelve months ago, few clients were able
bullish about long-term prospects. BAs that
to guarantee employment beyond one-off
have been on Archer s passive list for years
projects. Faced with a defined timeframe in
have switched status to open or active . It is
which to realise an objective or project, an
employer would most likely have hired a years since the conditions have been this
contractor. Moving into 2015, the same ripe for a permanent move and there is
companies have pipelines of future projects plenty of good talent keen to capitalise.
that make it worthwhile to bolster their This wave of talent is resilient and astute in
permanent roster with new BAs & PMs. The calibre. Many have emerged strengthened
swing from contractor to full-time roles is from catastrophic lay-offs, their positivity
tangible in every industry bar retail banking. and ability to adapt seeing them through.
They offer the heightened business acumen
The best new permanent opportunities are
and sense of responsibility that comes from
going to candidates with backgrounds in the
succeeding as a solo operator. The diversity
insurance, investment banking and
of experience and new technology exposure
international finance sectors. Regulatory
that contractors have picked up is also of
and compliance expertise is valued.
great interest to employers. The quality of
During the lean years contracting became a BA & PM candidates is uniformly high, but
way of life for many BAs and PMs, good securing their services presents challenges.
rates and diversity of experiences more
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 10Top BA & PM specialists have a laser-focus; contracting out of necessity this is the best
they are attracted to roles that are defined opportunity this decade to return to secure
in fine detail, roles that involve full-time employment.
transformational use of the very latest
Not that it will be easy. Ireland is rich in
technology, roles that are viewed as integral
talented candidates, many with unusually
to business success by key stakeholders.
diverse skillsets and expertise gleaned from
There are many candidates whose careers
working on varied projects in a range of
were blown off course – they want a role
blue-chip corporate environments. These
that will quickly re-establish their top table
specialists have an authority and adaptability
credentials. The top talent is committing to
that is plainly visible and they can point to
those employers who value their profession
multiple proofs of achievements. BAs are
and see their work as central to future
developing skills in SQL or modelling tools
growth.
like UML to add a further competitive edge.
Of all IT candidates, the best BAs & PMs PMs are highlighting their Scrum exposure.
are attracted to the employers that most
However strong your CV, attaining a top role
engender trust. It is mystifying, therefore,
will depend on how well you manage to
that many companies are eschewing the
articulate your value and commitment. You
personal approach in favour of time-saving
must avoid the temptation to make this
technology during the interview process.
about you. Make it your priority to know
High-demand candidates are unlikely to
respond positively to this strategy. Saving everything you can about the employer
time is critical (many roles are being filled before deciding how your competences and
within 2 weeks of the first interview) but it is experiences could have a tangible bottom-
better to condense a human-touch interview line impact. Build the story of your CV
process into an accelerated timeframe than around your worth to the employer and write
resort to automation. yourself into the next chapters of their story
and you will greatly increase your prospects.
Candidate Insights
After many barren years the market for
permanent BAs & PMs has erupted into
vigorous life again. The market is registering
movement not seen since 2008. Salaries,
too, are readjusting – up 5% year-on-year in
Q3. For those specialists that have been
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 11Senior IT Management when global experience is a prerequisite.
Language barriers are less of an obstacle
Key Q3 Trends
than ever, judging by the number of senior
The appetite for change is stronger than it
roles now occupied by international talents.
has been for 5+ years. Market confidence is
at unanticipated levels, and more senior The best senior managers prepare rigorously
managers are open to exploring offers. for interview – they will expect an employer
to have prepared for them. The
Roles within start-ups and earlier stage
contemporary specialist will be clued in to
businesses are guaranteed attention-
data-driven decision making: interviewers
getters. Senior candidates are displaying
that rely on an instinctive “know it when you
pronounced interest in doing work of note
see it” approach are unlikely to make a
that yields visible results; financial reward is
convincing impression. Employers need to
lower down their list of priorities. There is a
have clearly identified exactly what they
certain romance to new companies, a sense
need from the new occupant of this role and
of possibility and adventure that is very
how they intend to measure success.
attractive. Experience confined to a large,
traditional organisation structure is not Employers can no longer rely on a recognised
necessarily what excites the hiring manager brand name to attract top senior candidates.
of an agile, risk-embracing firm, however. If anything, candidates are currently
gravitating towards smaller early-stage
At C-Level, the trend is for top roles to go
companies in which they can have direct
to internal candidates that have been
authority for major strategic decisions and
groomed for the position. This means that
be a more essential asset. Every hiring
senior candidates have to be smart about
company, new and established, needs to
their next move, often taking a lateral step
work on building a compelling vision of how
or less senior job title as a launchpad to a
their role promises a more exciting and
pinnacle role.
personally rewarding future.
Employer Insights
The transparent process we operate at
There is a strong domestic pool of senior
Archer is proving critical to opening dialogue
management talent whose intelligence,
with selective, restricted-access candidates.
commitment and ambition compensates for
Our belief in a human touch approach has
shortfalls of international exposure in some
helped us build a strong domestic base of
quarters. European senior managers are
senior advocates that constantly refer us to
proving more than happy to relocate here
highly talented peers or upcoming protégés.
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 12With Archer as the intermediary, employer Think back and identify your lifetime
and candidate can be open about their achievements, focusing on the times when
challenges and concerns, their ambitions you triumphed over adversity, overcame the
and shortcomings. Frank exchanges of greatest challenges, turned things around
insights and feedback using Archer as the when setbacks looked like derailing projects.
conduit were instrumental to several very When plans went awry, how did you prevail
successful outcomes in Q3. With counter- and what did you learn? Choose 5-6
attacks rife, it is important to have a voice accomplishments and build compelling
on your side to sustain an ideal candidate’s stories from them. Practice verbalising the
commitment to the leap of faith you require sequence of events, the critical milestones,
of them. the end results and wider business
implications. Rewrite your CV to highlight
Candidate Insights
these career highs.
The market for senior candidates has really
come to life, with varied and interesting Overconfidence and lack of preparation are
new openings across many industry sectors. the main reasons why senior candidates fell
Specialists that can display a strong cultural short of top IT roles in Q3. At a level where
fit are favoured, meaning there is a written and verbal precision is of paramount
tendency for employers to hire from within importance employers do not forgive sloppy
their field. Employers are looking for very CV grammar and spelling. Likewise, failure to
niche types of individual rather than all- adequately research a role and anticipate
rounders. Above all, they want talent whose basic lines of questioning will automatically
accomplishments clearly demonstrate the end your prospects.
power to improve bottom-line metrics in
Specialists with decades of experience can
terms of costs, revenues, process, project
be unceremoniously shunted out of the
times or trend anticipation.
reckoning by the enthusiasm and positive
Specialists that haven’t used a CV or done attitude of hungrier, more future-focused
an interview in years can find it challenging candidates. As more key roles go to a
to contend for a contemporary role. Newly- younger generation of ambitious candidates
active candidates need to reach peak there is no room for anyone to rest on their
interview fitness, fast. Our advice: Focus on laurels. It is best not to enter a process
identifying your unique value proposition unless you are prepared to give it your all.
and work on how you can articulate it in the
context of the employer’s business.
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 13Summary Ireland remains the base of choice for
aspiring global businesses and significant
Activity in Dublin’s IT job market is
project works. IBM’s Global Location Trends
surpassing expectations. Roles that promise
report has just ranked Ireland as the top
genuine career advancement are plentiful,
destination for added-value FDI programs for
and tempting former off-limits candidates
the second year running. The World Bank,
to consider a move. The uncertainty and
too has highlighted the ease of doing
defensive mentalities of recent years are
business in Ireland, placing it 13th out of
waning.
189 economies in its Doing Business 2015
report. This bodes well for the health of the
Specialists that feel unfulfilled in their
domestic IT jobs market in the years ahead.
current role are no longer settling for the
“devil they know”. The risks of pursuing
Positive sentiment also abounds in the
alternative positions are greatly reduced –
indigenous tech community, 81% of firms
now, if one interview process doesn’t work
expressing an increase in confidence with 3
out your options do not end there. Worst
in 4 poised to hire new people according
case scenario, you are likely to receive a
to ISA’s Digital Technology Index 2013. The
counter-offer. Or, you can turn contractor
report suggests that local software tech and
and open up a whole other range of exciting
digital companies still have strong potential
possibilities.
to grow and scale past the 100 employees/
€10m turnover mark.
Domestic IT specialists have been proactive,
acting on their own initiative to upskill and
September is traditionally the stage for a
gain certifications, meaning clients have
flurry of post-Summer hiring activity. This
strong candidate sets from which to
year was no exception. What is unusual is
choose. Despite employers’ need to be
that there were no signs of any tailing off as
highly selective we continue to unearth
Q4 flew in. Businesses are truly optimistic
talent that makes the grade. There is a
about entering a new year for the first time
growing trend for candidates to be just as
in an age and they want the necessary
discriminating, which is starting to
talent on board in order to hit the ground
complicate matters. Archer has an
running. Here’s to making Xmas come early
increasingly important part to play as a
for our clients and candidates.
mediator that can navigate a well-matched
employer and candidate to a happy
Call Josh Linton/Sam Perrin
consensus.
Visit www.archer.ie
IT Jobs Market Ireland Q3 Review | 14
Archer Specialist Recruitment
2 Westland Square
Pearse Street | Dublin 2
01 649 8500 | www.archer.ie
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