PAYE Umbrella IT Contractors to the Rescue as Firms Fail to Appoint Permanent IT Staff

Umbrella companies supplying specialists in IT contracting may well find their talent pool in increased demand, as growing numbers of UK companies fail to appoint candidates to permanent mid-level IT posts.

According to figures just released from its database, specialist IT recruiter IntaPeople has recorded a sharp decline in the number of applicants applying for permanent mid-tier IT roles between 2010 and 2011. The number of applicants fell by 22% between the third quarter of last year and Q3 this year, while the number of full-time posts advertised has increased.

This indicates that work for IT specialists is certainly available, but the number of candidates seeking permanent positions has declined. Commenting on the development, IntaPeople director Stephen Riley confirmed that one of the consequences of the permie shortfall is that increasing numbers of firms are turning to contractors, who are “often available at short notice and get settled into work very quickly.”

He also confirmed that his company is hearing about a number of projects being put on ice because firms simply cannot find the permanent staff they need. “We might have a lot of talent at the very top,” he said, “but mid-level workers are generally the ones responsible for turning strategy into action.”

Due to these shortfalls, firms are seeking contractors with skills in Java especially, which has become the most sought-after skill recorded by IntaPeople. Demand for Business Analyst and C# roles is also outstripping supply, with the result that PAYE umbrella IT contractors with the requisite skills may well be approached to bridge the gaps.

Source:

http://www.contractoruk.com/news/00firms_eye_contractors_plug_mid-tier_it_staff_gap.html