The latest Report on Jobs from the REC shows that the IT recruitment market continued to improve in the final quarter of last year.
Although the total number of job vacancies in the IT sector is still under half the 2007 figure, there is hope that the increased optimism is good news for IT contractors.
During the last quarter of 2009, the amount of advertised IT vacancies increased by 1.9%, however this number was 9.8% down compared to the beginning of the year, and more than 50% down on the numbers seen during the last quarter of 2007.
Although demand for contractors dropped a little during the final quarter of 2009, the salary survey showed a rise in IT contractor vacancies of 18% compared to the second quarter of 2009. A good October and November was followed by a drop in demand during December which is normal as recruitment in the sector always drops down as we approach run-up to Christmas.
The IT Job Board commented on the findings, saying that demand will increase as more projects get the green light. Jamie Bowler, the organisation's head of marketing, stated that the increasing demand for IT contractors was a sign of "long-term stability" in the economy.
The report's conclusion is that contractors who already have placements should enjoy a more stable recruitment environment during 2010.
© 2010 All rights reserved. Reproduction in
whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Image: Working
by totalAldo