Developers top employer wish list

IT workers with software development skills remain in hot demand as companies look to reduce operational costs by creating more effective systems.

According to specialist IT recruitment firm IntaPeople, developers are top of employer wish lists, with C#/ASP.NET skills the most sought after, followed by Java J2EE and PHP development expertise.

“What has been clear during the first half of this year is that a significant number of firms are turning to their IT departments to uncover new ways of reducing operational costs and writing more business,” said IntaPeople operations director Phil Handley.

SQL and Sharepoint developers are also in the top 10 in-demand positions.

The number of jobs available for senior operational roles, such as heads of IT and business analysts, also suggests companies are planning for a post-recession future.

“The large volume of senior appointments is possibly the biggest revelation, and we think it means firms are willing to make grand scale changes to put themselves on a firm footing as the economy picks up,” Handley told PC Pro.

“It’s partly because there may have been head of IT layoffs during the recession, but now there’s an upswing and companies are bringing in analysts to look at the business, see how it’s functioning and where improvements can be made.”

Although the list offers a snapshot of prime skills sets, Handley said overall demand this year had been “fantastic across the whole market”.

2010’s most sought-after IT staff

• 1) C# / ASP.NET Developer
• 2) Java J2EE Developer
• 3) PHP Developer
• 4) Business Analyst
• 5) Data Administrator
• 6) Software Engineer
• 7) Test Analyst
• 8) SharePoint Developer
• 9) SQL Developer
• 10) Head of IT