IT skills shortage: CIOs worried, applicants benefit

The Skilled Worker Shortage Index, compiled by Adecco Switzerland in collaboration with the University of Zurich's Job Market Monitor Switzerland, climbed to 122 points from 111 points the previous year, according to the study. The index, which is calculated once a year, measures the professions in which vacancies are particularly high compared to the number of job seekers. Since the first survey in 2016, the shortage has increased by 22 percent across Switzerland.

This year, the situation in the professions with the greatest shortage of skilled workers has become even more acute, writes Adecco Switzerland. Companies are finding it even more difficult to find suitable staff in the affected professions.

IT occupations rank fourth among the areas most affected by the skills shortage. However, the number of jobseekers in IT has decreased somewhat, while the number of vacancies has increased, Adecco said. However, the shortage is greater in German-speaking Switzerland, where IT climbed from fourth to second place.

As in the previous year, engineering occupations are at the top of the ranking. These include civil and electronic engineers. Technical professions have moved up to second place, followed by trustees and auditors.

For which areas in IT is it most difficult to find qualified applicants?

Source: Robert Half Labor Market Study 2020, Respondents: 701 CIOs in Continental Europe & UK

"The digitization of companies is in full swing. IT experts who can support the change are in short supply. This is slowing down business development and threatening growth," warns Zerrin Azeri, Associate Director at Robert Half. "An attractive salary alone is not enough to convince applicants in this job market situation. A professional recruiting process and continuous training opportunities for employees are the key to being interesting to applicants."

Job opportunities for IT specialists

Due to digitalization and the corresponding tools, companies are accumulating a large amount of data - and they are increasingly using cloud systems to manage it. It is therefore not surprising that the demand for cloud experts, database professionals and business intelligence specialists is particularly high. For IT professionals, the current shortage of skilled workers offers the opportunity to increase their personal market value through targeted training in these areas.

"The IT job market is an employee market. Companies therefore need to put together convincing overall packages. In addition to effective onboarding or a buddy program that makes it easier for new employees to settle in, companies can also score points with relocation support, for example," explains Azeri. "For skilled professionals, the location is very advantageous. They can often choose between several jobs and have excellent career prospects."

According to CIOs, there is a high to urgent need in the IT department in these areas:

Source: Robert Half Labor Market Study 2020, Respondents: 701 CIOs in Continental Europe & UK

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