IT talent needs overshadowed by sales and marketing, HRLocker Analysis Finds

Demand for sales professionals outstripped IT in January as companies seek to capitalise on the economic rebound from Covid. That’s according to analysis from people management platform, HRLocker, which reveals job vacancies in Ireland climb 28% since October 2020.

IT still accounts for 1,823 (15%) of the 12,404 jobs posted through Hire, HRLocker’s talent acquisition tool, in January. For the first time in two years, however, there were a larger number of new sales (1,997) and marketing (1,885) job vacancies in the same period, accounting for 16 and 15 percent of all jobs listed. Other industries in high demand include:

• Healthcare – 12%

• Construction – 10%

• Financial services – 8%

Despite this shift, sourcing IT professionals remains one the greatest challenge for employers, with the average time to fill sitting at 30 days, compared to 22 days for sales roles. While Ireland’s tech talent shortage is apparent, it is interesting to note that legal and financial positions take longer to fill, at 38 and 46 days respectively.

Retaining Talent with Pay Rises

Meanwhile, based on the company’s data, the number of salary reviews resulting in a pay rise has more than doubled, from 11,944 in 2020 to 24,852 in 2021, with an average increase of 15%. Those industries with the highest wage rises include:

• Engineering – 38%

• IT – 28%

• Sales – 17%

Looking at specific roles, the jobs that have seen the biggest jump in basic salary are:

“With recruitment costs soaring and the talent gap expanding, employers must get creative when it comes to resourcing for the future,” comments Adam Coleman, CEO at HRLocker. “Bigger basic salaries are no longer enough. To hold on to their best and brightest, employers need to create a great employee experience from the outset, offering greater flexibility, giving them skin in the game via share options and investing in their people through continuous learning and development.” 

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