Stefan Ciecierski, COO and Managing Director of psd Technology and Media, looks at the fluctuating changes the Technology sector experienced in 2016, along with his outlook on recruitment trends for 2017.

Change is the norm in Technology

2016 was a year characterised by uncertainty in so many ways. The rate of technology change and it’s proliferation into our lives and business processes means that 2017 may not be any different. One element that we can be sure of is that change is the norm.

Companies need to invest cautiously

Technology is often the answer to overcoming many business obstacles but it comes with its own challenges. Companies that invest in technology do this at a financial cost, and often have to deal with outcomes that are unpredictable.

We see the market being driven by companies and people selling technologies or driving their implementation. Our blue chip clients need to give their shareholders a reliable return and so need to be “ahead of the curve”. This means investing cautiously in change.

Interim contracts are on the rise

Investment decisions are being made in favour of a person’s track record and limited commitment. Our clients are therefore increasingly hiring interims and/or agile consulting and outsourcing solutions, choosing to use resources that have a proven record of results, but don’t require too much money and time commitment.

Benefits for both parties

Hiring an interim is a cost-effective way to channelling someone’s experience and turn it towards the company’s needs. There are also benefits for the employee – very experienced senior candidates are looking to take on interim engagements rather than committing to a longer term agreement with a new employer. Some are concerned that a new employer may not give them job satisfaction, and so working on an interim basis allows them to assess the career prospects at a new company, but with less commitment.

Alongside this, consulting firms can offer opportunities for individuals with particular experience – candidates that they will continue to utilise over and over again, but are allied to a particular technology, or the capability of a group of people. These candidates can be developed and refined to a level that a larger organisation cannot easily achieve alone – one that would prefer to buy-in.

Our clients tell us they need to do more with less expenditure to survive in markets that are becoming more competitive every day. They are either looking for key staff to help drive their business plans, or agile solutions that can solve a set of problems in a very cost effective and predictable way.