SALARY SURVEY 2013 - Robert Walters Singapore

SINGAPORESINGAPOREINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYSINGAPOREINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYRobertWaltersGlobalSalarySurvey2013 384OurinformationtechnologydivisionspecialisesintherecruitmentofpermanentandcontractITandtelecommunicationsprofessionalsacrossmidtoseniorlevelappointments.SectorswerecruitforincludeFMCG,healthcare,manufacturing,financialservices,telecommunicationsandretail.MarketOverviewCommerce&IndustryCompaniesweregenerallykeentohirebutremainedcautiousaboutdoingsoin2012duetoglobaleconomicuncertainty.Recruitmentactivitypredominantlytookplacewithinthehealthcare,oilandgasandtelecommunicationssectors,withoccasionalhiringintheFMCGspace.However,wesawlittlerecruitmentinthemanufacturingandelectronicssectorsduetomarketconditionsremainingchallenging.MosthiringthattookplacewasduetomajorprojectsandforeignfirmsestablishingtheirbusinessesinSingapore,whichisakeyhubformostregionalheadquarters.Wesawdemandforprofessionalswithexperienceofinfrastructureanddataandcloudstorage.Apartfromsalaries,mostjobseekerswereprimarilymotivatedbyotherfactors-suchaslearninganddevelopment,training,growthopportunitiesandwork-lifebalance.Wheretheseincentiveswereonoffer,candidateswerewillingtoacceptasalaryincrementof5%whenmoving.However,thosewithverynicheskillsets(suchascloudcomputing)commandedhigherincrements,withsomereceivingupto15%.Employerstypicallystruggledtofindexperiencedlocalcandidates.Asaresult,manywerepreparedtoconsiderforeignprofessionalswithanAsianbusinessbackground.FinancialServicesAsabudget-managementmeasure,technicalroles(suchasdevelopers,testersandinfrastructureengineers)wererelocatedtooffshorelocationssuchasthePhilippines,Malaysia,ChinaandIndia.Asaresult,candidateswithclientmanagementskillsets(suchasbusinessanalyticsandprojectmanagement)weremostindemand.Tobalancetheincreasedpressureonheadcountbudgets,morecompaniesrecruitedonacontractbasisastheysoughttocoverworkloads.Asmajorbanksunderwentglobalbusinessinfrastructurerealignments,skillednetworking,infrastructure,architectsandengineerswereindemand.Wesawspecificdemandforcandidatesspecialisinginfixedincomeandcommoditiesproducts,duetooilandgascompaniesestablishingenergyandcommoditiestradingdesksinSingapore.However,sourcingcandidateswhopossessedbothnichetechnicalskillsetsandfinancialmarketsdomainknowledgeprovedchallenging.Contract-ITBanking&CommerceWithinthefinancialservicesspace,therewasdemandfordevelopers,testersandinfrastructureengineersonacontractbasis.Wealsosawtemporaryvacanciesforbusinessanalystsandprojectmanagers.Candidateswithfinancialknowledgeandmiddlewareexperience(withtechnologiessuchasTibcoandWebsphere)werehighlysought-afterforthesepositions.Acrossthecommercesectors,ITcontractorswereindemandbytheendusers,telecommunicationsandlargeITsystemintegrators,whorequirednichecontractingskillsetsforspecificprojects.Employersintheoilandgasandmanufacturingsectorsinparticular,activelysoughtcontractorswithbusinessmanagementsoftwareskillssuchasSAP.Outlookfor2013Wesawrelativelylowjoblevelsinthetelecommunicationssectorinthesecondhalfof2012duetomarketuncertainty.Movinginto2013,weexpectthemarkettoimprove,withorganisationsre-launchingkeyprojectsthathavebeenkeptonhold.Sectorslikelytoexpandandincreaseheadcountwillincludetelecommunications,oilandgas,healthcare,FMCG,aswellasresearchanddevelopment.ThiswillpotentiallyresultinanumberofjobopportunitiesforITprofessionals.Employersunabletomatchsalaryexpectationsofjobseekerswillneedtoattracttheminsteadbyofferinglearninganddevelopmentandgoodwork-lifebalance.Wealsoexpectlocalbankstokickoffprojectsinquarterstwoandthree,buttheyareunlikelytorecruitinsignificantvolumes.Consumerbankingfirmswillcontinuetoinvestinmobileandonlinebankingplatforms,whichislikelytocreatedemandforITprofessionalsspecialisingintheseareas.