Hays Information Technology - January 2010
CHINA
Hotspots
Microsoft technologies such as .NET 3.5, Biztalk, Sharepoint and SQL Server 2008 will be in demand this quarter. As the leader in technology, candidates possessing these up-to-date skills are a prime area of demand.
Java/J2EE candidates are also needed. Java/J2EE remains the most powerful open source programming language available. Most of the latest financial/banking systems are developed with Java/J2EE, and the need for candidates is high.
Virtualization technologies such as Citrix and VMWare are also sought. Finally, candidates with consulting and English language skills are needed for multi-national corporations. Given the volume of project work outsourced to China, English language skills are required to communicate effectively with clients.
The coming quarter
Hiring intentions are positive. Many employers have growth plans scheduled for this year, although activity is not expected to increase strongly until March, following Chinese New Year. With project activity increasing in 2010, we may also see an increase in recruiting activity at the executive level.
Employer trends
Employers are increasing the salary offered to candidates with overseas experience and are considering these candidates for senior management positions. While salaries are increasing for such candidates, they do not equate to expatriate packages.
Given the areas of demand highlighted above, employers are using the services of global recruitment agencies to source suitable candidates from overseas. In such cases, employers ideally want candidates who have studied and worked abroad and are now willing to return to China.
Candidate trends
Candidates became far more flexible in 2009 in response to increased competition for vacancies. They are no longer as selective in the positions considered and will relocate to different cities (including second-tier cities) to secure a role. Many expatriates have returned home and there are a lot of overseas candidates who are hoping to relocate to China, even if the salary is lower than what they can achieve elsewhere.
