A POV from Bob, UK based....

[stek]

It seems many people here are interested in knowing the current trends in all mystic world of UK jobs. I am no expert, but can share a recent experience at my company.
Our requirement was 2 people, one for a testing role and another for a Java developer (we were looking for 2+ year’s experience, recruiting after a gap of 3 years!!)

Total number of applications for both roles, 951 ! (Our lone HR person was hit by this hurricane of people, some even applying from India, but job was never advertised in INDIA! ??? )

After screening the applications, we found that most if not all are highly skilled only (funny, because there was a government which made us believe in shortage of skilled people, thats a lie! At least from what we have seen)

Completed telephonic and got it down to 10 each for interview. (all applications from INDIA rejected without telephonic, but again, majority applications within UK were from Indians as well, most on tier 1 or residency! ... thank god, no paper work)

Yes, almost 10-20 of them were very good and great experience, plan was to get java guy for around 31K and tester for 26K (we are a small company). In end, we got Java for 22K and tester for 17K and people were willing to go down on that, but we agreed as below this was bit sad.

What this shows, at least in IT, UK is almost full, very less jobs and most high skilled people are in this domain. Also, this makes UK best place to start IT business, you can get people to code for price of administrative stuff and make good profit.

From one of my fora hangouts, nuff said...

[swamp]

Where is this exactly?

For 22K in London you wouldn't get someone who knew how to spell Java.

[threaded]

But Java programmers and Testers are Administrative staff shirley? It's not real programming: plugging stuff together, writing configuration scripts, copying snippets from Google...

[AtW]

Yes, almost 10-20 of them were very good and great experience, plan was to get java guy for around 31K and tester for 26K (we are a small company). In end, we got Java for 22K and tester for 17K and people were willing to go down on that, but we agreed as below this was bit sad.

I would not have taken that 10 years ago when I did not even have residency and had to get work permit for each new job

[Sysman]

All this says to me is that people are willing to make a sacrifice to stay in the UK.

Heck, when I started in Switzerland on a noddy work permit I couldn't buy a house or have my own business, and getting a car wasn't sensible from an insurance point of view. I made the sacrifice for the first few months.

(OK the dosh was somewhat better)

[gingerjedi]

All this says to me is that people are willing to make a sacrifice to stay in the UK.

Heck, when I started in Switzerland on a noddy work permit I couldn't buy a house or have my own business, and getting a car wasn't sensible from an insurance point of view. I made the sacrifice for the first few months.

(OK the dosh was somewhat better)

My mother in law charges £10ph as a cleaner, I saw a job advertised on jobserve that asked for an MCSE paying £7-£12ph.

Bob is distorting the market, do you think any of the beneficiary's care?

[SuperZ]

It's false economy anyway.
Do you really think people are going to stay in those low paid jobs? I know a company a few years back employed an ex-VB developer and ex- test manager both as Junior Test Analysts on 18k when they both earned upwards of 30k previously but they were both in the dole queue. The org thought they had cashed in. Do you think they stayed in those positions long? No. Were they motivated to do the testing? No. DId they get a foot in the door and a step up to a higher salary later? Yes. ONe was contantly off sick because they knew they could get away with it(public sector), the other dying to get out of testing and although he was a talented individual, did a crap job at the testing of things. When they were employed I remember hearing "brilliant, we have employed a developer and manager and test analysts, they'll be brilliant and we've saved a packet", and of course someone got a pat on the back for that.


Cheap isn't always cheap, and if people are willing to accept a very low pay or a position well below what they're used to, there's probably a reason for it and that may not benefit the employer.

BTW, I heard recently (and I mean recent months) that there is an IT skill shortage in the UK still!

[HairyArsedBloke]

BTW, I heard recently (and I mean recent months) that there is an IT skill shortage in the UK still!

I read that today. Independent: Employers' fear over lack of highly skilled workers

[malvolio]

I read that today. Independent: Employers' fear over lack of highly skilled workers

There is a real shortage in those areas butnot in IT, which is why IT is not on the Skills Shortage Register. What's the problem?

[threaded]

I read that today. Independent: Employers' fear over lack of highly skilled workers

I can see where these employers' problem lays. In psychological terms they're 'externalising'.

Y'know, when I need someone with special skills I offer work and a remuneration package they will find hard to say no to. I've not experienced any worries about being able to find a highly skilled worker. As for 'fear', just who are these nut-job employers?

So the problem's cause is readily apparent from the article itself: I see the weasel word 'suitable', for example.

In context I would therefore hazard that 'suitable' means willing to work for a nut-job employer.

The solution is equally as simple. Fire the nut-jobs, and the 'skill-shortage' will disappear.

Simples, innit!