More than one-third of IT professionals (37%) plan to begin searching for a new employer and 26% plan to accept a new job next year, according to a recent survey by online IT community Spiceworks.
While 69% of the 476 IT professionals surveyed worldwide in October 2016 plan to switch jobs to advance their IT skills, about two-thirds are looking for a more competitive salary, and 405 want to work for a company that makes IT more of a priority.
“Businesses rely on IT professionals to protect company data and make sure the devices and services they rely on ‘just work,’ but many IT professionals believe they’re underpaid and their department is underfunded,” said Peter Tsai, IT analyst at Spiceworks.
“This is leading many tech professionals to take advantage of the favorable job market expected next year and seek employers that prioritize their IT department, invest in tech talent, and provide adequate resources IT professionals need to be successful,” Tsai said.
The survey results show that although 61% of IT professionals feel appreciated by their current employer, 59% think they’re underpaid. Less than one-quarter of IT professionals are expecting a salary increase in excess of 55 in 2017, and only 12% are expecting a promotion. However, 70% of respondents expect the IT job market to remain favorable in 2017, leading many to think higher paying jobs with more potential for advancement will exist in the coming year.
