Technology Market Insights Q1 2017

Throughout 2016, Information Technology has continued to be an important focus for many organisations, and it is significantly disrupting how many businesses operate within Asia. Conversely, although embracing Technology is high on the agenda for many CEOs, this has not translated into an employment market where companies in Asia are aggressively hiring.

Most organisations have taken a relatively cautious approach to hiring in 2016, with recruitment activity remaining quite stable. However, there are notable exceptions and key hot areas where demand for talent has increased.

The Information Technology sector continues to be dominated by business trends including Cloud Computing, Digital & Mobile Technologies, Fintech, IT Security and Big Data. These dominant trends continue to create demand in Hong Kong for talented professionals with specific skillsets in this space. 

Emergence of new jobs in Technology

Jobs that did not exist 10 years ago such as Mobile Applications Developers, Digital Marketers, Content Managers, Social Media Managers, Data Analytic Specialists, e-Commerce Managers and SEO / SEM experts are now at the top of the hiring priority list and in high demand.

There is strong demand for qualified IT Professionals in mobile applications development as well as Programmers with iOS / Objective-C, Android, C++, Java skills, and .NET / C#, skills, with career opportunities ranging from entry level to solution architect. Front-end skills including AngularJS, JavaScript, HTML5 are also highly sought after. With disruptive technologies changing the way businesses operate around the world, and with a more developed start-up ecosystem emerging in Hong Kong, we expect this demand to only increase in 2017.

Hiring is on the cards for the cloud, Fintech and Big Data

Cloud Computing Infrastructure has become a hot area and a large number of organisations are looking for candidates with project or technical knowledge in cloud-based solutions such as Office 365, Microsoft Azure and AWS.

Furthermore, we have witnessed a continual rise of the Fintech industry. As businesses actively seek to increase efficiency and gain competitive edge, the need to implement financial systems and new technologies have become a priority. This has led to an increased demand for high-quality project managers and business analysts. 

The advent of ‘Big Data’ and the digital age has contributed to a rise in the number of data analytics roles in the market. Individuals with experience in ETL (Extract, Transform, Load),  Python, R, SAS are highly in demand as a result. 

Talent trends in the months ahead for 2017

IT security has also been a hot topic throughout the 12 months of 2016, with multiple high-profile hacking cases of banks and major multinational corporations hitting the headlines around the world. The majority of banks and multinational corporations have responded by looking to shore up their IT Security and IT Risk Management practices. Expertise in Cyber Security continues to be highly sought after and we expect this trend to continue into 2017.

Within the IT and Telecommunications space, where companies seek to use technology to grow the business, we expect to see hiring activity growth in the 12 months ahead in 2017. Demand for Pre-Sales, Architect Solutions, and Sales professionals will remain high for businesses in this space.

In 2016, we have also seen a significant growth in the IT contracting market not only in Financial Services but also across other industry sectors. Contracting provides a viable solution in acquiring additional resources for key projects, as well as a great ‘try before you buy’ option for both organisations and career seekers. Therefore we expect this trend to continue into 2017.

Clearly, the world of Technology is rapidly evolving and it is essential that businesses in Asia embrace this change.  

We foresee hiring trends to evolve along with emerging disruptive technologies and technology trends. It will certainly be an exciting time ahead for professionals in the Technology sector!

Technology
Salary Report for Q1 2017*

*Notes about salary table:

1. Titles and levels vary from organisation to organisation.

2. The salary ranges given are only approximate guides. For tailored salary advice, please contact us directly.

3. 12-month base salaries are assumed.

4. All other benefits and bonuses are in addition to these figures.

5. Bonus ranges can vary significantly from company to company and will be influenced by market conditions, business and individual performances. Bonus ranges from 1 month at the low end to 100%+ at the upper.

6. Holiday entitlements range from 12–25 days with senior executives not usually receiving less than 18 days. Less than 15 is very rare and 20 days is becoming the norm.

7. Healthcare policies are standard.

8. Pension plans vary with some companies offering greater than the standard contribution. Top up schemes can increase employer contribution levels as much as 15–20% of the base salary for senior executives.