Why IT Pros Will Look for Better Jobs in 2017

By Dennis McCafferty | Posted 2016-11-17

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Why IT Pros Will Look for Better Jobs in 2017

Many IT pros are seeking new jobs to expand their skills and make more money. They'd also like to work for a company that recognizes the value of IT initiatives.
Moving On

37% of global IT professionals surveyed plan to begin searching for a new employer next year, and 26% expect to accept a new job then.
Greener Pastures

Of those planning to switch jobs, 69% are seeking to advance their tech skills, while 64% are looking for a better salary. 40% want to work for a company that makes IT a priority.
Feeling Cheated

59% of the respondents said they aren't paid what they're worth.
Fleeting Optimism

Less than 25% expect a raise greater than 5% from their current employer, and only 12% anticipate getting a promotion in 2017.
2017 Challenge: Tone Deaf

55% said it will be difficult to make managers understand the importance of IT priorities next year, and 53% said it will be challenging to get approval from business leaders for important tech projects.
2017 Challenge: Security Struggle

53% of the IT pros surveyed said they will struggle to ensure corporate data is secure from threats.
2017 Challenge: Current Affairs

47% said it will be difficult to keep IT infrastructure up to date, and 47% said it will be hard to upgrade end-of-line software and operating systems on time.
2017 Challenge: Backup Plan

45% of the respondents admitted that they will struggle to maintain up-to-date disaster recovery systems, policies and procedures.
2017 Challenge: Support Situation

37% said it will be challenging to deal with end user help desk problems.
2017 Challenge: No Small Thing

37% of the respondents said it will be difficult to manage the new mobile and internet of things devices that are entering the workplace.
Top In-Demand IT Skills for Next Year

Cyber-Security: 95%, Soft skills: 95%, Networking: 95%, Virtualization: 92%, Project management: 89%
Good Karma

61% of the IT pros surveyed said they feel appreciated by their current employer and co-workers.
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A significant number of IT professionals expect to be working for a different employer next year, according to a recent survey from Spiceworks. The resulting "2017 Tech Career Outlook" reveals that tech employees are seeking more promising opportunities to expand their technology skills and make more money. They'd also like to work for a company that recognizes and understands the value of IT initiatives. The findings convey a number of lingering frustrations on the part of IT staffers. Most anticipate continuing difficulties in getting managers to understand the importance of IT department priorities, as well as challenges in gaining approval for important technology projects. The tech pros are also wary about future data threats, outdated infrastructure and systems, and ineffective disaster recovery tools and strategies. On the positive side, survey respondents said they feel appreciated by their bosses and co-workers—but that alone may not be enough to keep them around for another year. "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 to be successful." Nearly 500 global IT pros took part in the research.

Dennis McCafferty is a freelance writer for Baseline Magazine.