IT pros stick it for three years max

By Andrew Charlesworth

Jul 12 2007 4:57PM

Motivation to jump ship fuelled by online job boards.

Payrolled IT professionals spend an average of three years in their jobs before moving on, according to a report by recruitment consultancy CV Screen.

The head-hunter firm studied over 500 CVs and discovered that IT professionals are subject to "exceptional pressures".

They have the same motivations to jump ship as colleagues in any other profession, namely salary envy, lack of career progression and commuting distance.

But they also have the constant temptation of online job boards, providing immediate access to comparative information on salaries and demand for specific skills.

"It is clear that we have a reactive workforce in the UK which is not prepared to remain in roles where they are not valued," said Matthew Iveson, director at CV Screen.

"Management needs to offer IT staff a personal development plan and regular appraisals to ensure that staff retention within the IT department does not suffer."