Salary, Hiring Trends Still Positive for Health IT Pros
The robots are coming, and they’re going to replace some jobs and workers in the future, according to new research from Forrester.
But don’t worry if you’re in healthcare IT or the tech sector, in general. Your jobs are safe for now. In fact, most of the reports we’re seeing and reading of late are extremely bullish on your career choice.
If the bot-craze makes you nervous, check out these recent news accounts that highlight strong demand and higher pay for IT pros.
Healthcare IT Salaries Rise
A new survey from HealtheCareers says healthcare IT professionals got a pay bump this year, earning $91,251 on average, a 2.2 percent increase over 2015.
Hospital and healthcare executives, on the other hand, were paid $134,632, constituting a 12.9 percent decrease and registered nurses received $61,875 for a 3.1 percent dip.
Tech Unemployment Remains Low
Tech sector unemployment in August was just 2.4%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure is down from 2.9% in July and is markedly lower than the 4.9% unemployment rate for the general labor market.
The tech job market is especially hot in Utah, Michigan and Alabama, according to a Dice analysis of BLS data. Illinois, Massachusetts, Georgia, and Maryland also showed strong IT job growth during the first half of the year.
Year End Outlook is Strong
Tech hiring execs say the outlook is solid for the remainder of 2016. In a Robert Half survey, 84% of U.S. CIOs report that they are hiring, either to expand their IT departments or to fill open positions.
Skills most in demand, according to the survey, are Network Administration, Desktop Support and Database Management.
Top Talent Commands Top Dollar
High demand for tech talent means top performers have leverage in their next salary negotiation. A new survey of IT decision makers shows that most would pay up to 15% more to keep their best talent, and one-third would pay a similar premium to attract new talent.
If you do jump ship from your current employer, don’t burn that bridge. A third of employers in the survey by Modis say they would re-hire talent that had previously left the company.
DevOps Pay is Up
The future looks especially bright for DevOps professionals, according to the recent 2016 DevOps Salary Report from Puppet.
The most common salary band for DevOps practitioners is now $100,000-$125,000, compared to $75,000-$100,000 band last year. The most common salary for managers is now $150,000 or more, compared to $125,000-$150,000 a year ago.
Remember that the job market, while strong, is also competitive, so it pays to keep your skills and certifications current, while polishing your resume and interviewing skills. If you’re in the market for a new consulting or full-time gig, check out current opportunities on our job board.
Robots need not apply.
