The growing trend for mobile internet has led to an increase in opportunities for IT umbrella company contractors with experience in the telecoms sector, according to the giant group.
The contractor services provider discovered that slightly over 17% of all the UK’s IT contractors now work in telecoms; up 43% on this time last year when the percentage was just 12%.
Although retailers on the High Street have been badly affected by decreased consumer spending, a lot of them are investing in mobile commerce platforms to try and capture a share of the internet shopping market.
Customers are increasingly turning to tablet computers and smart phones as the medium of choice when shopping online. UK shoppers spent almost £8 billion online last December, up 16.5 % on the previous Christmas period.
Giant’s MD, Matthew Brown, explained that the retail sector increased its use of IT last year as they channelled investment into m-commerce. A lot of retailers still don’t have e-commerce, but as consumer shopping preferences change, those who invest in IT are likely to gain a competitive advantage.
The Group’s research also found that contractors now spend less time in between contracts. 80% of IT contractors now spend at most 31 days without work before starting a new contract. However, contractors are placing job security above high pay on their priority list as they remain cautious about the jobs market. Nearly 70% said that given the choice between higher hourly pay and a longer contract, they would opt for the long contract. Matthew Brown added that he was not surprised that longevity won over pay given the current uncertainty in the economy.
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Image: telefonieren by loop_oh
