There has been a surge in IT contractor jobs in Ireland in recent years with recruitment agencies in Dublin continuing to adapt their hiring processes to attract top tech talent within the thriving IT sector. Candidate attraction and retention have become top priorities within IT recruitment agencies for the last two years and 77% of recruiters in 2022 report feeling optimistic about the Irish economy. Today’s workforce is continuing to evolve with freelancers, contractors, partners and employees completing tasks and delivering services often within one company.
Hiring and onboarding IT contract workers has become an essential strategy for organisations to bridge the skills gap and access a wider talent pool. This typically involves a shorter, more simplified recruitment process. In this shifting IT recruitment landscape, blending full-time employees with IT contract and contingent workers is becoming a more essential and viable solution for businesses today.
Recruitment agencies are starting to feel more confident about adapting their hiring processes and offering candidates more timely recruitment procedures and flexible earning possibilities. Managing this changing workforce coherently has become a critical skill set to master in the current business world.
What are the advantages of working as an IT contractor?
With the fantastic range of permanent posts and contracting possibilities within the IT sector, it’s a good idea to consider the benefits and challenges of both options to help you make an informed career choice. Consider the pros of contracting below:
Higher rate of pay
The earning potential for an IT contractor is high and contracting can offer significant financial rewards. Consider these tips for securing a good IT contractor role. Employers offer higher daily rates to contractors to offset the lack of holiday or sick pay and other benefits given to permanent employees. In today’s competitive jobseekers’ market, companies often offer IT jobs with contracts of varying durations, sometimes extending beyond a year.
Experience
The opportunity to work within different IT environments and companies will enhance your skills and help you build a portfolio of marketable experience. Working in a variety of IT environments means you get the chance to work on some really innovative IT projects and may find the niche where you wish to develop your career. Contract work offers excellent professional development possibilities and insight into the structure of different IT companies.
Fast onboarding process
IT is a rapidly evolving sector and employers hire IT contractors much faster than permanent employees. Recruiting a contractor rather than taking on a permanent hire presents a lower risk for the company. It also avoids lengthy interview processes and shortens waiting times for candidates. When seeking an IT contracting role ensure that you use a professional recruitment agency. IT recruitment agencies will have often formed relationships with companies and may give insider tips to potential recruits. Professional recruitment agencies frequently know about contract possibilities before they are even advertised and will clarify any issues that arise in the contract with both parties before the transaction begins.
Networking possibilities
Working on temporary contracts is an excellent way to establish a good reputation in your field and build a network of valuable contacts. IT contracting might let you get into a company where you would like to eventually secure a permanent job. If you enjoy the flexibility of IT contracting, it’s an ideal working model for helping you find the companies with which you want to keep working on a short or long-term basis.
Flexibility
As an IT contractor, you’ll be in a better position to manage your work and home schedule. You can choose the type of IT contract position that best suits your personal and family needs. Working outside the traditional 9-5 day parameters might suit your lifestyle better. You also have movement between contracts and jobs and can plan holidays and trips abroad between contracts.
Managing money
A contractor is in a position of having complete autonomy over his or her finances. While self-assessment and managing taxes might seem overwhelming at first, there’s now a range of online information available to help you understand the Irish tax system. There are tools and platforms to help you simply track and manage your expenses and help you to gauge your monthly income and plan accordingly. A significant advantage of contracting is that you can claim for business expenses such as phone or internet providers, office supplies and travel expenses.
Autonomy
An IT contractor is an entirely independent worker and while any contractor needs to establish a good reputation, they are free to opt for contracts with terms and conditions that suit their professional lives and circumstances. A contractor is less likely to become embroiled in office politics.
Contracting abroad
The demand for skilled IT professionals on a global scale means it’s easy to find exciting contract roles abroad for short periods. This offers contractors greater industry knowledge within diverse environments and often gives professionals the option of securing a longer-term contract in a location where they would like to stay.
What are the disadvantages of IT contracting?
IT contracting in Ireland is a rising recruitment trend and a feasible way for companies to deliver projects within deadlines. While contracting offers excellent opportunities for skilled IT professionals to earn lucrative sums of money and gain experience, it’s worth considering some of the disadvantages as well to help you decide if it’s the right career path for you.
Job security
Contracting may not be your best career choice if you need to feel a strong sense of job security. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that permanent job offers are dwindling in today’s workforce with employers offering more temporary contracts to workers and a higher percentage of professionals opting for temporary contracts and freelancing roles.
No holiday, sick pay or maternity/paternity allowances
As a contractor, you only get paid for the days you actually work which is reflected in your high daily rate. It’s essential to take out Health Insurance cover and budget accordingly. You will also be responsible for setting up your pension plan and paying your own monthly contributions.
Increased admin work
Working as an IT contractor will incur a certain amount of inevitable paperwork or online admin which you may decide to hand over to an accountant. More online platforms and accountancy tools are available today to help with this aspect.
What are the advantages of IT contracting for companies in Ireland?
Companies are hiring IT contractors to address skill shortages and access more expansive talent pools. Other emerging advantages of this hiring process are listed below:
Cost-saving
Hiring skilled contract workers mean companies avoid the expenses of offering new recruits a full-time recruitment package. Rather than training existing staff in specialist IT fields, they can recruit contract workers with very specific IT skills that they need temporarily. They can hire IT contractors to kickstart a project that employees can then complete. Businesses might want to consider these tips for attracting the top IT contractors.
Enhances digital transformation
Outsourcing work Improves service delivery and means companies can meet tight deadlines. Contractors can pass on skills to current employees within the company. Contracting accelerates the implementation of new technologies and facilitates the digital transformation of organisations
Adds value to the organisation
Speed efficiency and agility have become priorities in today’s market. Specialists working in contract roles adapt quickly to new environments and come onboard expecting to manage projects and deliver results quickly.
The daily IT contracting rates in Ireland are high and the contracting industry is predicted to grow in the near future. It is a working model that offers greater flexibility for employers and excellent professional development scope for workers, along with financial benefits and more independent working patterns.
For more information on the benefits of IT contracting in Ireland, have a look at our IT Contracting Salary Survey.