Demand for technology, transformation, product management and digital marketing professionals is on the rise across New Zealand, as more businesses are looking to improve their customer experience. This is according to Talent’s 2019 Salary Guide.

“The customer experience is at the forefront of many business leaders’ minds, which is driving an increase in demand for certain skills. At present there is high demand for people with ‘Agile’ skills from organisation’s going through transformational change – PM’s, BA’s, Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches and Facilitators,” Kara Smith, Talent’s general manager in Auckland, said.

“On the web development front there is still a strong demand for full stack candidates, however with a shift toward mobile apps, there has been an increase in demand for IOS and Android developers. We are also starting to see a big drive for UX/UI designers to work alongside these developers.”

Talent found a particular shortage of technology professionals in Wellington, where recruiters and employers are needing to adapt their strategies to attract and retain talent with strong digital skillsets.

According to Talent’s country manager Bianca Jones, competition for candidates has seen employers adopt flexible working conditions in response to workers’ demands for work-life balance, flexible work culture and interesting projects to enhance their skills.

“A good employer will ensure they provide suitable training and development for their top candidates – not just from a technical perspective but also from a soft skill perspective,” Jones said.

“Topics such as career planning and goal setting as well as assertiveness and negotiation are high in demand. IT employees need soft skills to be able to interact with customers and vendors, to manage teams and to also convey their ideas to others,” she said.