• in the evironment that is constantly changing there is no opportunity not to be Agile. So even the companies that don’t declare agility as one of their principles actually are Agile (otherwise thay would simply have to leave the market);
• outsourcing is moving from offshoring tasks to outstaffing when members of the offshore team have equal opportunities and influence in the decision-making process as their onshore colleagues;
• delivering a good Product becomes the main focus for IT teams (whether they be outsourced or in-house) - and that implies deeper integration of all specialists involved in the process (software developers, QA engineers, business analysts, usability specialists, graphic designers, marketing specilists, content writers and project managers). In practice it means that everyone tries to eliminate the existing bottlenecks even of he/she is not the source of them and takes resposibility for the whole product, not just for his/her part of the job;
• Ukrainian IT outsourcing companies remain the main catalysts of the market growth - they offer higher salaries and good working environment, as well as complex IT projects that help developers learn and grow; the quality of processes and overall organization is also increasing as working at dedicated centers opens great opportunities to contribute to product delivery. That is why representatives of the product companies are worried about the level of competition for skilled specialists

At the end we offer you to take a look at few pictures taken at the event:

selecting where to go

Alexey Krivitsky illustrates the benefits of outsourcing 3.0

coffee breaks were busy

XP section

Softheme's representatives at the event

Related articles

• The increased role of Agile (softheme.com)
• 4 Notable Software Outsourcing Trends in 2012 (softheme.com)

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1. IT specialists expect faster career growth. They are ready to work on a position no longer than for one year, or even six months. After that - new project or new role within the organization. Absence of opportunities for career and/or professional growth within the previous company is the main reason to change job, according to our job applicants; as well as “When can I expect a promotion?” is one of the most common question we hear from candidates.

It is not surprising as the majority of IT specialists don’t have much experience or are fresh graduates/last year students. They are usually capable of acquiring new knowledge quickly, hence very soon feel they can do more than the current scope requires. In light of this we can’t forget about:

2. The need for in-house training programs. All major outsourcing companies throughout the world invest in spreading knowledge within their organizations. Actually this is the only way to: a) get specialists with the necesary skill set  and b) retain talents within the company. The most common are in-house schools for QA engineers, English classes, soft skills trainings and specialized classes that give basics of non-IT professions (retail, medicine, banking, law, insarance etc. - depending on the project a given IT specialist will deal with).

3. Lack on senior specialists and managers. IT is growing faster than ever in general and by the number of IT projects in particular. High-level professionals were in demand in 2011, and in 2012 this trend will reinforce. Each IT organization has to react to this challenge. One of the most reasonable ways is developing a system of coaching by the existing high-level professionals.

4. The growing need for clear HR brand identity. IT specialists usually do not look just for ’some job’, they want to work on a product that stands out among the rest. That is why company’s marketing activity should cover not just existing and potential customers, but also alumni, existing and potential employees. Why is it better to work for your company? What opportunities does it give? What are its approaches, methodologies and team building activities? It makes sense to find resources to communicate these things to everyone who might want to know the answers.

5. Good compensation packages becoming a must-have. Medical insurance, paid vacation and sick leave, paid trainings and certifications - all this is no longer a differentiator, but rather a must-have for all serious companies. Without these elements it is hard to attract and retaine qualified people, so this is really a business need.

And what trends do you find imporatnt?

Related articles

• 4 Notable Software Outsourcing Trends in 2012 (softheme.com)
• Can you keep your IT staff in 2012? (infoworld.com)

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