This is how much your salary could increase by 2015

If you’re in IT you may want to go buy yourself a celebratory drink tonight, because your earning potential just got even higher. According to the 2015 Salary Guides from Robert Half, the average starting salary for newly hired IT workers is expected to see a 5.7 percent overall increase.

To make the news even sweeter, that’s the largest expected gain in salaries among all of the fields researched for the report including creative and marketing, legal, accounting and finance, and administrative and office support.

Of course, it’s not exactly terrible news for workers in these other areas, as the average starting salary increase for all professional occupations is 3.8 percent. Either way, adding a few IT-related skills to your resume definitely can’t hurt (we’ve got an entire library of courses to help you with that).

In the report, Robert Half senior executive director Paul McDonald emphasizes the current demand for skilled workers in the technology and financial fields. “It’s crucial for businesses to benchmark salaries to remain competitive, especially in a market where skilled candidates know they are in demand,” he said.

And while the competition may feel fierce, there’s a far higher need for your skills than you might think. It turns out that employers are actually having a difficult time finding folks with the right skills for tech jobs in 2015. In a Robert Half survey, 61 percent of technology executives reported that they are facing recruiting challenges for tech jobs in 2015.

Just think about that number the next time you hesitate to apply for a position that seems a little out of your league; chances are you might actually be a great fit (and if you aren’t — get to training right now!).

Heck, you might even consider looking for tech jobs with companies you hadn’t previously considered. In its accounting and finance section, the report points out that businesses are seeking tech experts as more finance departments move on from an old-school way of doing things. “Big data is a trend impacting businesses of all sizes,” it notes. The salary guide lists the skills that these companies are currently seeking:

• Advanced Excel skills
• Knowledge of large enterprise resource planning systems
• Expertise in data analytics, advanced modeling techniques and the use of SQL
• Knowledge of business intelligence software such as IBM Cognos and MicroStrategy
• Aptitude with Hyperion (for analyst and financial reporting roles)
• Knowledge of QuickBooks (for positions with small and midsize firms)

Whew. That’s a lot, eh? No need to stress, though — we’ve got your back. Our courses cover a wide range (and ever growing list) of topics for every level from rookie to advanced. If you’re not sure where to start or if you’re looking for more IT salary stats, check out our list of 2014’s top programming languages.

Source : http://blog.pluralsight.com/