Hanoi (VNA)- Job demand in the IT industry is higher than ever and will continue togrow in the near future, according to a report from VietnamWorks, a jobrecruitment website.

The number of IT jobs posted on the website has doubled in the past three yearsfrom 6,792 in 2013 to 14,997 last year, the 2017 Report of Salary, Benefits andSkills of the IT industry in Vietnam showed.

Vietnam is one of the most affordable countries for IT outsourcing services inthe world.

Fifteen years ago, the IT industry was mostly dominated by big outsourcingcompanies. Now, the trend is moving to quality IT services with more productdevelopment companies setting up their development centres in Vietnam.

HCM City continues to be the biggest tech hub in the country, with 53 percentof jobs posted, while Hanoi has emerged as a major competitor with 43 percentposted last year.

Based on the data collected from VietnamWorks site last year, and the surveyedresults from IT jobseekers in Vietnam, a software engineer with experience inthe latest technologies can earn 1,300-2,000 USD or more per month.

Eighty-one percent of employers who participated in the survey have planned forperformance assessments and salary reviews this year, with salaries expected toincrease from 6 percent to 20 percent in 2017.

Employee benefit programmes to attract and retain IT professionals usuallyfocus on motivation and recognition.

Companies are providing office spaces to make employees “feel at home”, and areoffering career opportunities and bonuses.

Benefits for employees are more diverse, including career growth with trainingand business travel to the US, Europe, Japan and Australia, a 13th or14th-month salary, attractive bonuses, stock sharing, open modern workingspaces and flexible hours with more work-life balance.

According to the survey of VietnamWorks, 40 percent of IT professionals saidthey would consider changing jobs if a better salary and benefits were onoffer.

IT certifications are considered a standard for candidate assessment.

Fifty-four percent of IT companies are willing to pay higher salaries toprofessionals who hold appropriate IT certificates.

Project Management, Agile, Cisco, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services are the topcertifications valued by employers.

According to the survey, IT professionals receive financial support from theircompanies for training costs in English, IT skills, and leadership and projectmanagement skills.

On the other hand, 79 percent of survey participants said they were learningnew skills on their own via the internet.

Information provided in the report was based on data collected from IT jobsposted on VietnamWorks in past years and a survey conducted of 2,400 of ITprofessionals and 70 companies in Vietnam.

The report, which provides insights to tech professionals in Vietnam, will beconducted annually.-VNA