Since our 2009 Salary Guide the Irish employment market has clearly undergone significant changes and continues to experience very challenging economic conditions. In the midst of such uncertainty we have commissioned an “up to the minute” salary guide which we feel will be of significant benefit to both employers and job seekers alike. In April 2010 Premier Group conducted a telephone survey of over 400 senior operational and HR managers across the Finance, Office Support, Technical and IT functions to gain an insight into salary trends within their companies.The results of this survey have been combined with data collated by specialist consultants across our office network. The guide comments on how salaries have been impacted by the economic downturn and reflects on likely trends over the next 12 months. View Survey Results “Salaries in the Irish market are primarily forecast to remain unchanged over the next 12 months.” explains Trefor Murphy, Associate Director, Brunel Ireland. “We now see a slight improvement in overall market conditions so many businesses are now in a position to attract talent without significant salary rises. One of the biggest challenges currently facing employers in the technical market is attracting candidates who are highly qualified or have specialist experience which is not widely available. Businesses must work smarter to attract the most talented professionals, in some cases increasing remuneration may be the best option as candidates who are already in a secure permanent position are less likely to move jobs to a lower basic salary. Businesses that can demonstrate company growth, new opportunities and career development are now seen as the ‘go to’ companies for the best talent in Ireland in a market which has suffered from extreme uncertainty over the past year.”
Life Sciences Jobs Recruitment activity fluctuated throughout 2009, however from Q1 2010 there has been a gradual increase in demand in all areas of Life Sciences, particularly in Quality, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs roles. There have been fewer graduate roles available so far in 2010 with companies showing a preference for hiring mid to senior level candidates. There has also been some significant movement across senior appointments and executive level vacancies. There has been significant growth in areas of new expertise including reimbursement & pricing and patient care positions due to new EU and Government legislation and regulatory bodies.   
Engineering Jobs Generally, demand is still relatively flat across all key areas of Engineering particularly across Manufacturing, Mechanical and Chemical. However, there has been some consistent growth in Quality Engineering positions. Salaries overall remain relatively flat but with some increases and general growth in the areas of Six Sigma, Lean Engineering, Product Development and R&D. 2010 has started on a positive note, with an increased level of confidence. Professionals are starting to pursue new opportunities for reasons other than fearing redundancy, which is creating some fluidity in the engineering market
Supply chain & Operations Jobs Demand for key supply chain personnel within all Manufacturing sectors has grown in Q1 2010 for the first time since early 2008. High calibre professionals are proving to be key hires for businesses who are naturally looking to reduce costs to keep their business competitive.
Professionals with more than five years experience in planning and procurement have been back in demand since Q4 2009. This has increased into 2010 and is likely to continue over the course of the year. Traditional factors such as location, career progression and package are returning as key motivators for professionals considering moving jobs. This has brought some buoyancy back into the supply chain jobs market.
Energy & Construction Jobs Within the energy and construction sector, demand has increased for professionals in Alternative Energy. However the supply of construction personnel outweighs the number of alternative opportunities in energy and companies in this space have a significant “pick of the crop”. There has been an increase in the need for specialist Construction professionals in Q1 2010 compared to 2009 although salaries are down 15-20% compared to last year. The Construction market in Ireland is operating as a shadow of its former self, with positions in Architecture, PQS, Main Contracting, Mechanical & Electrical Contracting remaining at all time lows. Most movement so far in 2010 has been to the UK and Middle East to support a stronger than expected growth in the Construction Market in these regions 
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