IT recruiters experiencing pressure on fees have disagreed with IT directors who say they cannot get people with the skills they need.

Research from IT consultancy Morse found 52.5% of IT directors believed that they were paying too much for contractors and 71% thought they found it difficult to hire people with the right skills and experience.

Ben Baverstock, director of IT recruiter Xact Placements, told Recruiter that while placements levels had remained level, pressure has been put on rates.

“The problem is they believe it’s a candidate rich marketplace, they keep shopping around to find the candidate with all the right skills, only to lose the one they found at the start to a competitor”, adding consultants are actively advising clients that they need to take advantage of skills when they become available.

Keith Butler, managing director of NES IT, told Recruiter: “Perhaps in certain markets there’s downward pressure on rates and margins, but clients will still have to pay a fair rate to get the high quality skills they are looking for.”