Long contracts prioritised over pay packet

A survey by IT recruitment company Parity Resources has found contract length is top of contractors' priorities, with a fifth (20 percent) of survey respondents saying it is the most important factor for them in the current economic climate.

Alan Rommel, managing director at Parity Resources, recently told ZDNet UK's sister site, silicon.com, that average IT contract lengths have shrunk from five or six months to three as companies seek to trim costs in the downturn.

After contract lengths, contractors are most likely to prioritise getting a bulging pay packet — the key priority for 19 percent of respondents. Location is the third most popular priority (cited by 18 percent of respondents) followed by job security (17 percent) and a professional challenge (16 percent).

Just 10 percent of survey respondents said finding the right team is top of their list at the moment.