Informações sobre o IELTS

Souce: Documento oficial

Vocabulary:

1. This booklet contains important
2. is internationally focused in its content
3. Consider enrolling in a preparation course
4. These are laid out in the Notice to Candidates
5. agree to abide by them
6. special administrative arrangements
7. as an overall band score

The test that opens doors around the world This booklet (=folheto) contains important information to help you prepare for your IELTS test.

Accessible and convenient
IELTS is offered up to four times a month in more than 140 countries. Tests are held on Saturdays and Thursdays. To find out test dates in your area, please contact your nearest IELTS test centre. A list of all IELTS test locations worldwide is available at www.ielts.org.

The international test
IELTS is internationally focused in (its not focussed on) its content. For example, texts and tasks are sourced from publications from all over the English-speaking world; a range of native-speaker accents (North American, Australian, New Zealand, British etc.) are used in the Listening test; and all standard varieties of English are accepted in test takers’ written and spoken responses.

The test that’s tried and trusted
IELTS has been developed by some of the world’s leading experts in language assessment, and is supported by an extensive programme of research, validation and test development.

The level of the test
IELTS is designed to assess English language skills across a wide range of levels. There is no such thing as a pass or fail in IELTS. Results are reported as band scores on a scale from 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest).

Preparing for your test
Make sure you are ready to demonstrate your English
1. Familiarise yourself with the format of the test by reading this booklet. If you would like more information about the format of the test and the question types used, you can find the test specifications at www.ielts.org/testtakers.
2. Practice using sample questions from www.ielts.org/samples.
3. Consider doing a practice test. Two volumes of Official IELTS Practice Materials are available for purchase from test centres or at www.ielts.org/testtakers. These materials include a full practice test with answers, and sample Writing and Speaking performances with examiner comments.
4. Consider enrolling (se matricular) in a preparation course to improve your performance in the test. IELTS test centres and language schools around the world offer IELTS preparation courses

Know the IELTS rules and regulations
It’s important to familiarise yourself with the IELTS rules and regulations. These are laid out (=definidos) in the Notice to Candidates and Declaration which are included in the application form.  When you sign the application form declaration, or agree to the terms online, you are confirming that you have read and understood the IELTS rules and regulations and agree to abide (cumpri-las) by them.

Register as soon as possible
When you feel you are ready to take the test, you need to register for a test date with an IELTS centre. Contact the centre as soon as possible, as the number of test takers who can take the test on a particular date may be limited. You will need to pay the test fee when you register.

Tell your centre if you have special requirements In order to ensure that the language ability of all test takers is assessed fairly and objectively, IELTS provides a comprehensive service for test takers who have special requirements, including specific learning difficulties, hearing difficulties and visual difficulties.

If you require a modified version of the test, for example a Large Print or Braille version, you must give the test centre three months’ notice. This notice period is necessary for the modified test version to be prepared. If your circumstances require special administrative arrangements (=disposições administrativas) to be made, for example if you need extra time or you need to use access technology such as a screen reader, you must give the test centre six weeks’ notice. Please contact your test centre to discuss your requirements. Any special arrangements agreed are in accordance with the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

Test format
IELTS Academic
IELTS Academic is for test takers wishing to study at undergraduate or postgraduate levels, and for those seeking professional registration.

IELTS General Training
IELTS General Training is for test takers wishing to migrate to an English-speaking country (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK), and for those wishing to train or study at below degree level.

Each organisation sets its own entry requirements. In some cases both Academic or General Training may be accepted. If you are in doubt as to which to take, you should contact the organisation you are applying to in order to check their requirements.

You are tested on all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking, unless you have an exemption due to a disability (see section on special requirements). Everyone takes the same Listening and Speaking tests. There are different Reading and Writing tests for IELTS Academic and General Training.

The Listening, Reading and Writing tests must be completed on the same day. The order in which these tests are taken may vary. There are no breaks between these three tests. The Speaking test may be taken up to seven days before or after the other three tests.

The four components of the IELTS test

Listening
Timing
Approximately 30 minutes (plus 10 minutes’ transfer time).

Questions
There are 40 questions. A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following: multiple choice, matching, plan/ map/diagram labelling, form completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, summary completion, sentence completion, short-answer questions

Test Parts
There are 4 sections:
Section 1 is a conversation between two people set in an everyday social context (e.g. a conversation in an accommodation agency).
Section 2 is a monologue set in an everyday social context (e.g. a speech about local facilities or a talk about the arrangements for meals during a conference).
Section 3 is a conversation between up to four people set in an educational or training context (e.g. a university tutor and a student discussing an assignment, or a group of students planning a research project).
Section 4 is a monologue on an academic subject (e.g. a university lecture). Each section is heard once only. A variety of voices and native-speaker accents are used.

Skills assessed
A wide range of listening skills are assessed, including:
• understanding of main ideas
• understanding of specific factual information
• recognising opinions, attitudes and purpose of a speaker
• following the development of an argument.

Marking
Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale.

Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Reading
Timing
60 minutes (no extra transfer time).

Questions
There are 40 questions. A variety of question types are used, chosen from the following: multiple choice, identifying information (True/False/Not Given), identifying a writer’s views/claims (Yes/No/Not Given), matching information, matching headings, matching features, matching sentence endings, sentence completion, summary completion, note completion, table completion, flow-chart completion, diagram label completion, short-answer questions.

Test Parts
There are 3 sections. The total text length is 2,150-2,750 words.

Academic Reading
Each section contains one long text. Texts are authentic and are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. They have been written for a non-specialist audience and are on academic topics of general interest. Texts are appropriate to, and accessible to, test takers entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses or seeking professional registration. Texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. Texts may contain non-verbal materials such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations. If texts contain technical terms, then a simple glossary is provided.

General Training Reading
Section 1 contains two or three short factual texts, one of which may be composite (consisting of 6-8 short texts related by topic, e.g. hotel advertisements). Topics are relevant to everyday life in an English-speaking country.

Section 2 contains two short factual texts focusing on workrelated issues (e.g. applying for jobs, company policies, pay and conditions, workplace facilities, staff development and training).

Section 3 contains one longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest. Texts are authentic and are taken from notices, advertisements, company handbooks, official documents, books, magazines and newspapers.

Skills assessed
A wide range of reading skills are assessed, including:
• reading for gist
• reading for main ideas
• reading for detail
• understanding inferences and implied meaning
• recognising writer’s opinions, attitudes and purpose
• following the development of an argument.

Marking
Each correct answer receives 1 mark. Scores out of 40 are converted to the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Writing

Timing

 60 minutes

Tasks

There are 2 tasks. You are required to write at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2.

Test Parts

There are 2 parts.

Academic Writing

In Task 1, you are presented with a graph, table, chart or diagram and are asked to describe, summarise or explain the information in your own words. You may be asked to describe and explain data, describe the stages of a process, how something works or describe an object or event. In Task 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The issues raised are of general interest to, suitable for and easily understood by test takers entering undergraduate or postgraduate studies or seeking professional registration. Responses to Task 1 and Task 2 should be written in an academic, semi-formal/neutral style.

General Training Writing

In Task 1, you are presented with a situation and are asked to write a letter requesting information or explaining the situation. The letter may be personal or semi-formal/neutral in style. In Task 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem. The essay can be slightly more personal in style than the Academic Writing Task 2 essay. Topics are of general interest.

Skills assessed

In both tasks, you are assessed on your ability to

write a response which is appropriate in terms of:

• content

• the organisation of ideas

• the accuracy and range of vocabulary and grammar.

Academic Writing

In Task 1, depending on the task type, you are assessed on your ability to organise, present and possibly compare data; to describe the stages of a process or procedure; to describe an object or event or sequence of events; to explain how something works. In Task 2, depending on the task type, you are assessed on your ability to present a solution to a problem; to present and justify an opinion; to compare and contrast evidence, opinions and implications; to evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an argument.

General Training Writing

In Task 1, depending on the task type, you are assessed on your ability to engage in personal correspondence in order to: elicit and provide general factual information; express needs, wants, likes and dislikes; express opinions (views, complaints etc.). In Task 2, you are assessed on your ability to provide general factual information; to outline a problem and present a solution; to present and possibly justify an opinion; to evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an argument.

Marking

You are assessed on your performance on each task by certificated IELTS examiners according to the IELTS Writing test assessment criteria (Task Achievement/Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy). The public version of the assessment criteria can be found at www.ielts.org/criteria. Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Speaking

Timing

11-14 minutes

Test Parts

There are 3 parts.

Part 1 Introduction and interview (4-5 minutes)

The examiner introduces him/herself and asks you to introduce yourself and confirm your identity. The examiner asks you general questions on familiar topics, e.g. home, family, work, studies and interests.

Part 2 Individual long turn (3-4 minutes)

The examiner gives you a task card which asks you to talk about a particular topic and which includes points you can cover in your talk. You are given 1 minute to prepare your talk, and are given

a pencil and paper to make notes. You talk for 1-2 minutes on the topic. The examiner may then ask you one or two questions on the same topic.

Part 3 Two-way discussion (4-5 minutes)

The examiner asks further questions which are connected to the topic of Part 2. These questions give you an opportunity to discuss more abstract issues and ideas.

Skills assessed

A wide range of speaking skills are assessed, including:

• the ability to communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences and situations by answering a range of questions

• the ability to speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language and organising ideas coherently

• the ability to express and justify opinions and to analyse, discuss and speculate about issues.

Marking

You are assessed on your performance throughout the test by certificated IELTS examiners according to the IELTS Speaking test assessment criteria (Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation). The public version of the assessment criteria can be found at www.ielts.org/criteria. Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

Test tips

Listening

• Each recording in the Listening test is heard once only.

• You will be given time to read through the questions before you listen.

•As you listen, write your answers on the question paper. At the end of the test, you will have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. It is essential that you transfer your answers to the answer sheet as nothing you write on the question paper will be marked.

• You must write your answers in pencil.

•An example of a completed Listening answer sheet is given on the next page.

• ‘Completion’ question types (e.g. note completion):

– Pay attention to the word limit. For example, if you are asked to complete a sentence using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS, and the correct answer is ‘leather coat’, the answer ‘coat made of leather’ would be incorrect.

– Transfer only the missing word(s) to the answer sheet. For example, if you have to complete the note ‘in the … ’, and the correct answer is ‘morning’, the answer ‘in the morning’ would be incorrect.

– You will hear the word(s) you need to use in the recording. You will not need to change the form of the word(s) you hear.

– Pay attention to spelling and grammar: you will lose marks for mistakes.

– You may write your answers in lower case or in capitals.

Reading

• You may write your answers directly on the answer sheet or you may write them on the question paper and transfer them to the answer sheet before the end of the test. You will not be given extra time to transfer answers at the end of the test. Nothing you write on the question paper will be marked.

• You must write your answers in pencil.

•An example of a completed Reading answer sheet is given on the next page.

• ‘Completion’ question types (e.g. note completion):

– The same rules apply to ‘completion’ question types as in Listening (see above).

– The word(s) you use must be taken from the Reading text. You will not need to change the form of the word(s) in the text.

Writing

• You may write your answers in pencil or pen.

• Pay attention to the number of words required for each task. You will lose marks if you do not write at least 150 words for Task 1 and at least 250 words for Task 2.

• You should spend approximately 20 minutes on Task 1 and approximately 40 minutes on Task 2.

• You must write your answers in full; answers written in note form or in bullet points will lose marks.

• Pay attention to spelling, grammar and punctuation; you will lose marks for mistakes.

• You may write your answers entirely in capitals if you wish.

• You may make notes on the question paper but nothing you write on the question paper will be marked.

Test results

The Test Report Form 

You will receive a Test Report Form which reports a score for each of the four skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking), as well as an overall (=geral) band score. Half band scores may be

awarded to indicate a strong performance within a particular band. You can find more information on score processing and score interpretation at www.ielts.org/criteria.

Results are available 13 calendar days after the test. At some test centres test takers may collect their results on the 13th day; at others, results are mailed on the 13th day. Test centres are not permitted to give results over the phone or by fax or email.

You will receive only one copy of the Test Report Form. It’s important that you keep it safe as replacement Test Report Forms cannot be issued. Test centres will send copies of your Test Report Form to up to five organisations free of charge.

Preview your results online

You can preview your results online 13 calendar days after the test. Results remain online for 28 days. Please note that the online preview of results should not be used as an official confirmation of your performance. 

Results validity period

Organisations will not usually accept a Test Report Form that is more than two years old unless you provide evidence that you have actively maintained or tried to improve your English since taking the test. The IELTS Test Partners cannot confirm the validity of test results that are more than two years old.

Re-taking IELTS

There are no restrictions on re-taking IELTS. You can register for a test as soon as you feel you are ready to do so. Please note that your score is unlikely to increase unless you make a significant effort to improve your English before re-taking the test. More information is available from www.ielts.org/resitting.

Enquiries on results

If you are unhappy with your test result, you can apply for a re-mark (Enquiry on Results) at the centre where you took the test. You must make the application no later than six weeks after the test date. You can choose which test components are re-marked. There is a fee for this service which will be refunded if your score on any component is increased. Enquiries on Results take six to eight weeks to complete.

40 coisas que você não sabe sobre a Australia

Source: weekendnotes

New vocabulary:

1. vegemite 
2. mateship

Ask the question of what Australia is known for to Aussies and foreigners and you'll get answers like Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Kylie Minogue, kangaroos, koalas, cricket, swimming, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach, Aborigines, Minerals, wine and vegemite (= is a dark brown Australian food paste made from leftover brewers). Australia is much more than these. Here are 40 interesting facts to share with family, friends and visitors about Australia.

1) It is the 6th largest country in the world, occupying an entire continent of some 7.6 million square kilometres.

2) It has the world's 3rd largest ocean territory, spanning three oceans and covering around 12 million square kilometres.

3) Vegetation covers nearly 7 million square kilometres or 91 percent of Australia.

4) The largest Greek population in the world beside Athens in Greece can be found in Melbourne Victoria.

5) Most of Australia's exotic flora and fauna cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

6) The Indigenous 'Dream Time' is the foundation for tens of thousands of years of spiritual aboriginal art, traditions, legends, myths, folklore and culture.

7) The only nation-continent of 20 million people in the world.

8) The wattle was adopted as the national floral emblem in 1912.

9) The first Australian Friendly Society with the motto of 'Advance Australia' was the Australian Natives' Association (ANA) formed in Victoria in 1871.

10) More than 80 percent of Australians live within 100 kilometres of the coast making Australia one of the world's most urbanised coastal dwelling (=habitação) populations.

11) Over 200 different languages and dialects are spoken in Australia including 45 Indigenous languages. The most common non-English spoken languages are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Mandarin.

12) The world's highest proportion of migrant settlers in a developed nation with over 25% of Australians born in another country.

13) Today's Australia is very multicultural with Indigenous peoples and migrants from some 200 countries.

14) Australia's first small step to a fully multicultural Australia was the result of immigrants from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean after 1945.

15) It contains an amazing ecosystem with unique flora and fauna including pristine rainforest, ancient rock formations and beautiful beaches.

16) The first Australian of the Year award was awarded to Professor Macfarlane Burnet who had won the Nobel Prize in the same year of 1960 for his groundbreaking physiology research.

17) Debate continues today on the calls to change the Australian flag because of the prominence of the British Union Jack, which does not reflect contemporary Australian society.

18) It has 16 world heritage listed sites including historic townships, cities and landscapes.

19) While 1988 was named a 'Year of Mourning' for Aboriginals, it was also regarded as a celebration of survival where the Aboriginal community staged a 5 kilometre march for "Freedom, Justice and Hope" in Sydney.

20) Australia used to be a beer-drinking nation but its quaffing plunged to a 65-year low in 2010-2011 with only 4.23 litres consumed per person.

21) Aboriginal leader, Lowitja O'Donoghue, a recipient of the Order of Australia in 1976 and Australian of the Year in 1984 delivered the first milestone national Australia Day address on 26 January 2000.

22) It is believe that the Aboriginal game of Mangrook inspired the rules for Australian Football, while invented in Sydney became popular in Victoria.

23) Australia was the second country in the world to give women the right to vote in 1902.

24) The largest cattle station in the world is Anna Creek Station in South Australia at over 34,000 square kilometres is the world's largest cattle station. It is even larger than Belgium.

25) It has the highest rate of gambling in the world with over 80 percent of Australian adults engaging in gambling of some kind and 20 percent of the pokie machines in the world are found in Australia.

26) Australia Day today is a celebration of diversity and tolerance in Australian society, embracing all ethnic backgrounds, racial differences and political viewpoints.

27) Kangaroo meat can be purchased from the supermarket, butcher and available on restaurant menus as a leaner and healthier alternative to beef or lamb with a 1-2 percent fat content.

28) Surprisingly Australia is the most obese country in the world as of 2012 with a 26 percent obesity rate despite being a sport loving nation.

29) Approximately 1.35 trillion bottles of wine are produced by Australia.

30) Former Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd's national apology to Indigenous Australians in 2007 is viewed by many as a major milestone in reconciliation.

31) The hold of the old White Australia Policy was broken by Gough Whitlam's Labor Government which adopted a broader approach to citizenship and opening migration to Asia and the Middle East.

32) Australian TV networks love cooking shows, airing one after another upon viewership success of My Kitchen Rules and MasterChef.

33) Canberra was selected as the capital because Sydney and Melbourne could not stop arguing which city should be the capital of Australia.

34) Australians refer to English people as Pome, which is actually the acronym for Prisoners of Mother England.

35) Ugg boots or as local call them 'very ugly boots' are an Australian design where a sheepskin has been turned inside out and made into a boot.


36) Melbourne topped 140 rivals to be crowned the world's most liveable city 2 years in a row since 2011.

37) The only place in the world where you can still find the lung fish which is a living fossil from the Triassic period 350 million years ago.

38) The sports capital of the world has 70 percent of its total population participating at least once a week in a particular recreational activity or sport.

39) Despite having a convict colony history, Australia's homicide rate is 1.2 per 100,000 population compared to the 6.3 per 100,000 in the United States.

40) 80 percent of Australians believe Australia has a strong culture and identity characterised by being down to earth, mateship (=acasalar), honesty, sports and multiculturalism based on research organised by the Australia Day Council of NSW in 2008.

Salário de t.i - Dinheiro está de volta

Source: computer world

Good vocabulary:

1. bonuses to lure
2. such a shortage of top security people
3. to stick it out with their current employer
4. pulled off a 30% pay increase over
5. you cannot rely solely on company performance
6. had a steady career climb
7. or outdated
8. the leap to a new job
9. IT career outlook 
10. competitive edge through technology

IT salaries 2015: Cash is back!

Companies that desperately need hot IT skills are ratcheting up salaries and bonuses to lure (traduzir) talented tech workers. Here's how to grab your fair share.

When it comes to getting a raise, some might say Chad Lorenc hit the jackpot. The senior infrastructure security architect scored a 30% pay increase this year, thanks in part to some fortunate events.

"My company went through a split," he explains. "There's such a shortage (falta) of top security people, and I was familiar [with the company] and had a good reputation as an architect. It just put me in a really good position at the right time. The two companies got into a kind of tug-of-war salary negotiation with me," says Lorenc, 38. "I actually had an incredible amount of leverage, the kind of leverage you usually don't have without switching companies."

His salary may be less impressive than the 30% raise would suggest, he admits. Lorenc came to the original company seven years ago earning somewhat less than the market was paying, but the job is in Montana, where he wanted to live. He believes he could be earning more in other regions of the country. Still, he knows his company values his skills.

"I think in a lot of companies, the few bodies that are left that aren't outsourced or offshored have to carry a lot of knowledge for the company, and they become extremely valuable and hard to lose," he says.

it-salaries-2015-high-demand

This year, many organizations are willing to pay for those valuable workers. After several years of slow gains, Computerworld's 2015 IT Salary Survey shows notable compensation increases for IT pros in a range of positions. Average total compensation (salary plus bonus) increased 3.6% in 2015, compared to 2.0% in 2014, according to the survey of more than 4,800 IT professionals. Not surprisingly, survey respondents generally feel better about IT as a career and their long-term prospects for advancement than they have in past years.

"Salaries are definitely increasing," agrees John Reed, senior executive director at IT staffing firm Robert Half Technology (RHT). "We're seeing much more movement than we had last year." The firm's own research shows IT salaries growing at just above 4%.

Reed says a Texas company in February offered a 50% increase in base salary to two junior-level application developers to entice them to come on board. The offer propelled their salaries from the $50,000 range to $75,000. "That's a huge jump, and one you don't typically see," he says.

The hottest U.S. areas for IT salaries right now are Silicon Valley, Denver, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, New York and Boston, Reed adds. Other markets coming on strong include Southern California, Chicago and Atlanta. "Salary ranges are moving, and it's very fluid," he says. "In San Francisco, my colleagues say even from 30 days ago they've seen a noticeable [salary] increase in what was already a hot market."

Money matters

No surprise: Money is the biggest motivator for IT professionals when looking for a job or deciding to stick it out (manter) with their current employer, according to Computerworld's IT Salary Survey. Nearly half (49%) of survey takers indicate that base pay is among the most important aspects of their current jobs, followed closely by job stability (44%). Of those looking for a new job, 60% were motivated by higher compensation. And 74% of all respondents — not just those looking for a new job — said a salary increase would entice them to change jobs.

Good news for them: Companies that desperately need hot IT skills are ratcheting up salaries and bonuses to lure in talent. Sal DiFranco, practice leader for the global advanced technology practice at executive search firm DHR International, says companies are rebounding after years of tight IT budgets and are looking to catch up on skills.

"Companies have recognized these huge gaps in the technical expertise they're looking for — software application experience, mobile applications, business intelligence, digital and analytics, and the ability to take those and work with digital marketing teams," DiFranco says. "Then you've got the infrastructure side where you've got to be really strong on virtualization and data center consolidation, and get creative with networking and with network operations centers."

IT employees with skills in those areas are "getting good raises internally," DiFranco says, but he notes that many are looking for extra-large gains when changing employers. "They're not going to make a move for an 8%-to-10% [pay increase]. Most of them want 15%, which is a huge jump."

Seek greener pastures

One of the best ways to nab a substantial salary increase is to switch employers, says RHT's Reed. (See "In hot jobs market, IT workers call the shots.") "If you want a 20% raise this year, you're going to have a much better chance of getting that by going to a new company than by going to your boss and saying, 'I need a 20% raise,'" he says.

One Computerworld survey respondent, a 34-year-old senior design and development engineer in Chicago, pulled off a 30% pay increase over the course of 20 months by changing jobs three times. After five years working for a university, he found his salary stuck at $87,000, and previous raises had gone no higher than 5%. A recruiter found him a position at a tech startup earning $105,000 plus a "guaranteed" 25% annual bonus.

"There is a high demand in Chicago for skilled software engineers for Ruby, Python and Java," says the engineer. "I knew the languages and tools" the startup was looking for, he adds.

He felt confident that if things didn't work out at the startup, he could easily find another opportunity. The company lasted four months. Two days after his job ended, another recruiter found him a new position making $116,000 plus a $10,000 signing bonus at a technology company.

If you have the right skills, the engineer says, "I don't know if you can necessarily punch your own ticket, but you definitely have the confidence to walk in and say, 'I can contribute significantly to this company.'"

Employers that are on top of their game have done their research and want to be aggressive when hiring IT staffers with the skills they need. "Typically on the low end they're offering 15% to 20% increases in base salaries," says RHT's Reed.

The case for staying put

But it's not always worth the hassle to leave a company. "If an employee can get a 10% raise where they are and the market is commanding 15%, it might not be worth it to jump ship for that extra 5% and leave a company, a position or a manager that you actually like," Reed says.

That sentiment rings true for a 42-year-old network manager at a college in the Northeast. He got a 3.6% raise this year and is now at $95,000. "I would like to have more money, but when you work in education, it's quality of life versus pay," says the nine-year veteran of the college. "I feel well compensated, and I'm within the pay range [for my skills and experience], but I also get five weeks of vacation a year and seven to 10 holidays."

Retaining talent makes sense from the employer's perspective, too. Staff departures cost a company time, money and other resources. Direct replacement costs can reach as high as 50% to 60% of an employee's annual salary, with total costs associated with turnover ranging from 90% to 200% of annual salary, according to statistics reported by the Society for Human Resource Management. That gives companies that can afford it good reason to offer healthy raises to valued employees.

Indeed, of the Computerworld survey respondents who reported base salary increases of 10% or more, just 27% said they changed employers to get the extra money. The rest attributed their pay bumps to promotions, added responsibilities or other reasons.

A senior director of strategic accounts at a life sciences technology company in California scored an 11% pay raise based on performance and a 20% bonus based on the business unit's earnings.

"Certainly salary is a big part of my job satisfaction; the industry is very cyclical and you cannot rely solely (basear solenemente) on company performance," he says. The 14-year company veteran has had a steady (estável) career climb (subida). He started as senior software engineer and moved up the technology ranks. He then migrated into technical marketing and finally into sales.

Discussing the strengths he brings to the job, the senior director says, "When I talk to my clients, I know the business but I also speak the technical language, and that helps very much."

Lorenc, the senior infrastructure security architect who got a 30% pay increase after his company split into two, says his broad set of skills helped earn him that big raise. "I'm a security architect who's very broad but very deep, too," he explains.

In his seven years total at the original and spinoff companies, Lorenc has implemented or run many security systems, such as application firewalls, security information management tools and a vulnerability management program. He also served as head architect in securing voice and telepresence systems. His biggest project was architecting the network security design for the original company's $22 million data center, which was later split into two for the two companies.

His advice to IT pros looking for big raises is to beef up communication with IT managers, business units and company leaders, and be willing to take on challenges. "Be flexible, research those new technologies, and reach out and work across different towers of the business," he says.

The road to a better salary

Despite strong compensation gains overall in 2015, slightly more than half (54%) of Computerworld survey respondents said that they feel underpaid based on their roles and responsibilities — up slightly from 52% in 2014 and 51% in 2013 and 2012. That sentiment may be the result of years of corporate belt-tightening, when salaries barely inched up while IT staffers were asked to take on more responsibilities and heavier workloads.

"There are many people who have been hunkered down at their current job, maybe since the last economic downturn, and they don't know what's happening in the marketplace," Reed says. "They might be worth much more than they're receiving."

If you're looking for a big raise, it's important to do some research and know what your value is. "Look at job listings online, see in what ranges companies are paying, talk to your peer network — that's where it all starts," Reed says.

If, after doing the research, you've decided you're worth more than you're earning, try approaching your current employer. "Before throwing yourself out in the marketplace, go to your existing employer, armed with your salary research, and ask for a raise," Reed advises. "There may be an opportunity to get a pay increase where you are."

But don't challenge your employer with big demands, he cautions. "Just because the market is paying higher than you're making doesn't mean you're necessarily going to find a new job that pays you that much," Reed says. Issuing an ultimatum "is a huge mistake that has blown up on people many times."

The next step, says Reed, is a skills assessment. Identify the hottest skills in the market, the ones that will help drive up your compensation. If your expertise is lacking or outdated (desatualizado), take a course, even online, or get a certification.

Nothing — not even training or a certification — replaces hands-on experience in a hiring manager's eyes, he notes. But if a company can't find someone with years of experience and "it comes down to you and another candidate with comparable skills, [a certification] will give you a leg up," Reed says.

For his part, DHR's DiFranco sees courses and certifications as a long-term strategy. A new skill certification alone won't impress a headhunter, he says. "A search firm is already bringing in people with three to five years of experience [in a particular skill] to a company," he explains. Instead, he advises IT employees to figure out the newest technologies that their current company needs, then get the appropriate training and ask to be involved.

"You're already a proven commodity" at your current employer, he says. "They're going to give you a chance if you have the credentials, more so than someone on the outside giving you a chance." Putting your new skills to work at your current employer will give you the experience you need to compete in the job market — and might land you a raise or a promotion at your current company.

If you're really ready to take the leap (salto) to a new job, don't just throw your résumé out on an Internet job board — your boss or someone else from your company could see it. "It doesn't take long for someone on the inside to find your résumé posted, and it may backfire on you" Reed says. "Your loyalty comes into question, and you might find yourself looking for a job because now you don't have a job."

Instead, tap into technical user groups and professional organizations, participate in networking events, and communicate with IT people who travel in the circles that you do. That's the way to find out who's hiring, what skills they're seeking and what they're paying. "Those are the things that will lead you to better compensation," Reed says.

Finally, recruiters or staffing firms can help you find a higher-paying position quickly, says the Chicago-based senior design and development engineer. He used two different recruiters to find each of his last two positions, and he emphasizes that the second recruiter found him his current job in just two days and "was able to get me what I wanted in terms of salary."

Mostly sunny skies ahead

The IT career outlook (perspectiva) is improving from year to year, according to the Computerworld survey. Asked where they expect to be five years from now, 52% of this year's respondents said they anticipate being in higher-level positions, either with their current employers or at new organizations. In contrast, just 37% of the 2014 survey respondents said they expected to move up the ranks within the ensuing five years.

Recruiting firms are also cautiously optimistic, expecting the IT labor market to remain strong over the next 12 to 18 months as companies seek to innovate and gain a competitive edge (vantagem) through technology. "They're not backing off their investments in technology, and that's why it will be a pretty solid [employment] picture," Reed says. "You have to have the people to execute it."

That means IT professionals have a chance to position themselves for big raises. "In my company, when they think of security, they think of me — I'm their first call," Lorenc says. "Once you're in that position, it gives you a lot of opportunities."