Wednesday, December 8, 2010

More CIOs Plan to Hire During First Quarter

Hiring in the information technology field will increase in the first quarter, according to the just-released the Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. In the latest survey, 11 percent of chief information officers (CIOs) said they plan to add information technology (IT) staff in the first three months of the year, and just 3 percent foresee cutbacks. The net 8 percent increase in hiring activity is up 5 points from the fourth-quarter forecast.

The survey also found that 84 percent of CIOs are at least somewhat confident in their companies' growth prospects in the first quarter, the same number reported in the fourth-quarter survey. In addition, more than half (54 percent) of executives said it is very or somewhat challenging to find skilled IT professionals today.

The IT Hiring Index and Skills Report is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the United States with 100 or more employees. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis.

Key Findings

-- The net 8 percent increase in projected IT hiring activity for the first quarter is the highest in one year and up 5 points from the prior quarter's forecast.

-- Technology executives in the East North Central and West South Central regions will be hiring the most actively.

-- Eighty-four percent of CIOs are at least somewhat confident in their companies' growth prospects in the first quarter; 35 percent are very confident.

-- More than half (54 percent) of CIOs expect to encounter recruiting challenges in the quarter ahead.

-- Network administration is the most highly sought area of expertise for job candidates, as it has been for the last four quarters of the survey.

More information on IT can be found at www.SupportIndustry.com.

No comments: