More Than One-Third of CIOs Plan to Hire New IT Graduates; Lack of Interpersonal Skills Greatest Obstacle to Success

School may be out, but IT hiring is in session for more than one in three firms. Thirty-five percent of chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed said they plan to hire new IT graduates in 2013, according to a recent poll by Robert Half Technology. 

But not all CIOs polled give new graduates high marks when it comes to being ready for their first job. More than one in four respondents (26 percent) said entry-level professionals aren't prepared to contribute right away. Among these executives, more than half (55 percent) said the reason is a lack of skills in areas such as communication and leadership.    

The national survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. The survey is based on more than 2,300 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies in 23 major metro areas with 100 or more employees.

CIOs were asked, "Does your organization plan to hire any new IT graduates this year?" Their responses:

Yes.....................................................................         35%

No.......................................................................         63%

Don't know..........................................................         2%

CIOs also were asked, "In general, how prepared do you think new IT graduates are to start contributing as soon as they start a new job?" Their responses:

Prepared.........................................................  69%

Unprepared..................................................     26%

Don't know.....................................................  5%

CIOs who didn't think IT graduates were prepared to contribute right away were asked, "Which single skill or attribute do you feel new graduates most lack?" Their responses:

Personal skills (i.e., communication, leadership skills)..... 55%

Technical skills.....................................................................29%

Business skills (i.e., job-related experience, teamwork).......17%

Other.........................................................................................1%

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