Boston CIOs Reveal Fourth-Quarter Hiring Plans

MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Eleven percent of Boston-area technology executives recently surveyed expect to expand their IT teams in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report. This compares to 13 percent in the previous quarter. In addition, 66 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles in the upcoming quarter, 19 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 4 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the fourth quarter.

In the same survey, 88 percent of Boston chief information officers (CIOs) were optimistic about their companies' prospects for growth in the fourth quarter, and 74 percent felt confident in their firms' fourth-quarter investment in IT projects.

"Many companies in the Boston market are confident in future business growth and are hiring to meet pent-up technology demand," said Kristen Johnson, Boston regional vice president of Robert Half Technology. "Professionals with networking, database management and application development expertise are among the most sought after by local businesses." 

The IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report results reflect a two-quarter rolling average based on interviews with 200 CIOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Boston area with 100 or more employees. The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. In order for the study to ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper number of employees in the greater metropolitan Boston area. Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis and has been tracking IT hiring activity in the United States since 1995.

Recruiting Challenges
In terms of recruiting, 71 percent of Boston CIOs said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals today. It is most challenging to find skilled talent in the functional areas of networking (22 percent), data/database management (13 percent), and application development (10 percent).

Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments
The survey results suggest that Boston CIOs are optimistic about their companies' growth and IT investments. Eighty-eight percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the fourth quarter of 2013. This compares to 80 percent in the previous quarter.

Seventy-four percent of CIOs also said they were confident that their firms would invest in IT projects in the fourth quarter of 2013. This compares to 64 percent in the previous quarter.

Skills in Demand
Fifty-six percent of the Boston technology executives surveyed said that desktop support is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Database management and network administration followed, with 55 percent and 52 percent of the response, respectively.

About Robert Half Technology
With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at www.rht.com. Visitors can also request a copy of the Robert Half Technology 2013 Salary Guide, which includes a wide range of IT job descriptions.

SOURCE Robert Half Technology

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