Cincinnati CIOs Reveal Hiring Plans And Top Priorities For First Half Of 2017

CINCINNATI, Dec. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-three percent of Cincinnati-area technology executives surveyed recently expect to expand their IT teams in the first half of 2017, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report. In addition, 62 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles, 11 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 2 percent expect to reduce their IT staffing levels in the first six months of the year. Hiring is not all technology leaders are thinking about, as 32 percent named maintaining the security of their IT systems and safeguarding company information as their most top-of-mind concern for the first half of 2017, while upgrading existing systems for business efficiency followed with 25 percent of the response.

Top Concerns for CIOs

To further understand the priorities of Cincinnati CIOs for the upcoming year, they were asked, "In addition to recruitment, which of the following do you anticipate will be top-of-mind for you in the next six months?" Their responses:

• Maintaining security of IT systems/safeguarding company information (32 percent)
• Upgrading existing systems (25 percent)
• Staff retention (15 percent)
• Helping grow the business (15 percent)
• Investing in new technologies (10 percent)

"There's a healthy amount of optimism in the market as Cincinnati CIOs await final approvals on 2017 budgets," said Jason Miller, regional vice president of Robert Half Technology in Cincinnati. "While 2016 was a year of transition with multiple acquisitions, mergers and reorganizations, now we're hearing from many local employers that they are ready to stabilize and build forward."

Miller added: "It continues to be an extremely tight candidate market — there's high demand for full stack developers, business intelligence analysts and help desk professionals, in particular. Implementations, refresh projects and migrations are driving demand for these skills, especially in the financial, managed services and manufacturing sectors." 

Hiring forecasts are based on interviews with more than 2,500 CIOs from 25 major U.S. markets who were asked to provide a six-month hiring outlook.

Recruiting Challenges & Skills in Demand

Hiring challenges remain, as 58 percent of CIOs said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals today. The skills in greatest demand within their organizations, according to respondents,   include:

• Database management (54 percent)
• Network administration (54 percent)
• Business intelligence/reporting services (45 percent)
• Cybersecurity (44 percent)
• Telecommunications support (44 percent)

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 roberthalf.com/technology. Visitors can also request a copy of the Robert Half Technology 2017   Salary Guide, which includes a wide range of IT job descriptions.

Survey Methodology

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. To ensure that companies from all segments were represented in the study, the sample was stratified by number of employees. Robert Half Technology has been tracking IT hiring activity in the United States since 1995.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160212/332877LOGO

SOURCE Robert Half Technology

Related Links

https://www.roberthalf.com/technology