Denver CIOs Reveal Hiring Plans For Second Half Of 2014
Robert Half Technology Survey Shows CIOs Confident About Their Companies' Growth Prospects
DENVER, June 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Twelve percent of Denver-area technology executives recently surveyed expect to expand their IT teams in the second half of 2014, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report. This compares to 13 percent in the previous six-month period (January – June 2014). In addition, 79 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles, 9 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and none expects to reduce their IT staff in the last six months of the year.
In the same survey, 92 percent of Denver-area chief information officers (CIOs) said they are optimistic about their companies' prospects for growth in the second half of 2014, and 79 percent feel confident in their firms' plans to invest in IT projects.
Denver IT Hiring Forecast |
Jan. – June |
July – Dec. |
CIOs adding more staff to IT departments |
13% |
12% |
CIOs planning to hire only for open IT roles |
66% |
79% |
CIOs who plan to put IT hiring plans on hold |
17% |
9% |
CIOs who plan to reduce their IT staff |
1% |
0% |
Don't know future hiring plans |
3% |
0% |
"The market for IT talent in Denver is highly competitive, especially in the healthcare, financial services and real estate sectors," said Ted Hellmuth, Denver division director of Robert Half Technology. "Companies are hiring IT professionals to help them manage high-priority projects such as mobile and web development, cloud migrations, and data intelligence."
The 2014 hiring projections are based on interviews with 100 CIOs who were asked to provide a six-month hiring outlook. The surveys were developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. In order 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 Denver 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, 69 percent of Denver 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 (16 percent), security (14 percent) and help desk/technical support (14 percent).
Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments
The survey results suggest that Denver CIOs are optimistic about their companies' growth and IT investments. Ninety-two percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the second half of 2014. This compares to 86 percent in the first half of the year.
Seventy-nine percent of CIOs also said they are confident that their firms will invest in IT projects in the second half of 2014. This compares to 61 percent in the first six months of the year.
Skills in Demand
Sixty-five percent of Denver technology executives surveyed said that desktop support is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Data/database management and wireless network management followed, with 56 percent and 54 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 rht.com. Follow Robert Half Technology at twitter.com/RobertHalfTech or visit our technology blog at blog.rht.com.
SOURCE Robert Half Technology
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