Houston CIOs Reveal Fourth-Quarter Hiring Plans
Robert Half Technology Survey Shows IT Hiring Plans
MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten percent of Houston-area chief information officers (CIOs) 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 is unchanged from the previous quarter. In addition, 65 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles in the upcoming quarter, 20 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 2 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the fourth quarter.
| Houston IT Hiring Forecast |
Q3 |
Q4 |
| CIOs adding more staff to IT departments |
10% |
10% |
| CIOs planning to hire only for open IT roles |
51% |
65% |
| CIOs who plan to put IT hiring plans on hold |
32% |
20% |
| CIOs who plan to reduce their IT staff |
5% |
2% |
| Don't know future hiring plans |
2% |
3% |
| *Numbers may not total 100 percent due to rounding. |
"Houston-area CIOs are finding it increasingly challenging to find skilled IT talent in certain specialty areas," said Steven Robinson, Houston regional vice president of Robert Half Technology. "Candidates with experience in networking, database management and security are especially sought-after by employers."
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 Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston 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 (18 percent), data/database management (15 percent) and security (11 percent).
Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments
The survey results suggest that Houston CIOs are optimistic about their companies' growth and IT investments. Eighty-seven percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the fourth quarter of 2013. This compares to 88 percent in the previous quarter.
Fifty-nine 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 61 percent in the previous quarter.
Skills in Demand
Fifty-five percent of Houston technology executives surveyed said network administration is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Windows administration followed with 47 percent of the response. Desktop support and database management followed, both with 46 percent of the response.
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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