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

HOUSTON, Dec. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-one percent of Houston-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, 57 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles, 19 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 28 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 closely with 23 percent of the response.

Top Concerns for CIOs
To further understand the priorities of Houston 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 (28 percent)
• Upgrading existing systems (23 percent)
• Investing in new technologies (18 percent)
• Staff retention (16 percent)
• Helping grow the business (15 percent)

"Overall, we're seeing companies looking to add a mix of full-time staff, and contract professionals who can assist with project implementation needs," said Robert Vaughn, metro market manager for Robert Half Technology in Houston. "There's especially high demand for senior programmers who can develop applications and infrastructure specialists who can assist with performing Windows 10 upgrades. Also, security concerns are high, so network security professionals and those who can decrease vulnerability to cyber threats are in high demand."

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 63 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:

• Desktop support (41 percent)
• Network administration (40 percent)
• Database management (40 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.

SOURCE Robert Half Technology