New York Ranks Among Top 12 Cities For Tech Hiring In First Half Of 2018

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology hiring in New York is expected to start strong in 2018, according to the Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report. Twenty-six percent of CIOs surveyed here said they plan to add full-time technology professionals to their teams in the first half of the new year, up nine percentage points from a year ago. In addition to hiring plans, the report also highlights technology skills in demand and CIOs' top priorities for the first six months of the year.

"The beginning of 2018 is going to have an old-school opening day baseball feel to it for CIOs in the tri-state area — everyone is optimistic and ready to hit the ground running with new projects," said Jason Deneu, metro market manager for Robert Half Technology in New York. "But, in specific areas of IT security and application development the demand far outweighs the supply, making it extremely difficult for leaders to find these professionals for their teams. The need for top talent or augmented staff solutions is paramount these days."

Top 12 Cities for Tech Hiring in 2018
In addition to the forecasted 26 percent hiring growth, 62 percent of technology leaders here expect to maintain staff levels by filling vacant roles. The demand for talent places New York on the list of U.S. cities where tech hiring is expected to grow the most in the first half of 2018:

1. San Diego
2. Atlanta
3. New York
4. Austin, Texas
5. Charlotte, North Carolina
6. Minneapolis
7. Philadelphia
8. Des Moines, Iowa
9. Miami
10. Cleveland
11. Phoenix
12. Salt Lake City

Hiring Challenges and Skills in Demand
It continues to be a competitive hiring environment: 61 percent of CIOs in New York said that it's challenging to find skilled IT professionals in today's market. The skills in greatest demand within their organizations, according to respondents, include:  

1. Database management (51 percent)
2. Virtualization (51 percent)
3. Telecommunications support (49 percent)

Top Priorities
When asked to name their top priority for the next six months, 31 percent of New York CIOs said they will be focused on innovation and helping to grow their businesses. Other priorities will include:   

• Maintaining security of IT systems and safeguarding company information (25 percent)
• Technology innovation and investing in new technologies (23 percent)
• Upgrading existing systems for business efficiency (14 percent)
• Staff retention (7 percent)

"Infrastructure projects and build-outs are hot right now," Deneu added. "Our clients are looking to bring in top talent immediately for system upgrades, cloud integration and, of course, security initiatives."

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 2018 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