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

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifteen percent of San Diego-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, 74 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles, 7 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 4 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 23 percent named upgrading existing systems for business efficiency as their most top-of-mind concern for the first half of 2017, while staff retention followed closely with 22 percent of the response.

Top Concerns for CIOs

To further understand the priorities of San Diego 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:

• Upgrading existing systems (23 percent)
• Staff retention (22 percent)
• Maintaining security of IT systems/safeguarding company information (21 percent)
• Helping grow the business (18 percent)
• Investing in new technologies (14 percent)

"San Diego is experiencing growth in our startup community, both organically and through relocations from Silicon Valley, and that's resulted in increased hiring in the energy, education and financial services industries," said Kyle Houston, San Diego branch manager for Robert Half Technology. "Demand is particularly strong for web front-end developers, MEAN stack developers and systems engineers. Employers realize they need to move quickly with their hiring process and make their best salary offer when they see candidates with these skills."

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 66 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 (49 percent)
• Desktop support (42 percent)
• Mobile development (42 percent)
• Cybersecurity (41 percent)
• Wireless network management (41 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 www.rht.com. 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.

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SOURCE Robert Half Technology

Related Links

https://www.roberthalf.com/technology