St. Louis CIOs Reveal Third-Quarter Hiring Plans

MENLO PARK, Calif., June 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten percent of St. Louis-area technology executives surveyed recently expect to expand their IT teams in the third 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, 55 percent plan to hire to fill open IT roles in the upcoming quarter, 25 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 9 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the third quarter.

In the same survey, 83 percent of St. Louis CIOs were optimistic about their companies' prospects for growth in the third quarter, and 57 percent felt confident in their firms' third-quarter investment in IT projects.

*Numbers may not total 100 percent due to rounding.

"The unemployment rate for certain IT positions in St. Louis remains low, making it difficult for CIOs to recruit professionals with in-demand skills," said Joseph McIntyre, St. Louis regional vice president of Robert Half Technology. "Competition is especially intense for professionals with networking, database management and technical support expertise."

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 St. Louis 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 St. Louis 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, 60 percent of St. Louis 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 data/database management (16 percent), networking (16 percent) and help desk/technical support (14 percent).

Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments
The survey results suggest that St. Louis CIOs are optimistic about their companies' growth and IT investments. Eighty-three percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the third quarter of 2013. This compares to 90 percent in the previous quarter.

Fifty-seven percent of CIOs also said they were confident that their firms would invest in IT projects in the third quarter of 2013. This compares to 72 percent in the previous quarter.

Skills in Demand
Sixty percent of the St. Louis technology executives surveyed said that network administration is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Database management and desktop support followed, with 58 percent and 56 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 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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