Twin Cities CIOs Reveal Third-Quarter Hiring Plans
Robert Half Technology Survey Finds Increased IT Hiring Projections
MENLO PARK, Calif., June 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report for the Twin Cities area shows that executives plan increased IT hiring during the third quarter of 2013. Twelve percent of Twin Cities-area chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed recently plan to expand their teams. This is up 4 points from the previous quarter's projections. Another 50 percent plan to hire to fill open IT roles, 28 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 6 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the third quarter.
Twin Cities IT Hiring Forecast |
Q2 |
Q3 |
CIOs adding more staff to IT departments |
8% |
12% |
CIOs planning to hire only for open IT roles |
62% |
50% |
CIOs who plan to put IT hiring plans on hold |
24% |
28% |
CIOs who plan to reduce their IT staff |
3% |
6% |
Don't know future hiring plans |
3% |
2% |
*Numbers may not total 100% due to rounding.
"CIOs are finding that it's increasingly challenging to find skilled IT talent in certain specialty areas," said Kathy Northamer, Twin Cities district president of Robert Half Technology. "Candidates with experience in mobile and web development, database administration and quality assurance are especially sought 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 Twin Cities 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 Twin Cities 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
Seventy-one percent of Twin Cities 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 (19 percent), data/database management (16 percent) and applications development (14 percent).
Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments
The survey results suggest that Twin Cities CIOs are optimistic about their companies' growth and IT investments. Eighty-six percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the third quarter of 2013. This compares to 89 percent in the previous quarter.
Sixty-two 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 79 percent in the previous quarter.
Skills in Demand
Sixty-four percent of the Twin Cities technology executives surveyed said that desktop support is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Network administration and database management followed, each with 57 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 2013 Salary Guide, which includes a wide range of IT job descriptions.
SOURCE Robert Half Technology
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