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MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Nineteen percent of U.S. chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed recently plan to expand their information technology (IT) teams in the first six months of 2015, according to the newly released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report. This is a five-point increase from the previous survey representing the third and fourth quarters of 2014. In addition, 68 percent of CIOs plan to hire only for open IT roles, 10 percent expect to put hiring plans on hold, and 3 percent plan to reduce IT staff levels in the first six months of the new year.
|
U.S. IT Hiring Forecast* |
July–Dec. |
Jan.–June |
|
CIOs adding more staff to IT departments |
14% |
19% |
|
CIOs planning to hire only for open IT roles |
76% |
68% |
|
CIOs who plan to put IT hiring plans on hold |
8% |
10% |
|
CIOs who plan to reduce their IT staff |
1% |
3% |
|
Don't know future hiring plans |
1% |
1% |
*Numbers may not total 100 percent due to rounding.
View an infographic of research highlights.
"The first half of 2015 will remain a highly competitive hiring market as IT departments expand their teams to address the three drivers for tech employment: mobile, big data and security," said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology. "Companies recruiting for workers in software development, security and networking may find it especially challenging to recruit skilled talent."
The hiring forecasts for the last half of 2014 and the first six months of 2015 are based on interviews with more than 2,400 CIOs from 24 major U.S. markets who were asked to provide a six-month hiring outlook.
The surveys were 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. The results were weighted to reflect the appropriate employee population in the United States. The margin of error is +/-1.7 percent at the 90 percent confidence level. 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
As for recruiting technology talent, 67 percent of U.S. CIOs said it is somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals. This is a 6-point increase from the previous survey six months ago. Technology executives believe it is most difficult to find skilled talent in software development (20 percent), security (15 percent) and networking (14 percent).
Confidence in Business Growth and IT Resources
CIOs interviewed by Robert Half Technology continue to have an optimistic business outlook. Eighty-nine percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident about their companies' growth prospects for the first half of 2015. This figure is unchanged from the prior survey.
Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of U.S. technology executives said they expect their companies' IT budgets to increase in 2015. Seventy-three percent surveyed plan to expand their investment by up to 20 percent; 11 percent anticipate an increase between 21 percent and 30 percent, according to the Robert Half Technology survey.
Skills in Demand
According to 63 percent of CIOs, network administration is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Desktop support followed with 61 percent of the response and Windows administration at 57 percent.
About Robert Half Technology
With more than 120 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 rht.com. Visit the Robert Half Technology blog at blog.rht.com, or follow us on twitter at twitter.com/RobertHalfTech.
Info - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141201/161701-INFO
SOURCE Robert Half Technology