Nearly half of chief information officers see communication and problem solving as top areas of improvement for tech professionals, according to a survey released by Robert Half Technology.

Twenty-eight percent of CIOs surveyed named communication skills as the top area where tech professionals could improve while 21% named problem-solving abilities. Nearly the same percentage of executives cited those soft skills as most important for career advancement.

“While technical skills open the door to new career opportunities for IT professionals, soft skills are essential for landing promotions and leadership roles,” said John Reed, executive director of Robert Half Technology. “Technology employees who seek advancement in today’s business environment require a healthy mix of business acumen, interpersonal skills and technical ability.”   

CIOs were asked, “In which one of the following areas would you say today’s technology professionals could use the most improvement?” Their responses:

• Communication skills, including written, interpersonal and face-to-face: 28%
• Problem-solving skills: 21%
• Work ethics, including accountability and reliability: 18%
• Creative thinking: 13%
• Professionalism: 9%
• Business acumen: 8%
• Don’t know/no answer: 3%

CIOs were also asked, “Which one of the following skill sets or abilities is most important for technology professionals who want to advance their careers?” Their responses:

• Problem-solving skills: 26%
• Communication skills: 25%
• Work ethics: 18%
• Creative thinking: 14%
• Professionalism: 8%
• Business acumen: 7%
• Don’t know: 2%

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. It includes responses from more than 2,500 CIOs in 25 metropolitan areas.