Employers having trouble bringing on technology talent may need to review their salary offers, according to a survey released today by Robert Half Technology.

The survey asked IT decision-makers about the issues hindering their hiring efforts, and the leading response was an inability to present competitive compensation packages to candidates, cited by 24%. Speed to hire and brand awareness followed at 22% and 15% respectively.

Twelve percent of respondents overall noted other large, desirable companies in their area tend to recruit all the good candidates, and 11% said they don’t offer as many unique perks or benefits as other local employers.

The percentage of respondents citing competition was considerably higher in some of the 28 US markets included in the survey. Detroit had the largest percentage of respondents citing competition as a barrier at 23%, followed by Cincinnati and Philadelphia at 20% and 19% respectively. On the flip side, only 8% of respondents in Los Angeles, New York City and Salt Lake City cited competition as the leading barrier.

“Compensation is often the first factor technology candidates consider when deciding whether to join an organization,” said Ryan Sutton, district president, Robert Half Technology. “If companies are not offering salaries at or above local market rates, recruiting can be an uphill battle. In these instances, especially, showcasing a strong workplace culture and unique perks and benefits is essential for attracting talent.”

The online survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. The report is based on responses from more than 2,800 IT decision makers in 28 major US markets. All IT respondents have hiring authority for the information systems or information technology department of a company.