Chief information officers in the US plan to add a more IT staff in the second half of 2017 than they did in the first half, according to the new Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report.
The survey found 21% of CIOs in the US plan to add full-time technology professionals to their teams, a five-percentage-point increase from the first half of the year.
Sixty-four percent of the CIOs surveyed said they plan to hire only to fill vacant IT roles. An active hiring environment has intensified competition for IT talent: 63% of IT executives said it’s somewhat or very challenging to find skilled technology professionals today.
“Whether you’re a recent graduate or experienced professional, it’s a good time to be a job seeker in the tech industry,” said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology. “For employers, however, hiring remains a challenge in today’s competitive market. Tech leaders must make recruiting and retention a priority to attract and secure top talent.”
According to IT executives, the skills in greatest demand within their department include:
- Database management: 53%
- Windows administration: 53%
- Desktop support: 52%
- Network administration: 51%
- Wireless network management: 51%
When asked about the greatest contributing factor to IT hiring in their area, nearly a third of respondents, 31%, cited a growing number of businesses opening up in their market.
The top five cities where CIOs report IT job growth sparked by new businesses are:
- New York
- Dallas
- Salt Lake City
- Houston
- Los Angeles
