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CIOs Report on Hiring Expectations for Second Quarter: Help Desk/Technical Support and Networking to Experience the Most Growth, Survey Finds

Posted on: Tuesday, 3 March 2009, 07:00 CST

MENLO PARK, Calif., March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight percent of chief information officers (CIOs) anticipate adding information technology (IT) personnel in the second quarter of 2009 and 6 percent plan staff reductions in the next three months, according to the latest Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. The net 2 percent hiring increase compares with a net 8 percent increase projected last quarter. The majority of respondents, 83 percent, plan to maintain current staffing levels.

The IT Hiring Index and Skills Report is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the United States with 100 or more employees. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis.

Key Findings

• Help desk/technical support and networking are the job areas experiencing the most growth.
• Desktop support is the technical skill set most in demand, overtaking network administration, which led as the top skill for the past two quarters.
• One in five IT executives who plan to add staff will hire a mix of full-time and contract workers.
• Reduced IT budgets were cited as the primary factor for reductions in IT personnel.
• CIOs in the Mountain region(1) are most optimistic about hiring activity.

"Not surprisingly, companies are being more judicious when hiring in today's economic environment," said Dave Willmer, executive director of Robert Half Technology. "Budgets must support critical IT projects, and companies are re-examining their staffing needs accordingly. Among the areas where demand remains stable are help desk and technical support, and networking."

Twenty-one percent of CIOs who plan to add staff will hire a mix of full-time and project workers, while 8 percent plan to add contract workers. One-quarter of executives cited corporate growth as the primary factor driving hiring demand, followed by IT department expansion at 9 percent. Increased workloads and the need for systems upgrades tied for third, each receiving 8 percent of the response.

CIOs cited reduced IT budgets (40 percent) and the impact of the financial crisis on their company or industry (21 percent) as the reasons for reductions in IT personnel during the second quarter. IT projects being put on hold and companywide layoffs followed, each receiving 18 percent of the response.

Skills in Demand

When asked which technical skill sets were most in demand in their IT departments, 67 percent of CIOs cited desktop support. Network administration (LAN, WAN) and Windows administration followed closely, with 65 percent and 64 percent of the response, respectively. (Note: CIOs were allowed multiple responses.)

Help desk/technical support and networking tied as the job areas experiencing the most growth, each cited by 15 percent of CIOs. Internet/intranet development received 10 percent of the response.

Regional Outlook

Technology executives in the Mountain region anticipate the most active hiring in the second quarter. Eighteen percent of CIOs plan to add staff and 8 percent foresee personnel reductions. The net 10 percent increase is eight points above the national average. "The need to maximize efficiency and better utilize existing resources is driving hiring in the Mountain states," Willmer noted. "Companies are seeking network professionals as well as those with experience in virtualization, .NET and PHP/LAMP development to help build upon or expand current applications."

The New England(2) and West North Central(3) regions also anticipate hiring gains above the national average, each forecasting a net 5 percent increase. Nine percent of CIOs anticipate adding staff and 4 percent forecast reductions in the New England region. In the West North Central states, 10 percent of IT executives plan to hire and 5 percent expect staff reductions.

Industries Hiring

CIOs in the business services and professional services sectors are most optimistic about hiring in the upcoming quarter. Ten percent of business services executives interviewed plan to add staff and 3 percent will reduce the size of their IT workforce, for a net 7 percent increase. In the professional services sector, 11 percent of CIOs anticipate hiring more staff and 5 percent expect staff reductions, for a net 6 percent increase.

About the Survey

The quarterly IT Hiring Index and Skills Report was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. First published in 1995, the study is based on more than 1,400 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. In order for the study to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region, industry and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper number of employees within each region. The margin of error for this study is +/-2.6 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence.

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.

(1)Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

(2) Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont

(3) Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota

SOURCE Robert Half Technology

Source: PR Newswire

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