A recent report by Robert Half International states that 14% of CIOs plan to add full-time IT staff in the second quarter, while 2% anticipate personnel reductions. The net 12% hiring increase is the second highest since the third quarter of 2002 and is led by optimistic projections in the Mountain and Pacific regions. In the manufacturing sector, 10% if CIOs surveyed stated plans to hire, with 4% planning to decrease IT staff, leading to a net gain of 6% industry-wide.
Why? Expansion Drives Hiring
Among CIOs who expect to hire, 36% said business growth or expansion was the primary reason, followed by 28% who cited increased demand for customer and/or end-user support professionals. The installation or development of new enterprise-wide applications was also named by 14% of respondents.
What? Server, Network And Database Skills In Demand
Microsoft Windows administration (Server 2000/2003) was ranked by 73% of CIOs surveyed as the skill set most in demand. This specialty was followed by network administration (Cisco, Nortel, Novell), mentioned by 62% of respondents, and database management (Oracle, SQL Server, DB2), by 60% of respondents. Companies are also hiring web developers and security specialists to enhance their online presence and safeguard networks and mobile devices.
Where? A Regional Outlook
The Mountain region showed a sizable gain in the number of companies expecting to hire in the second quarter, reclaiming the top spot it held for three of the last five quarters. Nearly a quarter (24%) of IT executives anticipate hiring increases, while 1% forecast declines, for a net 23% increase in hiring activity, up 19 points from the prior quarter. In the Pacific region, 16% of CIOs surveyed plan to hire and none anticipate staff cutbacks.
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