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CIOs anticipate strong hiring activity in first quarter | December 5, 2007
TORONTO, Dec. 4 /CNW/ - Nineteen per cent of chief information officers (CIOs) plan to add information technology (IT) staff and 6 per cent anticipate personnel reductions in the first quarter of 2008, according to the latest Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. The net 13 per cent hiring increase compares with a net 8 per cent increase projected last quarter. The majority of respondents, 68 per cent, foresee no change in their staffing activity in the next three months.
The Hiring Index and Skills Report is based on interviews with more than 270 CIOs from a stratified random sample of Canadian companies 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
- Windows administration (Server 2000/2003) skills are in greatest demand in IT departments.
- Help desk/end user support is the hottest job category.
- Business services firms lead all industries in hiring expectations.
"Information technology professionals at all levels are needed to support ongoing business expansion," said Sandra Lavoy, a vice-president with Robert Half Technology. "Many companies are increasing compensation and revisiting recruitment and retention practices to ensure they are able to attract and retain the skilled IT professionals they need."
Fifty-three per cent of CIOs polled said business growth is the leading reason for expanding their IT departments. Increased need for customer and/or end-user support (16 per cent) and systems upgrades (15 per cent) were also cited as leading factors.
When asked in the same survey to forecast IT staffing needs for all of 2008, CIOs were optimistic. Eighty-nine per cent indicated they plan to increase staff size or maintain current headcount. Only 3 per cent indicated plans to decrease staff size and 8 per cent were undecided.
Skills in Demand
Windows administration is the most sought after technical skill set in IT departments, according to 83 per cent of CIOs polled. Firewall administration was cited by 66 per cent of respondents, followed by database management (Oracle, SQL Server, DB2) at 60 per cent and Network administration (Cisco, Nortel) at 58 per cent.
(Note: CIOs surveyed were allowed multiple responses.)
Help desk/end-user support was rated the job category to experience the most growth in the first quarter of 2008 by 24 per cent of executives polled. This was followed by project management at 14 per cent and networking at 12 per cent.
Industries Hiring
Technology executives in the business services sector are most optimistic about hiring in the first three months of the year. Thirty per cent of CIOs plan to add IT staff, while none foresee personnel cutbacks.
Notable hiring gains are also forecast in the finance, insurance and real estate industry, where executives anticipate a net 25 per cent increase. CIOs in the retail sector expect a net 22 per cent increase, followed by the transportation industry at 18 per cent.
With more than 100 locations in North America, Europe and Asia, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis, for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. For more information about Robert Half Technology or to learn about online job search opportunities, please visit www.rht.com.
Also available: First-quarter financial hiring index.
ROBERT HALF TECHNOLOGY IT HIRING INDEX AND SKILLS REPORT
First Quarter 2008
Information Technology Hiring: By Industry
© 2005 CNW Group Ltd, all rights reserved
The Hiring Index and Skills Report is based on interviews with more than 270 CIOs from a stratified random sample of Canadian companies 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
- Windows administration (Server 2000/2003) skills are in greatest demand in IT departments.
- Help desk/end user support is the hottest job category.
- Business services firms lead all industries in hiring expectations.
"Information technology professionals at all levels are needed to support ongoing business expansion," said Sandra Lavoy, a vice-president with Robert Half Technology. "Many companies are increasing compensation and revisiting recruitment and retention practices to ensure they are able to attract and retain the skilled IT professionals they need."
Fifty-three per cent of CIOs polled said business growth is the leading reason for expanding their IT departments. Increased need for customer and/or end-user support (16 per cent) and systems upgrades (15 per cent) were also cited as leading factors.
When asked in the same survey to forecast IT staffing needs for all of 2008, CIOs were optimistic. Eighty-nine per cent indicated they plan to increase staff size or maintain current headcount. Only 3 per cent indicated plans to decrease staff size and 8 per cent were undecided.
Skills in Demand
Windows administration is the most sought after technical skill set in IT departments, according to 83 per cent of CIOs polled. Firewall administration was cited by 66 per cent of respondents, followed by database management (Oracle, SQL Server, DB2) at 60 per cent and Network administration (Cisco, Nortel) at 58 per cent.
(Note: CIOs surveyed were allowed multiple responses.)
Help desk/end-user support was rated the job category to experience the most growth in the first quarter of 2008 by 24 per cent of executives polled. This was followed by project management at 14 per cent and networking at 12 per cent.
Industries Hiring
Technology executives in the business services sector are most optimistic about hiring in the first three months of the year. Thirty per cent of CIOs plan to add IT staff, while none foresee personnel cutbacks.
Notable hiring gains are also forecast in the finance, insurance and real estate industry, where executives anticipate a net 25 per cent increase. CIOs in the retail sector expect a net 22 per cent increase, followed by the transportation industry at 18 per cent.
With more than 100 locations in North America, Europe and Asia, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis, for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. For more information about Robert Half Technology or to learn about online job search opportunities, please visit www.rht.com.
Also available: First-quarter financial hiring index.
ROBERT HALF TECHNOLOGY IT HIRING INDEX AND SKILLS REPORT
First Quarter 2008
Information Technology Hiring: By Industry
| Percentage | Increase | Decrease | No Change | Don't Know | Total |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 0 | 92 | 4 | 100 |
| Retail | 24 | 2 | 67 | 7 | 100 |
| Finance, Insurance & Real Estate |
25 | 0 | 73 | 2 | 100 |
| Prof. Services | 24 | 13 | 51 | 12 | 100 |
| Construction | 10 | 0 | 83 | 7 | 100 |
| Wholesale | 20 | 18 | 55 | 7 | 100 |
| Transportation | 18 | 0 | 81 | 1 | 100 |
| Bus. Services | 30 | 0 | 59 | 11 | 100 |
© 2005 CNW Group Ltd, all rights reserved
