* Network staff continue to be in high demand
Network staff continue to be in high demand, according to the results of IT staffing firm Robert Half Technology’s quarterly job report.
Of the 1,400 IT leaders responding to Robert Half Technology’s survey, 19% ranked networking as the IT job category experiencing the most growth. That was followed by help desk/support, as chosen by 14% of respondents, and applications development at 12%.
In terms of skills they are seeking to hire, Windows administration topped the list with 74% of the vote. Next was network administration including Cisco and Nortel at 70%. Database management (Oracle, SQL Server) got 59% of the vote, while 54% are most in need of firewall administration.
“Companies are investing in a range of technology initiatives, including Web 2.0 development, wireless communication and network security,” says Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology.
Those bosses who are hiring are most likely to be in the Middle Atlantic states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. CIOs in that region anticipate a net 17% hiring increase for next quarter, as compared to the national average of a net 10% increase. “Web developers are in particular demand in the region, as companies require engineers to launch new online initiatives and enhance existing applications,” Lee says. Robert Half Technology research also points to IT hiring gains in the West South Central states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
A full 13% of CIOs anticipate adding IT staff in early 2008, while 3% anticipate cutbacks. This overall net hiring increase projection of 10% is down from the estimated 12% net increase for the current quarter.
