IT hiring outlook for Q2

More good news on the IT job front – some of your colleagues plan to add staff next quarter. Research from Robert Half Technology points to a net 9% hiring increase next quarter, as compared to a 3% increase CIOs forecast for this quarter.

Robert Half Technology’s Information Technology Hiring Index and Skills Report is based on interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs who discussed their staffing plans for the second quarter of 2004. A full 11% plan to add full-time workers to their IT departments, though 2% anticipate job cuts. This result is the net 9% increase, the largest gain forecast since the third quarter of 2002.

Nearly half of those who plan to add IT positions cite business expansion as the reason. Another 20% identified the need for greater customer and end-user support.

Networking specialties are in top demand, as reported by 21% of CIOs surveyed. “Network architects and engineers with security expertise are highly valued,” says Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology. “A growing number of companies are upgrading outdated systems, and executives also want to ensure that their networks are secure from attacks by the latest virus or worm.” Other specialties respondents are seeking include help desk/end-user support, as cited by 16% of respondents, and applications development with 11%.

In terms of specific skills, 79% of respondents said Windows administrators (NT/2000/XP) were in shortest supply in their organizations, followed by 39% for SQL Server administrators and 34% for Cisco administrators. (Multiple responses were allowed.)

CIOs in the retail industry are most likely to be hiring. According to the survey, 17% of respondents in this sector expect to increase IT hiring, while 2% plan to reduce staff. The next most promising area is business services, where 14% of IT leaders expect to hire and none anticipate layoffs.

For more survey results and charts, go to https://www.roberthalftechnology.com/PressRoom