CIOs Reveal First-Quarter Hiring Plans
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CIOs Reveal First-Quarter Hiring Plans
Robert Half Technology Survey Confidence High for Business Prospects & IT Investments
TORONTO, Dec. 19, 2011 /CNW/ - A net 8 per cent of CIOs plan to add IT staff in the first quarter of 2012, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. In the latest survey, 10 per cent of chief information officers (CIOs) said they plan to expand their IT departments, and 2 per cent expect cutbacks. Eighty-seven per cent of CIOs say they anticipate no change in staff levels.
The IT Hiring Index and Skills Report is based on telephone interviews with more than 270 CIOs from companies across Canada with 100 or more employees. Executives are asked whether their companies plan to increase or decrease the number of full-time IT personnel on their staff during the coming quarter. The survey is 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. Robert Half has been tracking IT hiring activity in Canada since 2000.
Key Findings ------------ - A net 8 per cent of executives plan to add professional-level staff, down 14 points from the last quarter's projections. - Network administration and desktop support professionals are in greatest demand, according to survey respondents. - Eight-eight per cent of CIOs are confident in their companies' growth prospects in the next three months, up two points from the last quarter. - More than three in five CIOs (64 per cent) said it's challenging to find skilled professionals today, up 15 points from the previous quarter. - Eighty-seven per cent of technology executives expressed confidence in their firms' first-quarter investment in IT projects, rating the possibility of IT investment a "3" or higher on a five-point scale, with "5" being most confident.
"As companies continue to implement new technologies, customer and end-user facing roles remain critical, as well as those that help firms maximize their efficiency," said Lara Dodo, a regional vice-president of Robert Half Technology in Canada. "There continues to be demand for help desk and desktop support professionals, as well as network administrators."
Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments ------------------------------------------------
Eighty-eight per cent of CIOs reported being at least somewhat confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the first quarter of 2012; 71 per cent rated the probability of investing in IT projects a "4" or higher on a five-point scale, with "5" being the most confident.
Skills in Demand ----------------
The functional areas in which executives say they are experiencing the greatest challenge in finding skilled IT professionals are security (21 per cent) and applications development (17 per cent). Web development/web design, software development and networking followed, cited by 10 per cent, 9 per cent and 8 per cent of survey respondents, respectively.
Network administration remains the skill set in greatest demand, cited by 75 per cent of CIOs. Desktop support and Windows administration were next, with 71 per cent and 70 per cent of the response, respectively.
Industries Hiring -----------------
Executives in the construction industry expect the most IT hiring in the first quarter. A net 26 per cent of CIOs in this sector plan to expand their IT departments. This was followed by the retail industry, with a net 15 per cent of technology leaders anticipating hiring increases. The transportation sector was next, with a net 13 per cent of executives in these industries planning to add staff.
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 2000, the study is based on more than 270 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of Canadian 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 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 +/-5.0 per cent at the 90 per cent level of confidence.
Information from the study is featured in The Robert Half Professional Employment Report, which was launched last year and is the first study of its kind to monitor the hiring environment for professional-level positions exclusively. Based on more than 1,000 telephone interviews with executives throughout Canada, it provides insight on employment trends to help businesses and job seekers prepare for the upcoming quarter. To see how hiring within the technology profession has changed since last quarter and how it compares to other sectors, please visit www.roberthalf.ca/per.
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.