Detroit CIOs Reveal Robust Fourth-Quarter Hiring Plans
MENLO PARK, Calif. (WWJ) -- Ten percent of Detroit-area technology executives recently surveyed expect to expand their IT teams in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report. This compares to 11 percent in the previous quarter.
In addition, 64 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles in the upcoming quarter, up from 60 percent the previous quarter. Also, 20 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, down from 22 percent the previous quarter, and 5 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the fourth quarter, down from 6 percent the prior quarter.
In the same survey, 87 percent of Detroit chief information officers were optimistic about their companies' prospects for growth in the fourth quarter, and 64 percent felt confident in their firms' fourth-quarter investment in IT projects.
"Web applications development, big data and remote help desk support are just a few of the types of projects that are driving IT hiring in the Detroit area," said Stacey Singleton, Detroit regional vice president of Robert Half Technology. "In particular, data analysts and systems engineers are highly sought, and we're seeing increased demand in the professional services and healthcare industries."
The IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report results reflect a two-quarter rolling average based on interviews with 200 CIOs from a stratified random sample of companies in the Detroit area with 100 or more employees. The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. In order for the study to ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper number of employees in the Detroit area.
Sixty-nine percent of Detroit CIOs said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals today. It is most challenging to find skilled talent in the functional areas of networking (19 percent), security (14 percent) and help desk/technical support (13 percent).
The survey results suggest that Detroit CIOs are optimistic about their companies' growth and IT investments. Eighty-seven percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the fourth quarter of 2013. This is unchanged from the previous quarter.
Sixty-four percent of CIOs also said they were confident that their firms would invest in IT projects in the fourth quarter of 2013. This compares to 68 percent in the previous quarter.
Fifty-two percent of Detroit technology executives surveyed said that network administration and database management are among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Desktop support followed with 49 percent of the response.
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 .
Visitors can also request a copy of the Robert Half Technology 2013 Salary Guide, which includes a wide range of IT job descriptions.
