|
By Dave Wilmer, Robert Half Technology
Question: "After more than a year of cost cutting, my organization has announced plans to increase its investment in IT in 2010. I plan to add staff to support these initiatives, but I have been given only a modest budget. Can you shed any light on the hiring environment in the new year?"
The new year appears to be igniting a sense of optimism among IT managers. Many firms are recognizing that they need to invest more in technology if they want to improve their efficiency and enhance their competitiveness, especially as the economy moves closer toward recovery. According to a recent survey by Robert Half Technology, 42 percent of CIOs are confident their organizations will invest in IT projects in the first quarter of 2010. At the same, 43 percent of IT managers surveyed in a separate study by our firm said their departments are understaffed in relation to current workloads.
In response, technology executives foresee personnel gains in IT in 2010. A net 3 percent of CIOs surveyed for the most recent Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report plan to add technology staff in the first quarter. That increase in hiring activity is the strongest forecast since the beginning of 2009.
Indispensible skills
What are all these organizations looking for? Versatility. This has always been a desirable attribute, but it has become even more attractive to employers due to the recent economic crisis. IT staff who are able to adapt to change, learn new skills and assume varied responsibilities can be invaluable to companies still struggling to maintain productivity with limited resources.
Of course, proven technical abilities are always a critical differentiator among IT candidates. Technical skills most sought by employers vary by industry and geography, of course. But there are several areas where the demand for talent has remained strong, including network administration, virtualization, applications and web development, and help desk and desktop support.
However, in addition to technical expertise, many IT managers seek well-rounded candidates with strong communication skills who can interact effectively with peers in other areas of the company to meet key objectives. Also, technology professionals who are able to see the "big picture" -- how IT initiatives fit into broader business goals -- are indispensable. They can help firms identify ways to reduce costs, increase profitability and enhance efficiencies, which are important measures for any organization looking to keep its competitive edge razor-sharp.
Hiring With Care
Many technology executives are taking extra care when adding new hires in order to avoid costly hiring mistakes that can damage productivity, teamwork and morale. The best-managed organizations begin their recruiting process with a thorough evaluation of their workload and priorities, keeping both short- and long-term priorities in mind.
It's also wise to create targeted job descriptions that clearly outline skills requirements to reduce the number of resumes received from unqualified applicants and to pre-screen promising individuals by phone before extending an invitation for an in-person interview. And many companies are working with staffing firms to help them in their quest to locate the strongest IT candidates. Employers often find it advantageous to work with a hiring specialist because the arrangement allows them to engage IT professionals on a project basis and observe them while on the job before deciding whether to hire a candidate full time.
According to the Hiring Index, a good proportion of firms that plan to hire in the new year are looking to add a mix of full-time and interim personnel. This is a smart and flexible strategy for companies that aren't ready to significantly increase budgets and would prefer to see how things "shake out" in the new year. Given that you are operating with a "modest" personnel budget, this may be the way to meet your organization's new IT objectives and ease the burden on your existing team while avoiding a potential staffing crisis in 2010 if the economy is slow to enter recovery.
Dave Willmer is executive director of Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis. Robert Half Technology has more than 100 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.rht.com. For more information about the hiring environment, visit Robert Half Technology's Salary Center at www.rht.com/SalaryCenter.
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
