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By Mel Duvall

Chief information officers at large companies are the most optimistic in their hiring expectations for the third quarter of 2008, according to a survey released this week by Robert Half Technology.

In its latest IT Hiring Index and Skills Report, the Menlo Park-based recruiting firm found that 14% of CIOs expect to add information technology (IT) workers in the third quarter, while 4% plan staff reductions. The clear majority of CIOs (82%) anticipate no change in staffing levels in the summer months.

CIOs at the largest companies (those with 1,000 or more employees) expect the strongest staffing activity. Twenty percent of CIOs at those companies expect to expand their IT staffing, while only 6% anticipate cutbacks. Business growth was the primary driver behind the hiring.

"While the forecast remains strong overall, a more cautious hiring climate prevails," said Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology. The overall sentiment is a net 10% increase, compared to a net 12% increase forecast in the last quarter. "Employers want to ensure business demands support full-time staff additions. Shorter-term initiatives are being completed on a project basis in some instances," Lee said.

The IT Hiring Index is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the U.S. with 100 or more employees.

Other key findings from the report include:

• Networking remains the hottest job category for the fourth straight quarter.
• Retail and wholesale firms are the most optimistic about IT hiring.
• CIOs in the West South Central states project the most active hiring.

The West South Central region includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

"Developers who have experience with Microsoft.NET and SharePoint are at a premium in this region," Lee added. "Companies in the oil and gas, and healthcare industries are driving demand for IT professionals, particularly at the mid-to-senior level."

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