Most CIOs Say Their Companies Don’t Capture Customer Data

Does your company collect customer data?  If not, it is not alone.  Find more information in the following post.

Big data is not without big obstacles for some CIOs. In a survey from Robert Half Technology, 76 percent of CIOs (chief information officers) said their companies don’t presently gather customer data such as demographics or buying habits. Less than one in four (23 percent) executives interviewed for the study said their firms do collect this type of information. Among those that do, more than half (53 percent) said they lack sufficient staff to access customer data, and generate reports and other business insights from it. Continue Reading

Smaller Number of CIOs Limiting Workers from Online Shopping During the Holidays

Some companies are softening their stances when it comes to employees shopping online this holiday season.

Just in time for Cyber Monday, a new survey suggests companies are a little more lenient today when it comes to letting employees shop online during business hours. Only one-third (33 percent) of chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed by staffing firm Robert Half Technology said their companies block access to online shopping sites – down from 60 percent last year. Another 55 percent said they allow access but monitor activity for excessive use. One in 10 (10 percent) reported that their firms allow unrestricted access. Continue Reading

Unemployment Rate for Technology Jobs Below National Average

If you are searching for a job in technology, then you’re likely to find one.  While the unemployment rate is 7.8% nationally, the technology sector is doing even better with an unemployment rate around 6%.  At the same time, 54% of CIOs said it’s challenging to find skilled professionals today, according to Robert Half Technology’s Q4 IT Hiring Index. Continue Reading

Small Hiring Increase Expected in 4th Quarter of 2012, but Business Confidence on the Rise

While there may be only a slight increase in hiring during the fourth quarter of 2012, businesses are encouraged about the future.

Chief information officers (CIOs) plan a modest increase in IT staffing activity in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. In the latest quarterly survey, 9 percent of CIOs said they expect to expand their IT departments, and 6 percent anticipate cutbacks, for a net 3 percent projected increase in hiring activity. Eighty-three percent of those surveyed plan no change in personnel levels. Continue Reading

Internships are Important for IT Graduates, Says 8 in 10 CIOs

Getting an internship is a good idea for all college students, but especially IT majors who will pursue these jobs once they graduate.

Technology students heading back to college this fall may want to add something to their busy class schedules: an internship. In a recent Robert Half Technology survey, 79 percent of chief information officers (CIOs) said internships are an important consideration when hiring new graduates for information technology (IT) positions. Only 13 percent viewed these programs as unimportant. Continue Reading

CIOs Say IT Workers’ Attire Becoming More Formal

Don’t think IT employees care about how they dress at work?  Think again.

Hoodies and T-shirts may be wardrobe staples in some IT departments, but chief information officers (CIOs) say moving up the career ladder often requires a little more polish. In a recent Robert Half Technology survey, more than three in four (76 percent) CIOs said the way someone dresses at least somewhat influences his or her ability to move up within the organization’s IT department. Only 22 percent said what someone wears doesn’t influence promotion potential. Continue Reading

CIOs Expect Small IT Hiring Increase in Third Quarter of 2012

While there may be some job losses in IT, CIOs expect hiring in this field to remain steady.

Most chief information officers (CIOs) plan to maintain their current IT staffing levels in the third quarter of 2012, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. In the latest quarterly survey, 5 percent of CIOs interviewed said they expect to expand their IT departments, and 4 percent anticipate cutbacks, for a net 1 percent projected increase in hiring activity. Eighty-nine percent of those surveyed plan no change in personnel levels, up four points from the second quarter.

In the same study, 76 percent of technology executives said they are somewhat or very optimistic about their companies’ growth prospects in the next three months, and 82 percent feel confident in their firms’ third-quarter investment in IT projects. Continue Reading

One in Three Firms Allow Employees Network Access Using Personal Smartphones or Other Devices

You might be tech savvy, but that doesn’t mean your employer will give you an all access pass inside the company.

Most technology executives aren’t yet allowing employees to access the company network using their personal smartphones and other technology tools, a concept known as “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD), a new Robert Half Technology survey shows. Only one-third (33 percent) of chief information officers (CIOs) interviewed said employees can access their companies’ corporate networks using their personal smartphones, tablets, computers or other devices. Continue Reading

IT Hiring Expected in 2nd Quarter of 2012; Tips for College Grads Who Want IT Jobs

IT job seekers should expect to see more jobs created in the second quarter of 2012.  That is good news for college graduates in this career field.  Here is more information on IT hiring in the near term, as well as what college graduates can do to improve their chances of getting a job in the sector. Continue Reading

Survey of CIOs Reveals Strangest Help Desk Requests

If you plan to work the help desk as part of an IT department for a company or organization, don’t be surprised to receive some interesting requests.

“Can you help me fix my toilet?” Believe it or not, the person who asked this question was calling his company’s IT help desk, not the plumber. It’s just one of the unusual requests chief information officers (CIOs) said they or their support staff have received, according to a new Robert Half Technology survey. These types of inquiries aren’t all that bizarre for help desk professionals, and they demonstrate it often takes patience, as well as technical know-how, to assist colleagues at work. Continue Reading