Chief information officers (CIOs) anticipate continued strong demand for
information technology (IT) professionals in the second quarter of 2000,
according to RHI Consulting's quarterly Information Technology Hiring Index.
Twenty-six percent of CIOs surveyed said they intend to hire additional
personnel in the next three months, while just 2 percent foresee staff
reductions. The net 24 percent increase in hiring activity is up two
percentage points from first-quarter 2000 projections.
The national poll includes responses from more than 1,400 CIOs from a
stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. It
was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by RHI
Consulting, a leading consulting services firm that provides information
technology professionals on a project and full-time basis.
"As companies continue to pursue e-business initiatives, demand for
technology professionals who can develop and support Internet-based systems
is intensifying," said Greg Scileppi, executive director of RHI Consulting.
"Nationwide, firms are actively recruiting web developers, e-commerce
specialists and systems integrators to align traditional brick and mortar
operations with successful e-commerce models."
Scileppi added that IT managers are continuing to offer competitive hiring
packages as a means of attracting and retaining skilled talent. "A growing
number of employers are providing benefits such as flexible work
environments and job sharing opportunities to help employees achieve a
better work/life balance. Businesses are also boosting long-term retention
rates by investing in career development programs for employees, including
customized training and staff mentoring."
Regional Outlook
Technology executives in the South Atlantic (Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., West
Virginia) region anticipate the nation's strongest hiring activity during
the second quarter, according to the survey. Thirty-four percent of CIOs in
these states plan to add IT personnel, while 3 percent expect to decrease
staff levels. The net 31 percent hiring increase is up four percentage
points from the region's first-quarter forecast and is seven points above
the national average. "Increased hiring activity in the South Atlantic
region is due in part to the area's favorable business climate which
includes low corporate development costs and affordable housing," said
Scileppi. He noted that rapid growth within Florida's tourism industry,
Georgia's business and financial services sector, and North Carolina's
technology and financial hubs will continue to drive demand for qualified IT
workers who specialize in network engineering and web-based systems
integration. CIOs in both the Mid-Atlantic (New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania) and New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Vermont) states also plan strong hiring activity in the second
quarter. A net 28 percent increase in hiring is projected in both regions.
Industries Hiring
Chief information officers within the business services industry are most
optimistic about technology hiring in the second quarter of 2000 ¾ more than
half (51 percent) plan to add staff, while just 5 percent expect cutbacks in
personnel. The resulting net 46 percent increase in hiring is up 15 points
from the first quarter.
"Businesses in this industry sector are responding to heightened competitive
pressure to deliver services via the Internet; therefore, there is
widespread demand for specialists in e-business strategy, Java development,
network security and UNIX systems management," Scileppi said.
Staffing activity is also expected to exceed the national average in the
transportation and professional services industries, where CIOs anticipate
net increases in hiring activity of 29 percent and 25 percent, respectively.
-- Article courtesy of RHI Consulting, which provides firms with skilled IT
professionals for projects ranging from multiplatform systems integration to
help desk and network support. It has more than 100 locations in North
America and Europe, and offers online job search services at
http://www.rhic.com.
