Although CIOs are optimistic about the future, market volatility is causing them to adjust their staffing models. According to David Foote of the consulting firm Foote Partners, many CIOs are moving in the direction of flexible staffing models that involve fewer full-time staff and more IT contractors. Typical services that CIOs are outsourcing now are networking, telecom, desktop and security services. Other top trends identified by Foote Partners, Robert Half, Dice.com, Janco Associates and others include:
1. CIOs are hiring more contractors for desktop and security services, and they're putting more applications such as remote backup in the cloud. They are also looking for IT people with business and analytical skills, such as risk management and project management.
2. IT hiring will grow in the second half of 2010, according to Dice.com. Hiring managers are becoming more optimistic about higher salaries and less concern about layoffs.
3. Banks are beginning to hire IT staff, but they are being extremely careful, taking twice as long to fill IT jobs as they did a year ago.
4. Salaries for CIOs rose between 3.7 and 7.5 percent while lower-level IT professionals are experiencing reduced bonuses and frozen salaries. In lieu of raises, companies are more willing consider flexible work schedules and other low-cost incentives.
5. More CIOs are confident about their companies’ growth prospects in the third quarter, and 40% said their firms are likely to invest in new IT projects.
6. Turnover and job hopping is on the rise in IT departments, making employee retention a concern. Tech executives are concerned about losing top IT performers and say it is more challenging to find skilled IT workers.
7. Topping the list of hot IT skills are networking and security followed by software development, database management and help desk/technical support.
8. State and city governments are facing severe budget shortfalls, causing them to cut more jobs than the private sector.
Source: “8 Trends Driving IT Job Growth, Salaries,” By Carolyn Duffy Marsan, CIO Magazine, June 10, 2010
