robert half technology

Need to keep your staff happy? Try money

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:59:56 -0400

In tough times and good ones, money talks. A recent survey by Robert Half Technology found that more than a quarter of 1,400 CIOs surveyed say that increasing a person's salary is the most effective way to improve staff morale and retention. Money is always quick and easy bait to keep valued staff from leaving. It may sound easy, but it's getting tougher as times get tighter.

For more on this balancing act:
- See this InformationWeek article

Survey: Slowdown hasn't stopped IT hiring

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 06:59:59 -0500

Most of IT has yet to be affected by the current economic slowdown according to a report released this week by IT staffing firm Robert Half Technology.

A new survey of 1,400 CIOs across the country found that only 2 percent planned to reduce staff, while 14 percent are planning to add workers in the second quarter. "I can't get into predicting the future, but we see strong demand in all IT positions and general optimism," said Robert Half Technology VP John Estes.

For more on IT hiring in the face of a slump:
- check out this InformationWeek article

Hiring the best and brightest

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Bringing staff on board is undoubtedly the most important thing that any manager can do. And if recent analyst reports are true, CIOs throughout the country are preparing to inject quite a bit of new blood into their environments. In our first news story, we discuss a Robert Half Technology report which states that CIOs plan to step up their hiring in Q4. The news comes at an interesting time: the U.S. labor department just reported that 4,000 jobs were cut in August, which means that the IT profession is picking up strength even as the rest of economy struggles to keep pace. One thing is for sure: the IT labor pool has changed. In many ways, the new generation of workers is at least as disruptive as the new technologies that are changing the rules of the IT game. Workers are demanding new ways to communicate and are looking for new opportunities to contribute to the enterprise. The energy that they bring may be just what CIOs need to live up to the innovation mandates that are being foisted upon them by CEOs and the boardroom. Still, picking the right talent is critical. In our management section today we offer some useful hiring tips from Katherine (Kathy) Tamer, vice president and CIO of NASA contractor United Space Alliance. Let me know if you plan to do some hiring in the next few months. Enjoy the issue. -Patty

CIOs say Q4 looks good for hiring

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 06:59:59 -0400

Despite the fact that the U.S. Labor Department reports that 4,000 jobs were eliminated in August, CIOs are optimistic about the fourth quarter and plan a bump in their hiring efforts, according to a new survey by Robert Half Technology. Approximately 14 percent of the 1,400 CIOs polled say that they plan to add jobs; only two percent report plans to cut their staffs. The optimism is driven by strong business growth, new investments in enterprise applications and a growing need for customer and end-user support operations. Over half of the respondents (58 percent) did not express particular concern about a potential credit crunch affecting their budgets. Twelve percent, however, did say that they plan to change or eliminate some projects. A specific surge in hiring is projected for Windows administrators, network administrators and database managers.

For more on hiring trends:
- read the article in CIO

Hiring talent in a tight market

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:01:36 -0400

It's getting tougher and tougher for CIOs to find good talent in today's tight job market. Forrester recently released a new report, "Recruiting IT Talent: Adjusting to a Hot Market," which spells out how to find sought after IT pros. The report offers some practice advice for CIOs: First off, stop searching for a silver bullet solution. There is none. "Competition for talent is scrappy and the most creative, tightly messaged, culturally aligned, people-focused IT organization will win in terms both of attracting talent and of retaining it over the long term," CIO Update reports. Secondly, CIOs must take charge of their recruiting future and not entrust their talent needs solely to HR and staffing firms. They must get involved with all levels of recruiting, from reaching out to college students to networking with peers. Also important is the idea that CIOs must look at things from a global perspective. "CIOs of multinational enterprise IT organizations need to think globally and act locally during workforce planning," the article points out. In a separate survey, Robert Half Technology reports that of 1,400 CIOs interviewed, 16 percent planned to hire IT professionals during the first quarter of 2007, while 2 percent planned to reduce the total headcount.

For more tips on hiring:
- see this CIO Update article

IT Hiring on the Rise, CIOs Report

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Robert Half Technology this month released it Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report. The numbers are promising. Seventeen percent of executives surveyed plan to add IT staff in the next three months and 2 percent foresee personnel cutbacks. The net 15 percent increase, the highest since the fourth quarter of 2001, is up three percentage points from the previous quarter's projection. The company surveyed some 1,400 CIOs from U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. Some key findings:

Firms in the Pacific region plan the strongest hiring activity in the third quarter
Business growth remains the top reason companies are adding IT staff
Help desk/end-user support is the job category experiencing the most growth
CIOs in the wholesale sector are most optimistic about employment gains
The skills in most demand are Microsoft Windows administration (Server 2000/2003), network administration (Cisco, Nortel) and database management (Oracle, SQL Server, DB2).

For more information:
- check out the release

IT hiring on the rise

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:01:40 -0400

While just about every news site seems completely preoccupied by the imminent release of Steve Jobs's iPhone this week, it has been a busy news week for CIOs as well. Baseline released the results from is latest survey, which looks at the fastest growing software companies. Not surprisingly, CIOs are interested in working with fewer software vendors and they're expecting a lot more from those few that they work with. After fattening up with point solutions from several vendors, CIOs are now looking for vendors that act more like partners, by helping to pull everything together in the enterprise. In terms of the fastest growing software vendor, Nuance Communications nabbed the number one spot, with 67.2 percent growth over the course of last year. Much of this growth is happening through acquisitions--take Oracle who spent $20 billion on acquisitions alone in the last few years. Also this week, Robert Half Technology released findings from its 3Q hiring survey, which finds that seventeen percent of the 1,400 CIOs surveyed said that they plan to add IT staff in the next three months while only two percent expect to cut staff. It's a great sign that things are looking up for IT. -Patty

Hiring Talent In A Competitive Climate

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 20:01:37 -0400

Katherine Spencer Lee of Robert Half Technology explains that attracting the most qualified IT candidate can be difficult in today's current market. She points to Bill Gates' recent testimony before the Senate requesting an increased allowance for IT staff from foreign countries. However, she writes in CIOUpdate that there are several strategies that CIOs can take to simplify the process, which include building industry buzz by speaking at user-group meetings and writing articles for technology publications or web sites.

For more on hiring in today's market:
- see this article from CIO Update

IT staff need better tech skills

Wed, 09 May 2007 20:01:39 -0400

A new survey of 1,400 CIOs from Robert Half Technology found that CIOs want their IT staff to improve their technical skills and project management skills. Other items on the wishlist included improvements in verbal and written communication abilities, organizational skills and interpersonal skills. The best way to gain these skills for your employees, the survey noted, is to invest in ongoing professional development for employees at all levels and to offer attendance in professional development programs.

Read more about what CIOs want from their IT staffs:
- read the press release at PR Newswire

The human side of Vista

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:01:36 -0400

As CIOs begin their Vista rollouts, Katherine Spencer of Robert Half Technology reminds execs not to forget the personnel requirements of any operating system change. She recommends that CIOs undertake a thorough assessment of their staff, weighing decisions about how long the implementation will take and considering outside help during the transition. She also reminds CIOs not to forget training, whether that means setting up a test environment before deployment or offering traditional classroom and tutorial training.

For more on Vista rollout planning:
- see this article from CIO Update