Boston CIOs Reveal Hiring Plans For First Half Of 2015

Robert Half Technology Survey Finds 16 Percent Plan to Add Staff

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Dec 02, 2014, 08:12 ET

BOSTON, Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report for Boston shows that 16 percent of Boston-area chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed recently plan to expand their IT teams in the first half of 2015. This is up 4 points compared to projections from the previous six-month period (July – December 2014). Another 75 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles, 6 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 3 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the first half of the year.

Boston IT hiring forecast for the first half of 2015. Survey by Robert Half Technology.


Boston IT Hiring Forecast	July – Dec. 2014*	Jan. – June 2015*
CIOs adding more staff to IT departments	12%	16%
CIOs planning to hire only for open IT roles	80%	75%
CIOs who plan to put IT hiring plans on hold	4%	6%
CIOs who plan to reduce their IT staff	1%	3%
Don't know future hiring plans	2%	1%

*Numbers do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

View an infographic of the research findings.

"Boston employers are seeking skilled IT professionals in many sectors, but namely within the financial services, healthcare and software industries," said Kristen Johnson, Boston regional vice president of Robert Half Technology. "The growing increase in data security measures for corporations is triggering the need for talented security professionals. Developers and desktop support professionals remain highly sought after as well."

The 2015 hiring projections are based on interviews with 100 CIOs who were asked to provide a six-month hiring outlook. The surveys were developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. In order to ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper number of employees in the greater metropolitan Boston area. Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis and has been tracking IT hiring activity in the United States since 1995.

Recruiting Challenges

In terms of recruiting, 70 percent of Boston CIOs said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals today. It is most challenging to find skilled talent in the functional areas of software development (20 percent), security (17 percent) and networking (13 percent).

Confidence in Business Growth

The survey results suggest that Boston CIOs are optimistic about their companies' growth. Eighty-nine percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the first half of the year. This compares to 91 percent in the second half of 2014.

Skills in Demand

Sixty-one percent of Boston technology executives surveyed said that database management is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Desktop support and network administration followed, with 55 percent and 54 percent of the response, respectively.

About Robert Half Technology

With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at rht.com. Visitors can also request a copy of the Robert Half Technology 2015 Salary Guide, which includes a wide range of IT job descriptions.

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SOURCE Robert Half Technology