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Robert Half Technology Survey Finds CIOs Optimistic about IT Hiring

TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2013 /CNW/ - The just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report for Canada shows that 12 percent of Canadian chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed recently plan to expand their IT teams in the first half of 2014. This is up 4 points as compared to projections from the previous six-month period (June-December 2013). Another 74 percent plan to hire only for open IT roles, 9 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 2 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the first six months of the year.

Canadian IT Hiring Forecast   

"The new year is bringing with it a sense of optimism when it comes to IT hiring with more CIOs planning to add more staff to their IT departments than the last six-month period," says Megan Slabinski, Canadian president of Robert Half Technology. "In addition, more respondents are confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the first six months of 2014."

The 2014 hiring projections are based on interviews with 270 CIOs who were asked to provide a six-month hiring outlook. The 2013 projections are based on an average of two separate CIO surveys conducted in the second and third quarters of 2013. In each of these surveys, more than 270 CIOs from a random sample of Canadian companies with 100 or more employees were asked about their hiring plans for the next three months. The surveys were developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. 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, 42 percent of Canadian CIOs said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals today, up 7 points from the last six-month period. It is most challenging to find skilled talent in the functional areas of networking (15 percent), applications development (9 percent) and database management (7 percent).

Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments
The survey results suggest that Canadian CIOs are positive about their companies' growth and IT investments. Eighty-eight percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the first six months of 2014. This compares to 82 percent in the last half of 2013.

Sixty-four percent of CIOs also said they are confident that their firms will invest in IT projects in the first half of 2014. This compares to 56 percent in the last six months of 2013.

Skills in Demand
Sixty-four percent of Canadian technology executives surveyed said that Windows administration is among the skill sets in greatest demand within their IT departments. Network administration and desktop support followed, with 59 percent and 55 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 www.rht.com. Visitors can also request a copy of the Robert Half Technology 2014 Salary Guide, which includes a wide range of IT job descriptions.

SOURCE Robert Half Technology