The four-state region of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma is expected to lead the country in information technology hiring activity during the first quarter, according to a survey released Tuesday.
Thirteen percent of chief information officers in the region plan to expand their IT departments and 3 percent expect personnel cuts, according to a survey by Robert Half Technology. The net 10 percent increase is up 7 points from the region's fourth-quarter forecast.
"CIOs in the ... region are reporting increased demand for applications developers and network administrators skilled in Linux - particularly those with experience in the business and professional services industries, and the energy sector," says Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Menlo Park, Calif.-based Robert Half Technology, an IT staffing provider.
In the national poll of more than 1,400 CIOs, 9 percent plan to expand their IT departments by adding full-time staff in the upcoming quarter and 6 percent expect personnel reductions. The net 3 percent hiring increase compares with a net 5 percent increase forecast previously.
"Despite recent positive signs for the economy, CIOs remain conservative in their management of human resources," Lee says. "Instead of making permanent staff additions, a number of executives are utilizing project professionals to meet rising workloads and delaying full-time hiring until they see a sustained economic recovery."
Email This Page!