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As millions of Americans continue to struggle as the job market sputters, IT specialists are finding themselves in a much better position, with expectations that IT staff hiring will continue to rise, along with salaries, according to the latest survey from online IT employment company Dice. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of IT-focused recruiters and hiring managers expect companies to add more tech staff in the second half of 2012, the survey found.
In addition, 58 percent of corporate hiring managers noted IT staff salaries were higher than last year. The survey suggests the addition in hiring is not to replace departing employees, with just 37 percent of corporate hiring managers saying voluntary departures have increased thus far in 2012. Bonuses and non-monetary compensation (like more flexible hours or longer vacation time) are also being considered by companies struggling to find qualified IT workers. “Our customers tell us it’s hard to entice tech professionals out of their current positions,” Tom Silver, senior vice president of North America for Dice, said in a prepared statement. “There is just not enough confidence for professionals to leave what they know behind and take a chance with their careers.”
However, the survey indicated the time to fill open positions had shortened, with 24 percent saying it was less than six months ago. Companies recruiting for new positions was cited as the main reason for the shortening, according to survey results. Still, tech professionals shouldn’t expect an easy search process, because more respondents (45 percent) noted extended hiring timesmainly due to the inability to find qualified professionals, followed by hiring managers still waiting for the perfect candidate, the report noted.
A little more than half (55 percent) said they would be hiring slightly more IT professionals in the second half of 2012, while 18 percent said hiring would be substantial. For companies or recruiters who said the time to fill positions was lengthening, 12 percent cited caution related to the economy, and nearly half (48 percent) said an inability to find qualified professionals to fill open positions was responsible.
Dice conducted the survey from May 14 to May 18, garnering more than 800 respondents from human resource managers, recruiters, consulting and staffing companies from every region of the country who primarily hire or recruit technology professionals. According to Dices results, 45 percent identified as recruiting for their own needs and 35 percent of that group had more than 500 employees.