Top Skills and IT Hiring Trends for 2011

At yesterday's Microsoft Career Conference, Robert Half International gave a presentation titled "IT Hiring and Compensation Trends for 2011." Below are some of the salient points from this discussion, with key points for IT pros and managers.

A few high-level trends include:

Companies are still cautious in hiring—while hiring is going up, the hiring process is getting longer.
Companies are increasing use of consultants and contractors for projects.
The biggest growth industries for IT are healthcare, manufacturing, non-profits, oil and gas, and high tech.
IT salaries are expected to increase by an average of 3.4%.

There is a growing demand for employees with the following skills:

Programming - .NET, Java, MySQL, PHP, Silverlight, SharePoint
Technological Proficiency - Knowledge of ERP packages
Business Mindset - Project management skills, general business knowledge
Security - Compliance, new security technologies, dealing with complex threats
Infrastructure Support - Help desk, PC technician, esp. skilled with supporting a mobile workforce
Networking - Virtualization and cloud
Electronic Health Records - IT to install and support medical record software

The most in-demand certifications include:

Cisco
Linux
Microsoft
Project Management
Security

The soft skills most desired, according to CIOs:

Leadership
Customer service
The ability to work under pressure
Written/verbal communication
Being able to align business and IT goals

Advice for managers to retain current employees (it's estimated that 40 percent of employees will be looking for new jobs in 2011):

Re-recruit current staff by selling them on benefits of working for company
Help staff establish a well-defined career path
Additional skills training via cross-training through organization
Consider flexible work arrangements for staff
Prevent burnout by making sure employees aren't overworked

For additional information or a salary calculator for your area, visit Robert Half Technology's website.

Follow Brian Reinholz on Twitter

Related Reading:

Comments

Plain text