Canadian chief information officers (CIOs) expect a net 12-per-cent increase in the hiring of information technology (IT) professionals in the fourth quarter of 2001, according to RHI Consulting’s Information Technology Hiring Index.
Seventeen per cent of executives surveyed said their firms plan to add IT personnel in the last three months of the year, while five per cent expect staff reductions. The net increase in projected hiring activity is down four percentage points from the previous quarter’s forecast.
The national poll includes responses from more than 276 CIOs from a stratified random sample of Canadian companies with 100 or more employees. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by RHI Consulting, a provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis.
“As a result of the current economic climate, several firms are choosing to limit their technology expenditures, and in some cases, are placing IT initiatives on hold,” said Stephen Mill, RHI senior regional manager.
“While hiring activity has decreased compared to the previous quarter, those companies that are adding personnel report demand for networking talent, help-desk support and database specialists, in particular,” Mill said.
The finance, insurance and real estate sector should see the most active technology hiring in the next three months, according to the survey. Thirty-six per cent of CIOs plan to add IT staff and six per cent expect personnel reductions, for a net hiring increase of 30 per cent.
The wholesale and professional services industries are also expected to see employment growth above the national average: Technology executives in the wholesale industry project a net hiring increase of 20 per cent, while CIOs in the professional services sector foresee a net 14-per-cent increase in hiring activity.
