Demand Up for Temp Techies

The sluggish economy has led to an increase in temporary technology positions in the past year, according to this month's edition of the Dice Report. But while both full-time and contract hiring have been up about 50 percent since hitting a low in mid-2009, recruiters are mixed on whether the tech markets are favoring more contract or permanent hires.

Earlier this year, for example, one recruiter in Silicon Valley noted companies often favored contract hires when making an offer, but now, those companies are sticking with full-time offers. But many financial companies, many of which don't know their budgets for next year, are sticking to contractors to fill any gaps, Dice found.

The high demand for IT workers also has led to an increase in the hourly rates for contractors, Dice found. And hiring managers are paying top dollar for in-demand skills, such as experienced Java developers, database administrators, specialists in virtualization and experienced project managers.

Meanwhile, the top metro areas for tech jobs remain New York City, Washington, Silicon Valley and Chicago, Dice reports.

Does the government's ability to offer full-time employment and job security give it an edge over the private sector when competing for tech talent? At the same time, can the government's pay scale compete for the most in-demand skills?