New Year Brings Good News for Technology Pros

The new year is bringing positive employment news for information technology workers, with the majority of tech-focused managers and recruiters planning to boost hiring in the next six months.

Dice.com’s 2014 Hiring Survey of nearly 900 technology-focused hiring managers and recruiters found that nearly three out of four respondents (73 percent) plan to hire more technology professionals in the first six months of 2013.

While that figure is similar to findings in the mid-2013 survey, respondents indicated even more aggressive hiring in 2014 than in the past six months. Twenty-four percent of respondents indicated their plans for tech hiring will be substantial, compared with 19 percent who felt that way six months ago, Dice found.

Most tech-focused hiring managers and recruiters also believe layoffs will be kept to a minimum in the first half of 2014. Three-quarters of respondents reported no likelihood of layoffs within their organizations within the next six months, up from 65 percent who made the same prediction in mid-2013.  

Pay was cited by 75 percent of respondents as a significant contributor to technology professionals’ willingness to quit their current positions. More than half (58 percent) of tech-focused hiring managers and recruiters also reported having positions vacant as a result of inappropriate salary guidelines.

More technology professionals are voluntarily leaving their jobs, with 42 percent of respondents reporting an uptick in voluntary departures during 2013, up from 33 percent in June.

Employers also are working harder to retain existing staffers and attract new tech talent, with 41 percent of respondents reporting an increase in counteroffers from existing employers, up from 38 percent six months ago. The number of tech-focused hiring managers and recruiters seeing candidates turn down job offers also rose slightly when compared to mid-year, rising to 34 percent.

 “The new year should be ‘all systems go’ for tech professionals on the career front,” said Shavran Goli, president of Dice. “There aren’t many times when you can write your own ticket, but this consistent optimism and upward pressure on compensation means it’s time to capitalize.” 

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