Even in the current economy, "It's hard to find good help" is an adage to which many information technology (IT) managers can relate. In a new survey, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of chief information officers (CIOs) polled said it is equally or more challenging to find skilled candidates for IT jobs than it was last year.

A majority of respondents (52 percent) attributed their recruiting difficulties to a shortage of qualified workers.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on telephone interviews with 1,400 CIOs across the United States.

CIOs were asked, "Is it more or less challenging to find qualified candidates for IT jobs within your firm now compared to 12 months ago?"

Much more challenging 10%

Somewhat more challenging 12%

Just as challenging 55%

Somewhat less challenging 9%

Much less challenging 7%

Don't know/no answer 7%

Those who said it was more challenging to find qualified IT workers also were asked, "What is the primary cause behind the challenge in finding workers for IT jobs within your company?"

A shortage of qualified IT workers 52%

The inability to offer competitive compensation 28%

The inability to offer career advancement opportunities 10%

Other 4%

Don't know/no answer 6% 

"Despite economic uncertainty and a more competitive job market, there are still talent shortages in certain IT specialties, such as applications development, web development and network administration," said Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology. "Employers are struggling to find the most qualified candidates and some are more willing to negotiate higher compensation to get them on board."

Lee noted that recruiters can be a valuable resource for employers seeking the most skilled professionals. "By working with a specialized staffing firm, companies gain immediate access to an extensive network of potential candidates and benefit from a streamlined recruiting process, which ultimately saves them time and ensures projects stay on track," she said.

About the Survey

The national survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. The survey is based on more than 1,400 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. In order for the survey to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region, industry and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportions of the number of employees within each region.

About Robert Half Technology

With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at http://www.rht.com.