Survey: Most IT Staffs to Grow in 2013

Top 15 Companies Currently Hiring for IT Jobs

Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of IT-focused hiring managers and recruiters say their companies will add tech positions in the first six months of 2013, according to a new survey from Dice.com.

That compares with just 47 percent who hire for a range of company positions, according to a similar, broader survey. However, just six months ago, 73 percent of hiring managers expected to add IT staff in the second half of 2012.

"Tempered optimism. That's how I'd describe the state of technology recruiting as we move into the New Year," said Alice Hill, managing director of Dice.com. "For every pair of companies likely to staff up in 2013, there's a company saying they're not looking to grow their technology work force in the immediate future. So there will be good job opportunities and there will be hiring, but we're expecting steady, modest growth, not a snowball gaining speed into an avalanche."

Other nuggets from the survey:

• The biggest change was in the West, 64 percent expect to add staff in early 2013, compared with 81 percent who said that about the second half of 2012.
• Fifty-five percent said time to hire had grown longer, including 16 percent who said the change had been "substantial."
• Forty-seven percent attributed the delay to inability to find qualified applicants, while 33 percent cited a desire to wait for "the perfect match."
• Meanwhile, seven in 10 reported to increase in voluntary departures from their companies.
• Fifty-three percent, however, said new candidates are asking for more money.
• Thirty-nine percent reported seeing more counteroffers.
• And 28 percent reported a rise in offers being rejected.

An InformationWeek survey earlier found application developers the most sought-after new employees, with security, application delivery and help desk high on hiring managers’ list, too.