The good news -- if you are an IT pro thinking of launching a job hunt this year -- is that plenty of companies plan to inflate their IT staffs in 2007. It's not such good news, obviously, for execs trying to attract tech talent.

According to a recent Computer Economics survey, this will be the busiest year yet this decade for tech hiring. More than half of all companies plan to grow IT staffs by 5 percent or more this year, while 25 percent of companies intend to increase headcount by at least 15 percent.

In addition, the average salary increase across all IT positions will be 3.8 percent, predicts Computer Economics. That's the highest level since 2001, although it still lags the average 4.2 percent salary increase across all U.S. professions seen in 2006.

The tightening job market is leading a growing number of companies to outsource their recruitment and hiring activities. It helps companies speed their hunts for high-caliber candidates and better cope with hiring spikes without bringing on additional full-time HR help.

In addition to enlisting a hiring specialist, it doesn't hurt to get creative when seeking tech talent. While a good salary is an obvious incentive, it's smart to play up less obvious benefits such as cross-functional career opportunities, the option of working on a project involving a cool new technology, or reporting to a manager with a stellar reputation.