CIOs in healthcare are more likely than their brethren in other industries to add IT staff during the first quarter of 2011, according to a quarterly survey of the IT field.

The latest Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report, produced by Menlo Park, Calif.-based IT placement firm Robert Half Technology, says that 18 percent of CIOs in the "health services" industry plan to hire during the first quarter, and not a single one surveyed foresees any staff cuts. This compares to the 11 percent of CIOs across all industries who expect to add staff between January and March 2011, and 3 percent who expect layoffs.

While optimism is rising among CIOs of all stripes--the 11 percent figure for all CIOs is up 5 percentage points from Robert Half's forecast for the 2010 fourth quarter--the available talent pool may dampen some of the enthusiasm, particularly in healthcare. "Companies in the healthcare industry say it is most difficult to find skilled software developers, followed by networking and security professionals," Robert Half International says in a press release.

Overall, 65 percent of CIOs across all industries say network administration is the skill most in demand, followed by Windows administration, named by 61 percent of respondents. When asked to name the one functional area for which they are having the most trouble finding qualified professionals, 17 percent said networking, 16 percent said security and 11 percent said software development.

For more data and explanation:
- read this Healthcare IT News story
- view this press release from Robert Half Technology

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