2015 is primed to be a robust year for job creation and hiring among businesses in the IT channel. According to a poll by job listing site Dice.com, 75 percent of participating tech employers are looking to add positions this year, which bodes well for professionals and hiring managers alike. Meanwhile, 72 percent of those who plan to expand their workforce intend to do so in the first two quarters of 2015, making now a better time than ever for IT professionals to polish their resumes.
After a series of high-profile data breaches in 2014, one of the most in-demand skill sets for tech firms this year is cybersecurity. Since December 2013, the demand for professionals in that area of the it solutions community has grown by 77 percent. Finding the right experts to patch up vulnerabilities and fortify communication and data storage is paramount to the long-term survival of companies, and it shows in the job market.
As a result of this significant growth in demand, salary negotiations have become more contested. Sixty-four percent of professionals who are offered jobs request better compensation, while 43 percent of managers faced with those terms decide to match counteroffers from the prospect's current company.
"With hiring managers looking to bring on such a large number of new hires, candidates really have strong negotiating power," says Dice President Shravan Goli. With many professionals open to moving geographically for the right job, playing hardball in compensation talks can make a firm's offer harder to turn down.
The survey also discovered that Nashville, Hartford, Conn., Portland, Ore., and Sacramento are the fastest-growing cities for tech jobs. With job gains across the country, 2015 could be a transformational year for technology teams as companies reach for the next level.
