What’s the outlook for tech hiring in New York? Just ask Jason Deneu, metro market manager for Robert Half Technology here.

 

“Everyone is optimistic and ready to hit the ground running with new projects,” he says. “The beginning of 2018 is going to have an old-school, opening day [of] baseball feel to it for CIOs in the tri-state area.”

 

The technology industry has been booming in New York. Between 2010 and 2016, the sector added 46,900 jobs — and employment increased by a staggering 57 percent. According to local CIOs surveyed for the 2018 Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report, that trend is set to continue and bring even more opportunities to the New York job market through the first half of 2018.

 

With that much job growth, demand may outweigh supply, Deneu says, and competition for top candidates could get fierce. On the other side of the coin, experienced techies on the job hunt might end up with multiple offers — and the possibility of a bigger paycheck and more fulfilling role. Read on for insights on these and other tech trends expected over the next six months.

Of all the U.S. cities where tech hiring is expected to expand in early 2018, the Big Apple ranked third. Twenty-six percent of the CIOs polled by Robert Half indicated they plan to add full-time technology positions to their teams in the first half of the year — an increase of nine points from a year ago. Furthermore, 62 percent of technology leaders in the New York job market said they intend to maintain staff levels by filling vacant roles.

 

 

While growth is great for the company, a majority of CIOs surveyed (61 percent) said they find it challenging to locate skilled IT talent in New York’s job market. However, there are ways to keep the disruptions brought on by recruiting to a minimum.

 

“Employers may want to work with professional recruiters to meet hiring demands,” says Deneu, “Passive candidates often end up being the best options, but they are typically not on the open job market.” Staffing specialists like Robert Half can tap into these buried treasures. Plus, their referral networks and industry contacts help find leads on skilled talent quicker.

 

Additionally, Deneu notes that adding extra employee benefits to their compensation packages can help companies that are seeking to fill positions on their own. “A flexible work schedule, a relaxed environment and the utilization of cutting-edge technologies always draws a crowd of job seekers,” he says. Other benefits, like telecommuting opportunities, professional development and paid gym memberships, also help attract top talent.

Increased interest in certain skill sets, especially application development and IT security, puts people experienced in these areas in high demand. Positions that employers said they need to fill most include those in:

These align with CIOs’ top priorities for the year. Other needs include:

“Infrastructure projects and build-outs are hot right now,” Deneu says. “Our clients are looking to bring in top talent immediately for system upgrades, cloud integration and security initiatives.”

 

Beyond the technical requirements of these positions, there are several soft skills important in the New York job market. “If the role is client or customer facing, the ability to confidently interact with various levels of staff and management is paramount,” Deneu says. “As always, attention to detail within the development and cybersecurity worlds is a must.”

Given the predictions for technology hiring in New York City, it’s wise to start thinking about your needs now. For employers, this means anticipating openings, budgeting for hiring and finding efficiencies to avoid costly delays in the process. For candidates, it means deciding what you’re looking for in a new position and figuring out where to find the best opportunities.