News
May 3, 2017Linium Hiring Index Shows Improvement
Filling technology jobs in the Capital Region remains a challenge, but employers are seeing some improvement in hiring and feeling more optimistic about job growth over the next year, according to the latest Linium Hiring Index released today by Linium Recruiting, the region’s leading recruiter for high-tech positions.
Of 80 hiring and human resource managers surveyed for the Spring 2017 Linium Hiring Index, 66 percent said recruiting and hiring for tech jobs was either challenging or a significant challenge. That was down from 82 percent the previous quarter, and from 76 percent a year ago. Asked about expectations for high-tech job growth over the next year, 83 percent said they were either optimistic or very optimistic, up from 71 percent last quarter and 80 percent last year.
More than half of employers, 53 percent, reported an increase in tech jobs in the first quarter, which was higher than 46 percent in the previous quarter. However, the number expecting to add jobs in the second quarter, 46 percent, was down from 52 percent in the first quarter. It does not appear, though, that Trump administration policies are significantly affecting hiring: 65 percent of employers said they’re having no impact, while 23 percent said new economic momentum could lead to additional hiring, and 12 percent expressed concern about the direction of the economy that could stall future hiring plans.
“It is encouraging that employers seem to be having more success in hiring qualified candidates for technology positions, and are expressing optimism about future job growth,” said Miriam Dushane, Managing Director, Upstate New York for Linium Recruiting. “We need to remain mindful that two-thirds of employers are still experiencing challenges in recruiting for tech jobs, and be vigilant in strengthening workforce development efforts to improve a dynamic that ultimately drives our region’s prosperity.”
The skills gap remains the biggest challenge affecting the ability to hire, according to 31 percent of employers, followed by corporate finances at 24 percent, business development at 18 percent, overall business climate at 14 percent, and health care costs at 10 percent.
Information technology remained the tech field showing the fastest-growing number of opportunities at 46 percent, unchanged from last quarter. However, the IT positions most in demand flipped: development positions (web, software and applications) rose from 38 percent to 51 percent, while infrastructure positions (hardware, network, security and support) dropped from 45 percent to 29 percent.
The survey was conducted from March 14 through 30. Of the respondents, 53 percent came from companies with more than 200 employees, and 47 percent from firms with 200 or fewer.
Used by hiring managers to help develop strategies to recruit and retain a highly skilled workforce, the Linium Hiring Index gives companies unique insight into the Capital Region’s technology job market. The next quarterly index will be released in July.
