Tech Hiring Heats Up

The federal government may face even steeper competition with the private sector for technology talent in the second half of 2011, particularly as the majority of businesses plan to step up hiring. According to this month's issue of the Dice Report, 65 percent of hiring managers anticipate hiring more technology professionals in the second half of 2011 than in the preceding six months.

Compared to the national unemployment rate of 9 percent, technology unemployment is now below 4 percent. The lack of qualified tech professionals has caused many positions to stay open for months, Dice found. Of those hiring managers who reported the time to fill a position is lengthening, 63 percent said talent shortages are the primary reason.

Despite the talent shortage, however, businesses are not out to hire entry-level IT workers. The majority want professionals with six to 10 years of IT experience, followed by two to five years and then by professionals with 10 years or more of experience.

Meanwhile, federal IT professionals are not the only ones who have seen little or no pay increase in the past year. Fifty-three percent of hiring managers said tech salaries are the same or less than they were last year, while 40 percent said tech salaries are slightly higher than last year, Dice found.