CIOs plan new hires in 2005

Techies have reason to feel bullish about the job market, a new report from investment firm Merrill Lynch says.

Chief information officers in the United States and Europe plan to increase their information technology staff rosters next year, according to the report, which was released on Tuesday. Of the 25 European and 75 US CIOs surveyed, 47 per cent said their IT staffing will be up in 2005. Another 44 per cent expected flat IT staffing, while nine per cent said it would be down.

The report comes in the wake of mixed signals about the job climate for technology professionals, who weathered massive job cuts earlier this decade. Online ads for tech jobs have increased, IT services companies have been hiring and analysts are warning companies to take steps to retain prized workers as the job market tightens.

Another study released on Tuesday suggested CIOs will have reason to bring on new employees in the future. Worldwide spending on information and communications technology is expected to grow about eight per cent a year from 2003 through 2007, a faster pace than global economic growth, according to the World Information Technology and Services Alliance.

Information and communications technology spending in the United States is also growing, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 6.8 per cent per year from 2003 through 2007, outpacing projected growth of the US economy during that period by 1.2 per cent, according to the alliance. The United States will continue to spend the most on information and communications technology, reaching roughly $1.3tn in 2007, said the alliance, a consortium of IT industry associations from 65 economies around the world.

Ed Frauenheim writes for CNET News.com.