Twenty-three percent of Atlanta-area technology executives recently surveyed expect to expand their information technology (IT) teams in the second half of 2015, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Forecast and Local Trend Report. This is a 4 point increase from the previous six months and a 13 point increase from the same time period in 2014. In addition, 65 percentplan to hire only for open IT roles, 10 percent plan to put hiring plans on hold, and 2 percent expect to reduce their IT staff in the last six months of the year.

View an infographic of research highlights.

"Atlanta continues to be a hot spot for IT professionals, and employers are seeking a variety of skilled talent for their organizations, with desktop support at the top of their list," said Chris McCrea, Atlanta senior regional vice president of Robert Half Technology. "We have seen a recent migration of companies to the area, resulting in increased opportunities for candidates."

Hiring forecasts are based on interviews with more than 2,500 chief information officers (CIOs) from 25 major U.S. markets who were asked to provide a six-month hiring outlook.

Recruiting Challenges and Skills in Demand
Recruiting still remains a challenge, as 64 percent of CIOs said it's somewhat or very challenging to find skilled IT professionals today. They also revealed the skills in greatest demand within their organizations, which include:

• Desktop support (53 percent)
• Windows administration (50 percent)
• Wireless network management (50 percent)
• Network administration (47 percent)
• Database management (47 percent)

Addressing Recruiting Challenges
Seventy-two percent of survey respondents said they are taking action to address recruiting challenges for IT staff. The following is a breakdown of the steps they are taking:

• Increasing networking activities (56 percent)
• Using recruiters or staffing firms (41 percent)
• Offering referral bonuses (40 percent)
• Hiring consultants to augment current staff (39 percent)