| October 2006 |
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| The Denver technology market has survived several economic hits over the past few years, but despite the setbacks, the industry is once again thriving. At first glance, the causal observer might have looked at recent layoffs at companies such as Sun Microsystems and Seagate Technology and determined that the area was flagging. But appearances can be deceiving. Smaller businesses have picked up the slack, helping the Denver area thrive.
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The outlook for tech hiring in Denver in the fourth quarter is again ahead of the national average. "More and more non-technology businesses are relying on technology to improve their internal operations and increase revenue," said Deidre Steuber, director for IT staffing firm Robert Half Technology. And that’s what’s speeding up the pace for IT hiring.
John Deets, Denver’s branch manager of Sapphire Technologies, a national IT staffing firm, said the IT job market has continued to grow over the past few quarters, even surpassing the high-water mark set in the late ‘90s. “The growth in small and medium-size businesses continues to drive demand for tech professionals,” Deets said.
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| 15% of Denver CIOs plan to make new hires this quarter. |
| - Robert Half Technology's fourth-quarter IT Hiring Index |
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In fact, opportunities in Denver’s IT job market have soared throughout the year. Listings on Dice have climbed since January, up an impressive 35% to 1,686 by the end of September. And the Robert Half Technology Q4 IT Hiring Index finds that a net 15% of Denver CIOs plan to make new hires this quarter.
“There are a number of industries that make Denver’s tech market unique,” said Scot Melland, CEO of Dice. “And the innovation in smaller firms, combined with the big aerospace and telecommunications sectors, make Denver a strong bet in the job market.”
Arthur Jerijian, a Denver area software developer with nine years experience, agrees. He said opportunities have definitely increased since he was last in the job market back in 2003.
And those in the IT market continue to make good money. Tech professionals in the Denver area reported earning an average salary of $74,300, according to a survey by Dice. That’s 5.7% more than the average U.S. tech salary of $70,300.
The latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey said about 33% of the companies interviewed planned to hire more employees in the fourth quarter, down from 43% in the third quarter. The third-quarter hiring outlook was the strongest since Q1 1995. “Employers have much more positive hiring intentions than they did a year ago, when 23% of companies surveyed thought employment increases were likely and 18% intended to cut back,” said Manpower spokesperson Sunny Ackerman.
“Taken as a whole, the Denver area creates the perfect blend of parts that has made the Mile High City one of the hottest tech sectors in the nation,” said Melland.
If you would like to be interviewed for the next Dice market report, or if you have comments about this article, please contact us at feedback@dice.com.
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| Dice job postings in Denver are up 35% since Jan. |
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