Project management
25% of respondents with hiring plans said they will be seeking people with this skill in the next 12 months.
Over the past 18 months, BCU's Zulpo set up a project management office with a half-dozen professionals to shepherd the credit union's growing number of projects. He says he's now looking to add one more professional to his staff to keep up with the volume of work.
His expectations for this candidate are high: He's looking for someone with a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, a master's degree and a track record of successfully managing projects, as well as the ability to collaborate with various business partners and juggle multiple projects.
"This is a highly visible person," Zulpo says, and given his lengthy list of desired qualities, he knows he might need three to six months to fill the position. But a lengthy search is worth the trouble because hiring that wrong person would be costly -- a situation that "that applies to all our positions across IT."
Zulpo's comments mirror what other hiring managers are saying about project management, according to TEKsystems' Hayman. They expect candidates to have certifications and solid experience. Moreover, candidates must show they understand the technical and functional elements of the role and that they can communicate with people and lead teams. And on top of that they must be good cultural fits, too.