Title: Executive director

Organization: Robert Half Technology

Robert Half, a provider of IT staff on a project and full-time basis, sees a battle for IT talent in the offing. Computerworld's Jamie Eckle spoke about the trend with Spencer Lee.

What evidence does Robert Half see of a shift in the employment market from employer-driven to employee-driven? We're finding real evidence both in our research and in our everyday interactions with IT hiring managers and job applicants. Research conducted for the Robert Half Technology 2006 Salary Guide finds that average starting salaries for all technology positions are expected to climb 3 percent this year. Much greater increases are projected for positions like IT auditor (11.2 percent), lead application developer (5.3 percent) and network security administrator (5.2 percent). These gains are a reaction to a tightening labor pool for certain specialties and a sign that employers are beginning to more aggressively compete for candidates.

In addition, according to the Robert Half International and CareerBuilder.com EDGE Report, nearly half of surveyed employees say they are likely to seek new positions at other companies within the next three years. And 60 percent said they would be more likely to negotiate compensation packages now than even one year ago. Although the survey included respondents from a variety of industries, the results are no less true within IT departments.