There may be mixed reports on the overall hiring climate in the United States, but there appears to be little uncertainty when it comes to Technology. All reports indicate that hiring in that sector hot, particularly in the contract staffing realm. Even better, there are plenty of opportunities for recruiters to take advantage of this trend.

Citing a study from TheLadders, Recruiter reports that 70% of today's hottest jobs come from the technology sector. Moreover, the IT staffing industry has experienced 7% year-over-year growth in 2013, according to Staffing Industry Analysts.

The trend seems to be driven mainly by the meteoric growth of mobile devices and the public's constant demand for faster devices with expanded capabilities. The type of work required, particularly the testing and verification of devices, is perfectly suited to contract work. Other industries, from banking to healthcare, have unique technology projects that are also boosting the need for IT contractors.

The jobs in demand now include:

• Data scientists - in fact, a huge shortage is expected for these professionals.
• Android developers
• iOS developers
• Project Managers
• Network Designers
• Systems Auditing
• Business Technologists
• Business Intelligence Developer

These positions require knowledge of new mobile programming languages, high level math skills, engineering, and more. Moreover, companies are clamoring for technology professionals who also have a wide range of "soft skills" not typically associated with technology jobs, such as interpersonal skills, visualization, and project management.  

We see three take-aways from all of this for recruiters:

1. Companies will NEED recruiters to find qualified IT professionals. It is unlikely that companies will be able to find the unique mix of skills they need through a simple job ad or social media search. They will need YOU and your extensive databases, networks, and expertise.
2. The majority of these positions will be contract due to the nature of the work.
3. The competition for these contractors will be fierce and they will be very selective, so it's important to provide the best contractor experience to get the best talent.

Number 3 is easier than it may sound.  To attract and retain quality contractors, simply outsource their employment to a full-service contract staffing back-office. A quality back-office will pay your contractors on a regular (often weekly) basis with the option of direct deposit.  They will offer a full menu of benefits, including national, healthcare reform-compliant health insurance, dental, vision, and life insurance, and 401(k). And they will be responsive to your contractors' needs and questions.

Tech contract job orders are out there. If you can attract technology contract candidates with the right mix of technical and soft skills, you can set yourself up for a very lucrative 2014 and beyond!

Debbie Fledderjohann is the President of Top Echelon Contracting, Inc.