States will have to be innovative to attract new information technology (IT) workers, according to a brief issued April 10 by the Lexington, Ky.-based National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). The brief, "The Workforce Evolution: Recruiting and Retaining State IT Employees," is a follow-up to a 2007 survey that showed 80 percent of respondents were having difficulty finding new IT employees.

The new brief offers best practices for states to follow when recruiting new IT workers. "A looming shortage of IT employees appears to be a nationwide trend," said Dan Ross, Missouri chief information officer and co-chairman of NASCIO's State IT Workforce Working Group. "State CIOs who begin to explore innovative recruitment and retention strategies, and work to change policies that may hinder certain efforts, will have a distinct advantage if their state happens to be hit with an IT worker shortage."

Using Web 2.0 and social networking Web sites are some of the recommendations for new recruitment techniques covered in the brief. Also, recruiters should emphasize a balance of work and personal time and benefits packages. The brief is available at www.nascio.org/publications.