In the United States, the unemployment rate for tech professionals is 3.8 percent, a vast improvement from 5.3 percent just 12 months ago and far better than the 8.3 percent national unemployment rate.1 With strong evidence of job creation tied to increased adoption and use of Linux, Dice and The Linux Foundation teamed up to better understand the global 2012 hiring outlook for Linux professionals. The comprehensive survey includes responses from more than 2,000 hiring managers at corporations, Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs), government organizations, and staffing agencies from across the globe. Eighty-one percent of survey respondents say that hiring Linux talent is a priority in 2012. This urgency is driving a substantial increase in recruiting activity, with 47 percent of hiring managers expecting to add more Linux professionals to their firms in early 2012 and 63 percent noting Linux hires are increasing relative to jobs created in other skill areas. However, a full 85 percent report having difficulty finding qualified Linux professionals to fill these positions, pointing to the need for more skilled Linux talent. In an economy where contract and temp-to-hire positions have become more prevalent, Linux professionals garner more full-time positions and better salaries, bonuses and perks. While the average pay increase for tech professionals averaged just 2 percent in 2011, professionals with Linux skills have seen a 5 percent increase in salaries and a 15 percent jump in bonus payouts over the same timeframe. Seventy-five percent of respondents cited the mid-level professional with three to five years of experience as their most-sought hires, especially those with development or systems administration skills. With the tech industry having twice as many openings as professionals who can do the job, college grads to mid-career professionals are considering how to take advantage of that opportunity. Software programming has been highly touted as a lucrative area of technology, and with the increasing use of Linux and open-source software across industries, Linux know-how is topping the list of most highly sought expertise in this area. Download the Free Linux Foundation Publication: 2012 Linux Jobs Report