The skill requirements for the occupation of information technologist were examined in a study in which data were collected from 4 sources: search of existing literature; preliminary exploratory interviews with an unspecified number of employers in Britain's information technology (IT) sector; in-depth interviews with nearly 20 employers who employed between 20 and several thousand employees each; and discussion of the interview findings with a small group of employers and key actors in the sector. The following trends were identified as the main changes influencing the skills required of IT staff: more complete integration of the IT function into the business process; closer relationship of IT to business needs and development of a customer/client focus; more knowledgeable users; pressure on costs and delivery times; increasing rate of change in technology; and refocusing of IT activities to keep firms abreast and possibly ahead of their competition. According to the employers interviewed, IT staff need an array of skills in the following categories: technical skills; understanding of business needs; consultancy ability; management skills; problem-solving and analytical skills; and personal characteristics and interpersonal skills. The employers also discussed their recruitment criteria, practices, and problems, and their methods of training in-house and contract staff. (10 references) (MN)