A quick glance at the job postings on data storage LinkedIn groups will tell the story: data storage specialists are in demand. In fact, according to a recent report from the Enterprise Strategy Group, 12% of enterprises believed that their company lacks adequate storage skills.

The ESG 2011 IT Spending Intentions report, which surveys 611 mid-market and enterprise-class organizations, stated that 39% of organizations surveyed said they would add IT staff in 2011. 19% of respondents included in the report said that they would add storage administrators to their organization.

Because storage specialists seem to be in high demand, their skill sets can demand a premium. In fact, some organizations have created reward programs to help them discover premium talent. For example, Reliant Technology, located in Atlanta, Georgia, has created a new referral reward program to find the most talented storage engineers. Their program offers a $5,000 reward to anyone who refers a candidate that becomes a successful hire.

For more information on the Reliant Technology referral reward program, visit http://bit.ly/w5EqD9