(RALEIGH) -- Even with the state and national unemployment rates above 8 percent, Lauren Coker, a North Carolina based executive with Robert Half International, says some sectors are experiencing a talent shortage.

"There are a lot of companies who are having trouble finding candidates for more specialized positions where they are looking for a particular type of skill set," said Coker.

Demand is high for workers in the accounting, finance and technology fields.  The unemployment rate in these areas is anywhere from around a third to half of the state and national average.

"The unemployment rates for IT professionals, in certain areas of IT, is as low as about 3.1 percent.  In accounting and finance, again for certain positions within that area, it can be around 4.4 percent."

Many companies looking for skilled IT, finance and accounting workers are having to change how they recruit. "What we have found is that a lot of companies are advertising for everything that they want in a position and not necessarily breaking it down to must haves and nice to haves."

One recent survey by McKinsey & Company found that 64 percent of companies have positions for which they cannot find qualified applicants.