Cybersecurity, DevOps, Data Analytics Remain Technologist Hiring Focus
Demand for developers and other skilled tech workers is skyrocketing as businesses follow through with digital transformation plans spurred by the pandemic.
Roughly 60% of companies plan on boosting their technologist headcount in the coming year, according to the new 2021 Harvey Nash Group Digital Leadership Report.
The report is based on a survey of more than 2,100 digital leaders across 87 countries. It took place between July 8 and October 11.
In the report, cybersecurity received the most mentions as the top in-demand skill in the last 12 months:
43% of respondents indicated Cybersecurity is the top in-demand skill in the last 12 months
39% of respondents indicated DevOps as the most in-demand skill
38% of respondents indicated data/analytics skills as the top
That’s good news for technologists on the hunt for a new position. Not only will roles open up, but pressure to fill those roles could translate into increased leverage when it comes to negotiating compensation, benefits, and perks.
The report also mentions how cybersecurity, DevOps, and data analytics are three tech areas with the potential for the most acute skills shortages. It found 69% of US tech leaders say they are unable to keep pace with change because of lack of talent.
That could force hiring managers and recruiters to cast a far wider net when it comes to recruiting technologists, particularly if the jobs in question are remote (and can thus be done from anywhere). For technologists, knowing cybersecurity, DevOps, and analytics skills will increase your hiring potential drastically, especially if you’re adept at something highly specialized such as artificial intelligence (A.I.).
In the context of cybersecurity, the need for talent has drawn the attention of the White House and mega-corporations such as Microsoft, which are pouring abundant resources into education and training.
IBM, Google, and Microsoft have pledged to collectively educate hundreds of thousands of students in cybersecurity skills over the next few years. An estimate by Cyber Seek, a job-tracking database developed by the Department of Commerce and CompTIA, estimates there are 465,000 open cyber positions nationwide, including 36,000 across federal, state, and local government agencies—meaning that, despite this newfound focus on education, the talent shortages could persist for quite some time.
In a bid to attract technologists, companies are deploying new kinds of benefits, from pet insurance to flexible schedules and unlimited PTO. If you’re interested in remote or hybrid employment, more employers are also cycling up benefits designed to facilitate working from your home office, including (but certainly not limited to) subsidies for desks and equipment. If you’re on the hunt for a new role, keep all of that in mind—the pressure to find technologists could lead employers to make one-of-a-kind offers.
Source: Dice