IT Jobs & Skills In Demand

Laptop with WebcamThe IT job market has been on the rise and shows no sign of slowing down. Various industries are looking for skilled workers to fill a myriad of positions. From mobile developers to business analysts and database engineers, the opportunities are endless for job seekers with the right set of skills.

Here are some of the IT skills and jobs that are in high demand in the industry today.

User Experience Designers

According the Nielsen Norman Group, User Experience encompasses every aspects of the end-user’s interaction with a company, its services, and products.

User Experience Designer may be a broad job title, but more and more companies are realizing the importance of user-centered design and meeting the needs and requirements of their users.

Skills in high demand range from information architecture, visual design, content strategy, interaction design, user interface design, and usability as well as marketing and quality assurance.

Mobile Developers

Mobile development is a hot topic right now and it is safe to assume the trend will keep getting more popular as mobile technology develops and evolves in the coming years. Mobile developers and programmers are in extremely high demand.

Landing your dream job in the mobile industry requires some specific skills such as CSS, HTML5, Javascript, Java and Objective-C. Organizations big and small are on the lookout for skilled developers, but also designers who specialize in mobile user-interface design.

Front-End Developers

A website or application can often be broken down into two parts, front-end and back-end. Front-end developers focus on the visual parts of a system — what users can see and how they interact with a website or application.

Being proficient with multiple web-development languages such as HTML, CSS, PHP, and Javascript (including popular Javascript libraries such as jQuery) are must-have skills. Front-end developers should also have a deep understanding of HTML and its multiple specifications and be aware of CSS best practices and have experience working with CSS preprocessors like LESS and Sass. Having experience with PHP and various content management systems such as WordPress and Drupal will for sure give job seekers bonus points in an interview.

Back-End Developers & Engineers

While front-end developers focus on the user-interface and the visual parts of a website or application, back-end developers work mostly on server-side programming. This includes the underlying architecture of a system, scalability, scripting, security, and the exchange of data between an application and the browser or device.

Back-end developers must have extensive knowledge of programming languages such as PHP, Python, Ruby on Rails, Perl, Java, and others depending on the position or project. Other must-have skills include knowledge of the XML syntax, HTML (including HTML5), CSS/XSL, database programming, Javascript, C++, and .NET.

Project Managers & Business Analysts

Project managers do more than just manage projects. They are good communicators and have a keen eye for detail. They understand the various stages of a project, from wireframing and design, to back-end development and engineering. Project management skills include time, cost and quality management, as well as human resources and risk management.

Logical thinking and some technical expertise are also required skills. Remember that project managers are responsible for taking a project from start to completion with the least amount of friction possible while effectively managing expectations of employees and upper management. Project managers and business analysts are often the link between the business community and the IT departments – a very important part of the equation.

Cloud Architects & Engineers

Cloud computing is not just a buzzword anymore, it is an integral part of our lives. A cloud architect’s job is to help businesses manage their cloud computing and network spaces. Cloud engineers must have experience in multi-platform and large-scale networks. Some of the necessary skills include PHP, C++, Shell, Perl, Python, VBScript, VMWare, and experience administrating virtualized environments. A B.S. in computer science or engineering is a must according to Computer World.

Cloud engineers should have experience deploying web services on platforms such as Amazon EC2 and feel comfortable working in an Agile software development environment.

Database Administrators & Programmers

Almost all the websites and applications we use in our daily lives have some type of database powering them, storing and retrieving information. From geocaching to live streaming and big data applications, businesses around the world are in need of skilled database administrators and programmers. In fact, database administration is a role that has quickly grown in popularity over the past couple of years, especially now that many companies work with extremely high volume of information and data.

Database administrators often assist with database design and monitor database efficiency and security. Required skills include the understanding of SQL (structured query language) as well as experience working with Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB, MaxDB, PostgreSQL and various other systems. Knowledge of the underlying operating system (Windows, Linux) is also a must. Most database admin roles will require a B.A. in computer sciences, engineering or IT.

Remember that no matter your background, the most important skills to have in order to land your dream job are adaptability and wanting to grow as part of a company.

The information technology industry is ever-changing and new roles and positions are created each day, so while your technical skills might get you on the phone to schedule an interview, your soft skills will play a big role in landing the job.

We at Adecco Engineering & Technology use our knowledge and insight to keep businesses ahead of the growing talent shortage, and we use our connections with premier STEM professionals to deliver the innovators our clients are looking for. To learn more about our recruiting and staffing solutions, contact us today.