Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, technologies such as machine learning (ML), data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) had been developing rapidly. However, in the short period of a few years, they have become crucial in today’s society despite, or rather, because of the current global crisis. With such rapid technological growth, demand has grown significantly for tech professionals with the knowledge and skills which meet the needs of the modern tech industry. In one way or another, every company has had to adapt to tech advancements to keep up with the future of work, and the skilled workforce has become the key to the innovation and success of a company. A tech career has become an attractive option for individuals who want to sustain their place in the future job market. Employers value skilled talent and actively hire candidates with technical expertise.
So, what are the skills and backgrounds that will set job seekers apart from other candidates when tech-focused companies are hiring? AI and DevOps are some of the technology skills examples that are always in demand, but there are also other skills and traits that companies value. Below, we list the top IT skills in demand for 2022, as well as the qualities and backgrounds that companies are seeking talent for.
Most In-Demand Tech Skills for 2022
Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing tops the list of new skills to learn in 2022. Cloud Computing skills are in high demand and cloud certifications are associated with the highest salaries in the tech industry. The main reason cloud computing knowledge is crucial for a tech professional is because it intersects with all the important tech skills. More that 95% of large organizations use at least one form of cloud computing within their operations, and this number is expected to grow even more in the next few years. Employers seek tech professionals who have expertise in cloud computing, including platform as a service, infrastructure as a service, hybrid, public and private cloud, Azure, and AWS. Thus, training in Cloud will equip you with a valuable skill set making you a desirable candidate in the tech job market.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is one of the best computer skills to learn in 2022. Moreover, it is one of the very few career opportunities that has zero percent unemployment rate. Every role within the tech industry has a cybersecurity aspect. Expertise in cybersecurity opens outstanding opportunities including working with security operations, risk assessments, and application security.
UX Design
User experience design skills can significantly enhance the career of a developer with any level of technical experience. Tech professionals who understand what clients want are able to deliver efficient design solutions without wasting valuable effort and time on features that are of no use.
“User experience design is a critical function of a fast-growing, agile development organization that builds data security software. A lack of UX consistency or logic in security products may lead to poor decision making by users. Our goal is to have UX embedded in all stages of the software development cycle to help our clients get the most value and reduce their organizations’ IT risks.”
Illia Sotnikov, Security Strategist & Vice President of User Experience at Netwrix
Data Science, Statistics, and Math
Most experts believe that data science will continue to be an essential skill as they navigate the current obstacles to growth. According to IDC, the world will create and replicate 163 ZB of data by 2025, 10 times the number created in 2016. The demand for data science and analytics professionals is skyrocketing as organizations need more and more specialists who can store, process, and analyze data to answer critical questions and make informed decisions.
Project Management
Employers need developers with project management skills to help teams focus on delivering the right value to their company. Besides technical skills, it is important for developers to efficiently respond to changes, set expectations, and resolve conflicts. Companies are actively looking for talent to take on strategic roles to help plan and execute a project. Project Managers Institute suggests the demand for developers with PM skills over the next ten years will be growing faster than demand for workers with other technical skills.
Digital Marketing
Despite being a relatively new field, digital marketing had already become one of the skills most in demand last year and is expected to grow in popularity in 2022. With the expertise and skills to create websites and the ability to drive online sales, understanding the basics of digital marketing will make a tech professional a more in-demand employee.
“Tech-savvy digital marketing executives are important for all types and sizes of companies because they are responsible for making a company stand out from the crowd and get recognized digitally. Digital marketing managers grow a company’s online presence and profits by running various marketing campaigns, such as social media marketing, content marketing, search engine marketing and so on.”
Roman Taranov, Founder and CEO of Ruby Labs
Teaching and Training Talent
Sharing knowledge and technical skills in the workplace is an essential factor that leads to a healthy working culture and the overall success of an organization. The times when tech workers were simply required to have hard technical skills have passed. Today, employers are looking for professionals who not only responsibly perform their work but are also able to translate their technical knowledge and skills for their less-experienced or less technical co-workers. A good tech professional may eventually take a leadership role that will involve people management, and he/she should be prepared for future career growth.
“We are always looking for tech talent who can translate their expertise and skills for others who are not tech-savvy. This skill is an art; it is incredibly hard to find someone who can break down complex tech problems into simple digestible steps that are easy to understand and follow.”
Elena Elkina, Aleada Consulting
Soft Skills Tech Companies Look for in New Talent
Every tech company is looking for talent with excellent hard skills that would contribute to organizations productivity and efficiency. But what about personality traits that are no less valuable? Soft skills are becoming increasingly important for IT professionals. Typically, developers analyze users’ needs and then develop and test a product to meet those requirements. However, it is also critical for tech specialists to work efficiently with co-workers. That element of a software developer’s professional life requires a range of soft skills. Knowing what those skills are can benefit both candidates looking for a job and employers choosing their next hire. Below are the top personality traits that tech companies look for in new talent:
- Career Aspiration
- Having a team-first mindset
- Approaching projects with business interests in mind
- Striving for growth
- A willingness to be challenged
- Taking initiatives
- Adaptability
How to Get the Tech Skills You Need This Year
Looking at the hard and soft skills in demand for tech talent this year may feel overwhelming. Creating a plan to obtain the skills you need will help. While soft skills may seem hard to gain, hard skills can easily be acquired by taking courses and earning the right IT certifications. Make a list of technical skills you want to gain and search for available courses. Below are some platforms with online courses for you to consider:
- Coursera - one of the most popular, highly ranked online platforms with courses on Data Science, ML, Statistics and other tech related courses offered by Stanford University;
- EdX – another well-known platform that hosts online university-level courses;
- Udemy – perfect platform for beginners who wish to gain new skills in various areas including Digital Marketing;
- Udacity – a reliable program that will help you to gain must-have skills in analytics and data science.