A smart, forward-thinking tech team is at the center of every successful company. It’s an industry that is constantly evolving and delivering real impact – even during a pandemic.
According to data published by CompTIA, the unemployment rate for tech occupations stood at 1.5% in July 2021 – less than a third of the national average at the time. With the great rehiring now in full swing, tech companies can expect these low numbers to manifest in a candidate-driven IT job market.
“Over the last 18 months, we’ve seen a drastic increase of the demand for technology professionals across all skillsets both on a direct hire and consulting basis. With such an incredibly low unemployment rate in IT, it has ultimately created a candidate-driven employment market,” says Matt Schirano, Executive Director of Recruitment at Green Key IT.
What can companies do to remain competitive in a candidate-driven tech market?
As companies adjust to the post-pandemic workplace, they must also reevaluate where and how they spend their money.
“The move towards new remote and hybrid working arrangements, new spending priorities for businesses around IT infrastructure, automation and the huge shift to online retail are likely to provide a long-term boost to sales and investment in the tech sector,” says Bina Mehta, Chair of KPMG.
The events of the last year-and-a-half have paved the digital transformation of work. To remain competitive in this new market, companies should seek to hire back-end IT professionals who can push new strategies forward.
This means hiring more DevOps professionals, namely those skilled in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and infrastructure automation.
So, what does this mean for tech job seekers?
Today’s tech market resembles the pre-pandemic state of more open positions than candidates. The difference? Skills.
“After everything we went through in 2020, 2021 is sure to be a year of continued adjustments and accelerated digital transformation. To keep up, IT pros must actively seek IT skills that are in high demand,” writes Jessalyn Madden for CompTIA.
In July 2021, IT support, systems analysts, and web developers were among the top tech job postings in the U.S.
| Position | Number of Openings in July 2021 |
| Software developers, applications | 99,012 |
| Emerging tech, data, and others | 90,807 |
| IT support specialists | 28,090 |
| Systems analysts | 21,289 |
| Web developers | 16,521 |
Candidates can position themselves for these top tech roles by leveling up their tech skillsets. Skills of particular interest to employers hiring in the post-pandemic workforce are:
- Cloud computing
Demand for skills such as configuration, deployment, cloud service security, management, and troubleshooting have skyrocketed because of capital expenditures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Cybersecurity
Remote workplaces make companies vulnerable to cybercrime. To prevent these attacks, employers are seeking professionals armed with risk identification and management skills.
- Automation
“Automation boosts efficiency, which is exactly what many companies need in the wake of the current global health crisis,” says Madden.
Professionals who seek to make an impact in this arena should refine their virtualization, cybersecurity, and troubleshooting skills.
How can we help?
In order to hire top talent in today’s tech market, companies must actively recruit candidates. Green Key Information Technology is entrenched in the industry to have a precise knowledge of the current and emerging needs of IT professionals and the organizations they support. Reach out to our powerhouse IT recruiting teamtoday!
And job seekers, we’ve got you covered too. Visit https://www.greenkeyllc.com/jobs/ and select Information Technology from the practice area drop-down menu to get connected with a recruiter today.
