IT Careers: 12 Job Skills in Demand for 2020

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If you're a job seeker, the good news is that the IT employment market remains very hot. That said, some kinds of technical skills are in higher demand than others.

Key technology trends are pushing employers to hire workers with very particular types of experience. In its most recent IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index, Foote Partners noted, "It's difficult to find an employer that isn't struggling to come up with its own unique tech staffing model that balances three things: the urgencies of digital transformation and cybersecurity threats, combating ever-deepening security threats, and keeping increasingly complex systems and networks running smoothly and efficiently."

Similarly, in its 2020 Salary Guide, Robert Half Technology reported that in one of its recent surveys, "67% of IT managers said they want to expand their teams in areas such as security, cloud computing and business intelligence, but 89% reported challenges in recruiting that talent." It added, "For organizations seeking professionals with deep experience in emerging areas like machine learning, AI, XR [augmented, virtual and mixed reality], and blockchain, the challenge is even more difficult."

Those recruiting challenges are pushing employers to offer higher salaries, as well as generous benefits packages and perks like flexible scheduling and work-from-home options. This is particularly noticeable at the top end of the pay scale, but entry-level positions are also seeing pay increases as employers find it increasingly difficult to hire the staff they need.

Many companies are attempting to meet some of their staffing needs by offering more training to their current workers and promoting from within. In fact, 90% of IT managers surveyed said that they planned to upskill some of their workforce.

Which positions are managers training and hiring for? The following slides detail 12 job roles that the Robert Half report highlights as being in particularly high demand for 2020, and detail media salaries identified by Robert Half and other firms.

Image: Pixabay

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