At the end of each year, Hays compiles a list of the top 10 in-demand tech jobs among employers worldwide. These updates, based on our own listings and conversations with organisations, provide professionals at all levels with an insight into where to find your next opportunity.
This time around, I’m focusing on where there’s demand for tech professionals in permanent roles. Having looked at the worldwide Hays data over the last four months, we’re seeing reoccurring roles that point to where we can expect vacancies in the months ahead.
There’s a mix of jobs that report into and communicate directly with other business stakeholders, and those whose focus is largely on the “techie” side of things. Data professionals continue to be highly sought after, while artificial intelligence (AI) hasn’t yet sounded the death knell for people with programming skills, as some predicted.
If you’re looking for your next role in tech, search our available jobs here.
We start our top 10 list with Data Scientist. Working largely with unstructured data, you’ll analyse and interpret this information using statistical methods and machine learning techniques – as such, strong mathematics skills and AI knowledge is useful. You’ll then use your findings to inform business decisions.
Learn more about the skills needed to be a data scientist from Hays’ Martin Pardey, plus his top CV tips.
A Solution Architect solves problems within the business by designing, developing and implementing solutions that meet business needs. It requires working with relevant stakeholders and applying an analytical mindset. The scope can be very large in some instances, and it’s a role that suits people who can see the bigger picture.
Organisations of all types, big and small, rely on a secure and suitable IT system. Engineers are responsible for maintaining and optimising these, while success depends on the right blend of soft and technical skills. You’ll need an understanding of cyber security to work with firewalls and VPNs, but also have to regularly communicate with colleagues who don’t have the same level of understanding. Being able to adapt and tailor your messaging to different stakeholders is vital.
Whether you’re building a platform or testing an app for bugs, software developers should be fluent in multiple coding languages. Of all the roles on our list, it’s been the most susceptible to disruption from generative AI tools. We have seen a drop in demand in permanent roles over the last two years, so the right candidate may need to prove their value in working with these tools.
Jason Barr, Director for Hays Ireland, shares more about how you can get started in your software developer career here, as well as advice on writing a CV.
While we’re seeing less demand for DevOps Engineers in contract work, employers are after people to fill permanent positions. Sitting across the Development and Operations teams, these people work on software throughout creation and rollout. The ideal candidate would have knowledge of programming languages and cloud computing.
We’ve already looked at software development, but let’s focus on a more specific role. Given the number of programmes that run on Java, it’s no surprise to see that demand is still high for specialists in this area. My advice to professionals looking for work in this space would be to keep up to date with AI and the ways it can – and can’t - support you.
Companies need to ensure that the data they’re collecting is easily accessible and actually useful before they use it to derive insights. That’s where Data Engineers come in. These people build and maintain the storage solutions, as well as “cleaning” the data so it’s ready for analysts and scientists to assess. Proficiency in SQL, as well as NoSQL, is vital.
Business Analysts are responsible for delivering solutions by liaising with a wide range of stakeholders, from decision makers to technical staff. In terms of skills, this involves building relationships across the business so you can determine what needs to be solved and how best to do this. That requires you to be a confident communicator with excellent interpersonal skills, as well as a natural problem solver.
The second analysis role in our top three demonstrates the value that organisations place on insights and understanding trends. However, while a Business Analyst is more focused on the organisation’s needs and proposing solutions, Data Analysts spend more time with – you guessed it – the data itself. Success will depend on your ability to aggregate the relevant data to provide insights, using tools such as SQL and Tableau. It’s a role that’s slightly more reliant on technical skills, such as programming in Python and R.
Interested in becoming a Data Analyst? Find out more about skills, salary and responsibilities in this blog by Nadine Wirkuttis, Head of Data and Channels at Hays Germany.
The number one in-demand role, Project Managers are still vital for organisations of all sizes in overseeing and ensuring the delivery of transformation. Keeping all the parts moving requires excellent stakeholder management skills, while core soft skills include being well organised and comfortable communicating with people across the organisation. You’ll also need to be able to work within agile frameworks.
Interested in any of the roles above? Search our available jobs here.
James Milligan Global Head of Technology Solutions
James Milligan is the Global Head of Technology Solutions, having joined Hays in 2000. In his role, he is responsible for the strategic development of Hays' technology businesses globally.
