The Top IT Skills That Can Get You Hired In 2017

The market for IT recruitment is glowing hot and several new skills have been in huge demand in 2016. Let’s examine what those skills are:

IT Architecture

By observing the latest trends in the IT industry it is safe to assume that IT recruiters are on the lookout for people who have knowledge of IT architecture. An IT architect is an IT professional who knows the IT infrastructure of a company pretty well. He is also responsible for providing IT solutions that would meet the company’s goals and requirements by keeping in mind the company’s budget and other requirements.

Programming expertise

Programming expertise can be garnered from anywhere, even through outsourcing. Even so, when companies hire IT professionals, they want their candidates to be good at application development and programming. And with the demand for mobile apps and Internet of Things, the demand for professionals with programming expertise is on the rise.

UI/UX designers/developers

Every company wants to give the best user experience to their customers. Because of this, they will stop at nothing and have therefore, revamped their hiring style by calling top professionals in software, hardware and service interactions. The importance in backend development has lead to the demand of UI/UX designers.

Project management professionals

Project management is a top IT skill that is in great demand and it includes the various phases: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and control and Wrap up. Projects come in various sizes and have a life cycle that has to be managed carefully. When companies take on more projects they need excellent and talented professionals to manage it. So as far as skill set go, project management is considered to be one of the top five skills that companies look out for. If you look at it technically, project management is a non-IT skill, but it has still regained an important position and falls in the top 10 list of top-10 certification, according to Certification Magazine, an IT Magazine.

Statistical analysis and data mining

Statistical analysis and data mining was considered a top skill in 2014 and it is still a skill that tops the list here. If you are a data mining professional with a fool-proof foundation in statistics, then you are in. Even though computers use powerful computers for data mining they still need professionals to keep updated on the latest technologies. Through efficient data mining and statistical analysis companies can increase their revenue by planning their sales accordingly. This is extremely useful for companies that operate on the basis of strong customer focus. These companies are mainly in the retail, marketing, financial and communication sectors.

Knowledge of Python

Python is a programming language that is in huge demand in 2016. The main reason for this is probably because it requires only very less code and you can complete tasks much faster than even Java. There is a huge Python community that would provide you with plenty of useful resources. Hence, it is not likely that you will ever run out of resources when you are using Python. Since employers are looking for fully stacked programmers, your knowledge of Python would definitely fit the bill.

Computer science skills

If you were a student of computer science in search of a job in the IT field, then you have perfectly bankable skill. It is almost as important as analytic skills. We talked about Python as an important programming language in demand in 2016. But you should also be equally competent in C++, Visual Basic, Java, HTML, SQL Server and UNIX. You must always learn the latest language to be marketable.

Cloud computing skills

How do you rate your cloud computing skills? Polish it if you are not too good there because cloud computing is in huge demand these days, especially APIs, SaaS, Internet of Things and software defined platforms. Since everything is integrated in the cloud these days, keep your knowledge on the cloud dictionary updated if you ever want to be considered on the IT job front. You can do that by keeping abreast of what’s happening on the social media front and through networking. Additionally, some cloud providers offer cloud courses so you can get up to speed quickly.

Big Data skill

Big data was in demand in 2015 , and it went up several notches higher this year. More and more employers are becoming aware of the importance of big data skill and have made it an important in their IT hiring criteria. For data centric roles in any organization, knowledge of big data combined with analytical skills are quite important.

Database Administration

The demand for database administration is also at an all-time high because of the increased interest in BI, analytics and big data. Employers are demanding IT professionals with extensive experience in database administration and updated knowledge and experience in SQL, DB2, Hadoop and Oracle.

Web development

Web development still graces the list for top IT skills in 2016. Companies know and act on the knowledge that websites are the best way to connect with their customers, clients and investors and they want to upgrade their website to accommodate the latest trends in web development. Come what may, but web development will never go down in the list of IT skills.

Companies are still recruiting and hiring people with these skills and they will continue to be in huge demand all year through and it will continue in 2017.

Interesting links about the topic:

LinkedIn Unveils The Top Skills That Can Get You Hired In 2017
The 10 skills in demand around the world that can get you hired in 2017
Mastering these skills could get you hired in 2017


The author: Reema Oamkumar is engaged as a thought leader at Software-Developer-India.com which is a part of the YUHIRO Group. YUHIRO is a German-Indian enterprise which provides programmers to IT companies, agencies and IT departments.

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