IT Job Trends at the Start of the New Year

Bill Rybinski
Posted by in Technology


It's easy for information technology professionals to ignore trends in hiring. When you are searching for IT jobs, however, knowledge of the latest trends can work to your advantage.

At the end of 2013, industry professionals predicted slow growth in IT hiring in 2014. In November, InfoWorld reported that an uncertain economy was preventing IT managers from bringing in new staff. Despite the grim predictions, however, the number of IT jobs increased in January of 2014. With an increase of just 5,300 jobs, the growth was modest, but the trend was positive overall. For unemployed IT workers, the trend is a positive indicator for the year to come.

One of the most important job trends in 2014 will be data-driven hiring. Instead of using subjective factors like personal impressions and preconceived notions, many hiring managers will look to objective data as they fill open IT jobs. As a result, you may find that employers are requiring prescreening tests designed to look for predictors of success.

Because of the upswing in data-based hiring, IT professionals are also likely to encounter a greater demand for data professionals. To implement data analytics into the hiring process, business need to hire IT workers to analyze data, develop company-specific algorithms, and compare candidate information with defined predictors for success. When it comes to IT job trends, the increase in data hiring is likely to be one of the most important developments of 2014.

In 2014, IT hiring managers are expected to look for more professionals with Linux skills. In a survey conducted by the Linux Foundation and Dice.com, 93 percent of hiring managers plan to hunt for workers who are comfortable with Linux in the next six months. What's more, 46 percent of those hiring managers are planning to increase the number of Linux professionals at their companies. For IT professionals, the trend indicates that it will be beneficial to develop your Linux skills if you are searching for a job in 2014.

When it comes to IT jobs hiring in 2014, social media is expected to play an increasingly important role. According to InformationWeek, employers will likely use social media websites to identify and recruit the best candidates for open IT jobs. For IT jobseekers, this trend underscores the importance of a strong social media presence. Take advantage of the social media hiring trend by filling out all employment fields on each profile. Pay special attention to LinkedIn, which is likely to be an employer's go-to social media resource. Add detail to each IT job entry, ask for recommendations and endorsements from past supervisors, and ensure that your IT education is visible.

Though hiring for IT jobs is not expected to increase dramatically at the beginning of 2014, the industry is likely to experience slow growth. If you are looking for a job, you can use the latest IT trends to create a more targeted, effective search.

 

(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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