As tech companies work to adapt to social distancing policies and move toward remote work, one thing that hasn’t changed in this new normal we find ourselves in is that these companies are still seeking the best talent they can find. Quality tech workers with solid skill sets and experience are notoriously difficult to find, and many tech companies are willing to pay a premium for highly skilled tech professionals as a result.
However, because technology is changing and advancing so quickly, it can be difficult to keep track of what specific skill sets are most in demand at innovative tech companies. Programming languages or frameworks that may have been commonplace just a few years ago might be considered obsolete today. The same is true for management strategies and project management software, since these companies are always working to streamline their workflows and procedures.
The waterfall method of software development, for example, was once mainstream but has now given way to the agile methodology which focuses more on creating minimal viable products, or MVPs, and getting customer feedback. A professional with experience in the old methodology might not be able to transfer their skills and expertise when working with more modern firms.
As a result, many tech professionals are wondering what types of workers tech companies are looking for today, so let’s explore five different types of employees that are in high-demand in the world of technology.
- Web Developers
One of the most sought after types of tech workers for many companies are web developers. These technically skilled programmers specialize in building back-end infrastructure for internet-based applications. Often, web developers will employ powerful cloud-based or hardware solutions to build the foundation of software applications that are hosted online.
Web developers specialize in understanding the key features and functionalities that must be included in an application or software product and integrating solutions that help to accomplish those goals. They are skilled coders that know how to use different application programming interfaces, or APIs, that allow them to integrate these in-demand features into an app or website.
Different web developers have their own styles and methodologies that they use to accomplish these goals, which means that their technical skills sets will vary. Some developers choose to lean on object-oriented programming languages like Java or C++. The trend in the industry, however, is to use functional programming languages like Javascript and its powerful programming frameworks to accomplish development goals.
Good developers also keep up with the latest and breaking technology trends to stay relevant and valuable.
Javascript allows developers to employ an object-oriented approach when necessary, and to employ powerful programming frameworks like React and React Native to streamline development cycles. Many developers also have extensive knowledge of back-end solutions such as Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services.
This piece by the New York Times explains how many web developers today are expanding their range of expertise to several different programming languages and frameworks to bring even more value to their company.
- Web Designers
Web designers are another class of highly-skilled workers that are in high demand from leading tech companies. Much like their web developer counterparts, web designers are skilled coders and technologists that specialize in creating web-based software applications or websites. Web designers have a slightly different focus than developers in that they focus on the front-end, customer-facing side of an application and have extensive design expertise.
Web designers work with other members of the design team to implement the design of an application and make it compatible with the back-end of the application that is created by the development team. Doing so isn’t always easy because implementing the design of the application means using programming languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript.
Some web designers employ automated design tools like Webflow or others to limit their coding work, but traditionally web designers are technical team members that introduce designs by coding. Web designers work closely with developers, because the front-end code of the app that they create must be compatible with the back-end infrastructure that developers use.
This piece by the Washington Post offers specific skills that web designers and other tech employees should concentrate on to enhance their career opportunities.
- User Experience Designers
User experience designers are in-demand skilled tech workers that are sought after by many fast-growing companies. User experience, or UX, designers specialize in improving the experience of users when interacting with a digital product. This is done through an organized process of user testing and analyzing user feedback.
Good UX designers know how to conduct quality assurance and usability testing in a way that limits cognitive biases and assures the most accurate customer feedback possible. They put special emphasis on the way questions are formulated for these feedback sessions to make sure that the questions encourage impartial responses that will inform design decisions.
Aside from gathering feedback from customers, user experience designers also normally have solid user interface, or UI, design skills that they use to work closely with the UI design team when implementing product design changes. Accordingly, they are often proficient in design tools such as Photoshop, Sketch, and Invision.
- Product Managers
Product managers are cross-functional leaders and business professionals that specialize in bridging the gap between different parts of an organization to ensure the best outcome for a digital product. It’s their mission to champion the needs of the product when working across teams of developers, designers, marketers, and top management.
Product managers are jacks of all trades and masters of none that possess complementary skill sets in development, design, and marketing.
They use this diverse range of skills to ensure smooth interdepartmental communication and a unified vision of the product. This guide from Digital Authority goes into much more detail regarding the various responsibilities of product managers and their important role in looking out for the best interests of the product.
- Digital Marketers
Many tech companies are on the lookout for experienced digital marketers that have the skills needed to get the word out about their digital products online.
Digital marketers typically have a great understanding of different ad platforms that are offered by social media and search engine companies that can give budding tech companies the chance to reach new audiences.
Digital marketers are also expert analysts that excel in pouring over analytics data to optimize and A/B test online campaigns. By doing so, they can minimize the cost-per-click of digital ads and maximize conversions. This piece by the BBC examines how an individual can develop the skill set to become an expert digital marketer.
Digital marketers are often skilled content creators that can craft compelling copy or graphics that will entice prospects to become paying customers. They are a vital part of most fast-growing tech companies.
