it recruitment forecast 2020 overview

Technical skills for 2020 To Align With Cloud Storage And Cyber Security Technologies

With January 2020 on the horizon, many of us will be thinking about the changes we can make in the New Year. Whether it’s setting personal goals or deciding a new career path, it’s the perfect time to see what opportunities there are for us to develop and progress.

So, where to start?

Like many business areas, the IT industry is always evolving. And in response to this, the key technical roles that are in demand at a given time are also evolving.

This can make choosing what path to take as well as what qualifications to potentially obtain, tricky to navigate. And these decisions not only have financial implications, but they can have a knock-on effect on other important life decisions such as family and work-life balance.

To help you get a good idea as to what we can take from 2019, as well what we can expect from IT industry in 2020, we spoke to Senior IT Recruitment Consultant, Tom Leonard.

What recruitment trends did we see emerging over the course of 2019?

Technical roles in cyber security have been in high demand throughout the past year. And as Tom explains, this is set to continue into 2020 due to emerging threats on the cyber security scene which are creating a need in this area.

Development around cloud storage platforms has not only created opportunities in this area but also around project management roles, as more and more businesses choose to upgrade.

“We have seen an increase in demand for cloud platform development and automation, especially in relation to Microsoft technologies. Microsoft DevOps tools for example – we’re seeing companies looking for expertise in these areas including specific technologies such as SharePoint, Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM – particularly related to projects where companies are looking to upgrade,” says Tom.

 

What IT jobs will be in high demand in 2020?

it specialist being interviewed for it role

As mentioned above, cyber security continues to be an area that holds a lot of opportunity for those looking for both permanent and contract roles.

“AI could become more mainstream too,” says Tom. “It’s been relatively niche up until now but we should start to see more roles related to AI becoming more mainstream in 2020.”

And as the demand for cloud technology implementation continues to grow, so will the number of roles in this area.

“We have seen an increased demand in Microsoft DevOps tools driven by an increased demand for their Azure platform along with the adoption of that platform,” says Tom.

“A lot of these on-premise technologies are being phased out – which could aid those in the contract market as progression to cloud is project-driven.”

“With regards to contract versus permanent, we can expect to see something similar to 2019,” says Tom. “Permanent roles are slightly more in favour but as all things it’s economically driven.”

So, the more confidence there is in the market, the greater the demand for permanent roles. And the less confidence there is, the greater the demand for contract roles.

 

Aside from technical skills, what other top skills are IT companies looking for?

There’s no doubt about it, roles in IT are becoming broader and because of that, companies are looking for candidates with multiple skills.

“Lines between the different roles are becoming a lot more blurred,” says Tom. “And companies are looking for people with the ability to sell solutions as well as develop them.”

And as always, good communication skills are also of major importance – for both candidates and companies looking to hire.

 

Thinking of relocating to Ireland in 2020?

ireland map showing dublin

Ireland has continually strived to be highly competitive on the technology scene and there is plenty of benefits to take advantage of.

Flexible working is one of the key benefits being offered by many IT companies – and for good reason too. Not only does it offer a tremendous lifestyle and work/life balance, but it can also give candidates the opportunity to save money as well as help the environment by driving down the need to commute as regularly. It’s also useful for anyone with a family to take care of.

“Technology has been a little bit of a leader in offering more flexible roles,” explains Tom. “They have the means to be able to set people up for remote work.

Flexible working, combined with highly competitive salaries and a very buoyant technology jobs market, gives Ireland a particular edge when it comes to IT roles.

“And if Brexit happens, Ireland could be the only English-speaking country within the European Union which could also be an advantage.

 

Find more about technical roles in Ireland

If you would like to find out more about IT roles in Ireland, talk to us.

We’re highly experienced and can give you advice as well as help with your CV. And if you have a particular career in mind, we can help guide you in the right direction.

Additionally, our recruitment consultants can tell you what the industry looks for with regards to specific roles as well as give you up-to-date insights.

 You can read more about the first steps involved in a contractor’s move to Ireland here. And get inside information on what recruiters look for in our feature on job application pre-screening.

 

Get in touch today

Phone: (+353) 1890 911 211
Email: info@itcontracting.ie
Or you can send us your CV.

 

Recruitment