Contracting in IT: What roles can you expect?
Over the past two years, our approach to work has completely changed. We’ve gone from rarely taking a day out of the office to rarely being in. Many are re-prioritising and looking at what they want from their working life, as well as what they need.
And this has had a knock-on effect, particularly within the tech sector, where there is such a high demand for talented professionals, so it really is a candidate’s market.
What we’re seeing here at itContracting is a steady move from permanent to contracting and – the increase has occurred for good reason. The security around contracting in IT has heightened making many more confident to move to a contracting role so that they can reap the benefits.
Moreover, the great resignation has also spurred on movement within the jobs market with professionals looking to rethink their prospects, take advantage of working from home, expand their expertise and also benefit financially.
So, what roles are in high demand right now? Senior Recruitment Consultant, Chris Byrne, details the most sought after jobs in IT below.
Most in-demand jobs in IT right now
Developers
Developers are in very high demand right now. They are a specialist resource and are required for a multitude of projects. One of the main reasons why developers are in such high demand right now is because of the sheer complexity of modern technologies. Moreover, getting those technologies to work together within your environment, requires in-depth knowledge and a wide range of experience. Some of the languages we are seeing being requested by employers most recently include: React.js / React Native, .NET, Python and Node.js
Cloud specialists
With many businesses accelerating their move to cloud over the past two years, it comes as no surprise that cloud specialists are in high-demand. Roles mainly include cloud engineers and senior architects who specialise in either AWS or Azure – or sometimes both. Again, the more knowledge and experience you have across multiple projects and relevant technologies, the more in-demand you’ll be.
Cyber security specialists
Security is at the top of the priority list for many businesses right now. It’s not a nice to have – it’s an imperative. And particularly with the latest world events in mind, many businesses are even more concerned with ensuring their data is protected. There is a huge deficit of cyber security specialists globally, so experienced professionals are going to be snapped up pretty quickly. Moreover, with companies now working to a remote or hybrid model, the approach to security needs to shift so many are updating their security to reflect these changes.
IT Project Managers and Business Analysts
Businesses are now rethinking how they work. The pandemic brought about a refresh in how we approach the working world and in response, projects – and project managers – have been critical in implementing these changes. Digital transformation is happening across every sector including digitisation and automation projects to help businesses move away from paper-based processes and become more sustainable.
Senior Network Engineers
As mentioned above, how we work is changing and this also means that senior network engineers are in-demand. This is due to many companies changing how they work which also means that the network needs to be updated to reflect these changes. Physical devices may be on-prem, in a data centre, BYOD or a mix, so how data is being accessed has changed.
Are all roles moving to contracting?
“We’re seeing a lot of professionals converting from permanent to contracting right now. It certainly isn’t all contracting but we are seeing a lot of movement in the jobs market, particularly within the tech sector,” says Chris, “Moreover, a lot of companies are looking to backfill resources so there is a lot of opportunity to be had.”
“Some key areas where we are seeing a lot of demand include specialists in Citrix, Azure, AWS, Office 365, Cisco, VMware, Windows Server, Linux and Red Hat DevOps, and Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Managers previously known as SSCM,” he says.
Experience is key
“Many professionals tend to specialise in one particular area so rather than having exposure to lots of different technologies, the experience and expertise comes from implementing the same technology but across a range of environments. That way, you get to understand the different needs that difference businesses have and also the different methods of implementation,” says Chris.
Is contracting better than permanent?
“Contracting really accelerates your progression because you’re not just working with the same things day in, day out. You learn more within a given amount of time, compared to the same role but permanent, which really gives you a leg up in terms of your career. And the more you learn, the more responsibility you can take on in your next contract. And companies will take advantage of your level of experience,” he says.
Progress your career with itContracting
However you want to progress your career, start with the experts at itContracting. As a technology company ourselves, no one is better placed to help guide you in making the right decisions for your future.