As organizations kick off 2022 IT hiring, the demand for IT talent is not slowing down. Digital transformation leaders and IT security professionals are in particularly high demand, driven by digital transformation and the continuation of remote work.
Many companies that put digital transformation on hold during the pandemic are now prioritizing these initiatives and are seeking top IT professionals to lead them. Hand-in-hand with digital transformation initiatives is IT security. Security continues to be a top priority for organizations as phishing attempts and hacking threatens their data.
3 in-demand IT career roles now
With these IT objectives in mind, the following three roles will be in high demand to help companies achieve their goals in the coming year and beyond.
1. Solutions architects and engineers
Whether your organization’s digital transformation goals are to standardize applications, modernize infrastructure, or another objective, you will need solutions architects and solutions engineers. Solutions architects determine how IT can support business needs with improved hardware, software, or infrastructure, and they serve as the bridge between IT and business operations. Solutions engineers then help carry out the vision specified by the solutions architects, who build the systems and demo them before implementation.
Along with demand for solutions architects and engineers, there will also be an increased demand for project managers to help ensure follow-through and completion of these projects.
[ Are you hiring architects? Read also: 5 enterprise architect interview questions to ask. ]
2. IT security pro
It’s no secret that there is a shortage of IT security talent, and in 2022, the demand for these professionals will only surge as companies invest in data security and system security.
With hybrid and remote work becoming standard, companies are at an increased risk of being hacked while employees work on poorly protected or even unprotected networks. In turn, companies will be looking for two types of IT security professionals: technical cybersecurity professionals as well as governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) professionals.
GRC professionals oversee policies and regulations, managing an enterprise’s risk management and compliance. Meanwhile, technical cybersecurity employees implement the tools and technologies to protect against vulnerabilities across an organization.
If you are looking to hire security professionals in 2022, keep in mind that the market is more competitive as ever. Talent is being swept off the market in record time, which means you likely do not have the luxury of a long, drawn-out interview process.
3. Business intelligence analyst
Business intelligence analysts take collected data and transform it into tangible takeaways that can drive business value. They use data analytics, data visualization, data modeling, and programming to identify trends that can help make organizations more competitive and profitable.
As companies use technology to increase efficiency and optimize their work, data becomes more accessible, and BI analysts help companies use it to their advantage. They help with reporting, modeling, and programming to highlight market patterns and trends that help organizations make more effective business decisions and operate more efficiently.
Keep in mind that IT professionals want to solve interesting problems. In your hiring process, highlight where your organization is in its digital transformation and how the candidate can help in the months and years ahead. For example, if your organization’s digital transformation is focused on improving artificial intelligence enterprise-wide, make this clear to candidates who may be searching for that challenge in the next stage of their career.
Also, if you have an otherwise strong candidate that meets 80 percent of your qualifications, consider taking a chance on them – you can always train for the skills they lack. Waiting for that unicorn candidate who has 100 percent of your qualifications is not realistic and will likely cause you to overlook some highly talented candidates. In today’s extremely tight labor market, it’s essential to focus on what you can control during the recruitment process to secure top IT talent.
The competitive landscape of the IT jobs market makes hiring these professionals more difficult than ever these days. Think critically and competitively when hiring in 2022.
[ Culture change is the hardest part of digital transformation. Get the digital transformation eBook: Teaching an elephant to dance. ]
