By Aaron Fernandez, Co-Founder, Kilowott
The IT sector has long been an engine of growth for India. During the pandemic, enforced social distancing made digital solutions all the more important, accelerating the process of digitization both in the public and private sectors. As normalcy gradually returns and the economy goes back to a growth-oriented trajectory, this creates immense opportunities, both for IT companies and for people with the right skill set to succeed in them.
Everyone wants a return to normalcy, and IT job opportunities are a key enabler. Competition’s heating up and having the right skills to do well in an IT company could transform one’s career prospects. In this piece, we’ll be taking a look at the hottest skills IT companies are looking for, in 2022 and on into the next year.
Programming and app development expertise
These are perennial skillsets that have always helped prospects find roles in IT companies, but they’re all the more important in today’s world. With the rapid pace of post-pandemic digitization, IT companies, from large corporates to startups are building next-generation solutions for everything from cashless payments to supply chain management systems to virtual and augmented reality solutions.
A familiarity with coding and app development is critical here for two reasons. For starters, there’s been a significant rise in development vacancies as companies try to find the talent to help them build out these solutions. And even in managerial roles, experience with Angular, Javascript, MySQL, and others is critical to help with effective oversight. A solid background in coding and app development will open up a number of opportunities for prospects looking for IT employment.
Project Management Skills
Closely aligned with the increased need for development experience is the need among IT companies for managers with experience in modern project management methodologies like Agile, Kanban, and Waterfall. IT companies are looking for managers with project management skills that maximize efficiencies and help to deliver key project milestones on or ahead of time.
Project management certifications from recognized from recognized institutions, like the PMI-ACP Agile certification will prove to IT company employers that you have the right skillset to deliver results. It’s also a great idea to familiarize yourself with project management tools and software like Trello, Teamwork, and Slack.
Digital Marketing Experience
Digital marketing has been on the rise for years now: the market was worth over $340 billion as of last year. Digital’s been rapidly replacing conventional channels like print and TV. This has opened up the field considerably for IT companies in spaces like SEO, digital marketing, and SMM (social media marketing). Having experience in these areas can help prospects tap into this rapidly growing subset of the IT industry. Digital marketing is a great opportunity for individuals looking to work in IT who may not necessarily have coding or development experience, opening the door to people with a more diverse set of qualifications, such as PR and print journalism. Because digital marketing is a relatively new space, proving your ability to deliver results – getting client content to the top of Google SERPs, or cutting down cost-per-click on paid campaigns – could play a major role in both getting a position and advancing. Certifications from Google, Hubspot, and others can give you the skills you need to succeed, as well as proving your ability to potential recruiters.
AI and Machine Learning
IT companies at the cutting edge are building AI solutions that play a role in just about every sphere of life, from self-driving cars to home assistants, to advanced video games. Having qualifications and certificates in this area can open the door to a number of lucrative employment opportunities – AI-related jobs often pay significantly more than other IT roles.
The flip side to this is that prospects will need a certain degree of subject matter expertise, with advanced qualifications in computer science and mathematics. This means that AI jobs might not always be an ideal fit for entry-level prospects in IT, unless they come from a math or CS background. For midlevel talent looking to branch out, going back to school and building that strong base in math and AI-related fields could offer better long-term prospects.
Conclusion
In today’s post-pandemic environment, as digitization takes hold at an unprecedented pace, the IT industry is emerging as an area of incredible opportunity for prospects in the job market. By leveraging skillsets ranging from programming and development to digital project management, potential employees can avail a wide range of meaningful, well-compensated roles. The future is wide open to IT talent!
