As top technical recruiters in Kansas City, Morgan Hunter knows finding the right technical talent is critical if you want to outpace your competitors. But just like any new technology that eventually grows obsolete, so do skill sets. With that in mind, what are the biggest trends coming up this year and in the future – and what types of skills should you look out for when recruiting for and cultivating your IT team? Here’s a look at two prime areas:
Trend #1: Social Media
More and more people are using social media to connect, share and stay in touch – and it’s a trend that’s only going to increase in the years to come. As a result, businesses realize that a clear social media strategy is no longer a luxury to have, but “a must” in order to stay relevant and competitive in today’s marketplace.
However, many companies make the mistake of bringing in someone young or simply hiring an intern to handle their social media efforts. They assume that individual is young and connected on social media and therefore, they must have the skill set to implement the tech side of a social media strategy. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s crucial instead to find and hire the right talent with a proven mix of technical and social media skills. They should be familiar with social media not only from a user perspective (which is where the experience of many young interns ends), but also from a technology, marketing and psychological one.
In other words, you need someone with a blend of diverse skills – who can serve as a tech pro in mobile development and cloud computing, but who is also an excellent communicator and understands the power of social media, as well as the importance of connecting with the audience in an authentic way.
Trend #2: Cloud Computing
Cloud computing offers companies a host of benefits, including increased agility, big cost savings and the ability to downsize data centers. As a result, more companies are investing in the cloud, yet there is still some hesitancy in terms of being able to fully trust it at this point. Regardless, more advanced technology is constantly emerging and this is one trend that will continue to be adopted across the board at companies.
According to Dice.com, in May 2008, they had 13 cloud computing-related jobs listed; today, the site has over 5,000. Technical talent for cloud computing positions should have knowledge or experience with several tools and technologies. Some of the skills most in demand include: Linux; Cloud, Legacy System and IT consulting; SaaS (Software as a Service) programming; Python extensible programming language; and Practical Extraction and Reporting Language (Perl).
With social media and cloud computing on the rise and an increasing demand for talent who can deliver in these areas, companies are likely to find these jobs difficult to recruit for. If yours is one of them – and you need help with the IT recruitment process, call Morgan Hunter.
As top technical recruiters in Kansas City, we specialize in recruiting technology professionals. All candidates are rigorously screened by our consultants to ensure their technical compatibility, and to identify the personality traits that will allow them to blend smoothly into your organization. Contact us today to learn more.