What kinds of technology positions are companies looking to fill? For developers and engineers of all disciplines, last month brought some good news: companies really, really want employees who can build software, maintain networks, and support non-tech employees.
Based on the buzz out there, you’d think companies were only hiring for highly specialized positions such as artificial intelligence (A.I.) and machine learning researchers. And while some companies are certainly spending the cash for those kinds of narrow roles, they’re collectively much more interested in finding those good technologists who keep apps and networks operating as they should.
The following list of positions was generated by Burning Glass, which collects and analyzes millions of job postings from across the country—giving it excellent insight into broader job trends. It orders specialized tech occupations by open job postings:
It’s a very good time, in other words, to be a software developer or engineer; companies are clearly hungering for technologists who can take on all kinds of software projects. Network/system engineers and architects are also in high demand, with good reason: someone has to keep a company’s infrastructure running.
That demand translates into solid salaries. For example, enterprise-centric software engineers at companies such as IBM, Oracle, and Salesforce can rack up six-figure salaries, especially once you throw in stock and cash bonuses. Look at this breakdown from levels.fyi, which crowdsources compensation data:
At the nation’s biggest software companies, meanwhile, even software engineers in entry-level positions can rack up some stunningly high salaries. Again, from levels.fyi:
Even at smaller companies, though, salaries and benefits remain solid; the simple fact is, those “normal-sized” companies must still provide generous compensation for all kinds of positions in order to compete for the necessary talent—especially if they need developers and engineers with certain skill-sets, such as Python or Java. No will you find a cheap data scientist anytime soon.
Network administrators, meanwhile, must spend an extraordinary amount of time and effort on installing, upgrading, and decommissioning hardware and software. Although the rise of the cloud has shifted their traditional focus somewhat—for many companies, there are simply no more physical servers to maintain—there’s still the relentless focus on tech-lifecycle and cost analysis.
For network and systems administrators, earning certifications can contribute to a solid salary boost. For example, earning a Cisco Certified Network Professional–Cloud certification can increase a network administrator’s base salary by 9 percent, according to David Foote, chief analyst of Foote Partners LLC. (This certification shows a tech pro’s knowledge of cloud administration, and ability to design and implement network, storage, and cloud infrastructure solutions.)
Despite employer demand for the above jobs, competition is still fierce for open positions, which means that optimizing your résumé, keeping your skills (and professional network) up-to-date, and earning whatever certifications might be necessary. Even in an excellent job market for tech, you can never rest on your laurels.
