Over the past 12 months, employers have rushed to hire technologists of all kinds, from software engineers to network administrators and machine-learning experts. Out of all possible technology jobs, which were most in-demand?

For an answer, we can turn to Emsi Burning Glass, which collects and analyzes millions of job postings from across the country. As you can see from the following list, software developer/engineer topped the most in-demand jobs by a wide margin, followed by project manager, network engineer/architect, and systems engineer:

If you’re new (or relatively new) to software development, and you’re interested in connecting with other developers in order to build your skillset, start off by exploring online communities where people can give advice and answer your pressing questions about the intricacies of code. According to a recent study by SlashData, some of the largest developer communities include GitHub (useful for code, thanks to all its repositories) and Stack Overflow (a great place to get your questions answered), as well as sites like Bitbucket and HackerEarth. 

Even if you’re not particularly interested in interacting with a broader community, it’s key to engage with mentors, colleagues, and technology-minded friends whenever you have a developer question or just need some moral support; your network can also clue you into great opportunities. 

Speaking of which: According to a recent survey by Stack Overflow, a slight majority of developers (54 percent) said they’re not actively looking for a new position, but they’re open if the right opportunity comes along. Meanwhile, another 25 percent said they were actively looking for a new role, while almost as many (20 percent) claimed they weren’t seeking a new job at the moment. 

“About 75 percent of developers are either actively looking for a job or open to new opportunities,” stated Stack Overflow’s blog posting accompanying the data. “When asked why, about 65 percent named salary as the primary reason, with 39 percent wanting to work with new technologies, 36 percent wanting better work-life balance, and 35 percent seeking growth or leadership opportunities.”

It's certainly possible for technologists to find any of those things in a new job. As we head into 2022, it’s important to keep in mind that demand for software developers—and all kinds of other tech roles—remains high. This gives you the opportunity to not only secure a position at a company you like, but also negotiate for whatever you want, be it higher salary, more interesting projects, or better benefits.