Leaving an IT position open, especially one of need, can be a scary proposition. That’s the nightmare scenario facing IT hiring managers across the nation, though. Thanks to the IT skills gap, the difference between what employers need (demand) and what the workforce is able to provide (supply), and other self-inflicted reasons, IT roles are going left unfilled in staggering numbers.
So today, we’re going to look at 4 of the most challenging IT roles for employers to fill, define them, explain what makes them so challenging, and offer up a solution that’ll help you fill those needs.
The 4 most challenging IT roles for employers to fill are:
Software Architects
What They Do
A software architect is a software developer expert who makes high-level design choices and dictates technical standards, including software coding standards, tools, and platforms. This individual’s main role is to understand how a product that is being built will ultimately help the end user (i.e. client/customer).
Why They’re So Challenging to Find
It’s likely this role is so challenging to fill because the position requires a pairing of high business acumen with software development expertise. Most, if not all, software architect job openings require a plethora of skills such as strong communication (in order to interact with clients), the ability to review and alter code, mentorship skills, and a high level of foresight and vision, to name a few.
Data Scientists
What They Do
A data scientist is a professional responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting extremely large amounts of data. The data scientist role is an offshoot of several traditional technical roles, including mathematician, scientist, statistician, and computer professional.
Why They’re So Challenging to Find
According to the 2019 State of the CIO survey, 42 percent of respondents said data science and analytics roles were the most challenging to fill. The reason for this is most likely because the position of data scientist is often considered one of the most in-demand jobs of the 21st century. With nearly every industry having a need for a data scientist, and with nowhere near the supply available to fill all positions, the job market is highly competitive. In fact, according to research, the most qualified data scientists on the market are often receiving 3 or more job offers. Hence, the success rate of hiring these individuals remains low.
Cybersecurity Professionals
What They Do
The topic of our last consultant focused blog post, cybersecurity professionals are people trained to search for vulnerabilities and risks in hardware and software in order to thwart off cyber-attacks. While their number one priority is to prevent attacks by fixing potential issues before they can be exploited by malicious users, they also handle the clean up after cyber-attacks and security breaches occur.
Why They’re So Challenging to Find
The demand for cybersecurity professionals is three times higher than any other IT field and that has resulted in a gap of almost 3 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide! To say that there’s competition when looking to hire these individuals would be an all-time understatement.
However, demand isn’t the only reason they’re scarce. Another reason is because education and training for cybersecurity professionals is still somewhat lacking. But that’s changing! Today, several universities across the globe offer specializations in cybersecurity, such as network security, information security, and cyber investigation. As far as certifications go, there are a number available, such as the Network+, Security+, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT). These certifications, however, can require an individual to have 1-5 years of relevant industry experience. This has led to organizations training their current in-house employees, a process that takes time.
Engineering Managers
What They Do
The role of an engineering manager requires an individual to wear many hats. Not only are they responsible for supervising other engineers and projects, hiring staff, setting budgets, and spurring new development, they’re also expected to troubleshoot roadblocks throughout any project and solve problems that may act as hindrances in project completion.
Why They’re So Challenging to Find
Much like software architects, engineering managers are difficult to find because their roles and responsibilities are so varied, requiring a good mix of both technological and business skills. The more complex the project, the harder the search becomes; and for some, good engineering managers simply do not exist.
The search for an engineering manager can be like searching for a needle in a very large haystack. You want a talented engineer, someone who’s made their career solving challenging technical problems, as well as someone who excels at managing people. However, because the role of manager is often very business heavy, the position of engineering manager often requires the individuals hands-on engineering background to take a backseat. Finding individuals open to that is what poses the challenge.
The Solution
The roles of Software Architect, Data Scientist, Cybersecurity Professional, and Engineering Manager are all inherently different. What connects them, however, is their demand and the effort required to find, qualify, and hire each. This results in organizations devoting both time and resources to the search; two commodities few have much of to spare. That’s why organizations should be partnering with firms whose specialty lies in finding and qualifying hard to find talent. IT staffing firms, such as PSCI, possess the industry knowledge, talent pipelines, and dedicated staff necessary to handle all your hiring needs. So, if you’re on the market for one of these above listed positions, or any other challenging to fill role, connect with PSCI and we’ll ensure your teams remain staffed in order to keep your projects on-time and under-budget.
