Tech sector opportunities boom as demand for multi-skilled workers grows

Hiring appetite for technology roles is growing1, fuelled by seismic shifts in online consumer behaviour and increases in home working accelerated by the pandemic, according to a new report from specialist recruiter Robert Half. 

Robert Half’s 2022 Salary Guide, which analyses salary and hiring trends, reveals that the rapid adoption of new technologies is increasing activity in the market. Two in five (41%) tech leaders say that changing behaviours are inspiring business confidence, resulting in a third (34%) planning to hire new positions in 2022.  

The pandemic has dramatically impacted consumer behaviour, accelerating the move towards online-first models. This shift is putting front-end developers in high demand, as companies look to improve their capabilities and customer experience. These changes are also generating large volumes of data that companies can analyse to inform their strategies, resulting in a surge of requests for data scientists, analysts and engineers. 

Whilst one of the top strategic priorities for CIOs and CTOs in 2022 is cost reduction and balancing budgets (26%), innovation and investing in new technologies (24%), building 5G capabilities into IT strategy (24%) and cloud projects and initiatives (24%) all ranked highly. This suggests UK businesses will continue to enhance their online presence over the next 12 months. 

Despite demand, adaptability is the skill which is the most difficult to find amongst job candidates for permanent roles, with problem solving skills following closely behind. Both are viewed as essential for tech roles as the pace of new development means skills and knowledge can quickly become outdated, so those able to learn and adapt quickly are extremely valuable to employers. 

Employers are also looking for all-rounder tech talent with the blend skills required to help businesses scale successfully. However, with one in three (34%) CIOs saying most candidates are lacking soft skills, companies should expect to face high competition to attract suitable talent.  

Phil Boden, Senior Manager at Robert Half said: “Technology initiatives have been at the heart of many businesses’ pandemic recovery efforts and underpin their plans for future growth, but they are also keen to protect themselves financially by balancing their budgets. As technology is always advancing, candidates who can adapt and evolve their skills over time are also highly desirable to businesses. 

“Across the board, the level of demand is intense and candidates that meet businesses’ heightened requirements for soft and technical skills are in short supply, so companies should be prepared to compete.” 

Along with insights on employer expectations for 2022, Robert Half’s 2022 Salary Guide also includes salary data for a large range of roles, allowing businesses to find out how much they should pay and candidates to find out the going rate.