Today we continue our rundown of the most in demand tech jobs of 2021.
Last time, Tony looked at the top 5. Here is a breakdown of the rest of the list, as well as some of the skills and experience you may need if you would like to grow into one of these highly desirable roles this year.
6. Mobile Applications Developer.
With so much of 2020 and 2021 taking place on the small screen, it is no surprise to see Mobile App Developer on the list of the most sought-after tech jobs this year.
Mobile developers are a type of software developer, specialising in mobile technology such as building apps for Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS and Microsoft’s Windows Phone platforms. Developing mobile applications requires extensive knowledge of the various mobile platforms currently available. Mobile Developers will need to develop applications that will work on all of these.
For this reason, job titles for this type of role also include Android developer and iOS developer. Mobile developers learn the programming languages and software development environment for their chosen platform.
What skills and experience will a Mobile Apps Developer need?
Mobile app developers are likely to have a degree in Computer Science. Unless the role is at entry or graduate level, shortlisted candidate CVs ought to also demonstrate some commercial experience in mobile app development.
Programming for mobile
It goes without saying that a Mobile app developer will need to have a solid understanding of all the major operating systems used today, such as iOS and Android. As such, they will also need to have programming ability in languages such as Objective C, HTML, XML, JavaScript.
UX/UI Design
UX/UI design is crucial. It is not enough to just develop an app that works well. With so many apps available, it is vital that the app is engaging and able to catch the user’s attention. Candidates should be able to design apps with a user friendly, intuitive interface
Collate a portfolio
It is usual for developers to include a portfolio of past work. Used as a bragging right, this back-catalogue will indicate the skills the candidate possesses. It will inform about the developer’s experience and commitment, and even their ability to take risks and try something different. In order to land a job as a mobile app developer, you must possess a rich portfolio of completed jobs.
Communication and teamwork
Mobile app development involves several stages, from planning to actual code writing, then to after-care service. The quality of the service that is delivered is dependent on the level of teamwork in the company; every department has their part to play. Communication is key. Each department must be knowledgeable and well-informed about what the other department is doing.
Analysis and logic
As a rule, Mobile App Devs should have experience troubleshooting and debugging programs. A successful CV should be able to indicate working across departments to design, test, release, and support mobile applications. In a test phase, these IT professionals will need to use strong analytical and problem-solving skills to ensure the operational stability of the app.
7. Network Administrator.
Network administrators are responsible for handling LAN/WAN protocol, software, and hardware. It is a position that involves a lot of time spent troubleshooting. Network Administrators need to have a lifestyle that supports flexibility! Technical problems rarely arise at convenient times. If you don’t want an IT role that requires weekend, evening or on-call working, then perhaps look beyond that of network administrator!
What skills and experience will a Network Administrator need?
What experience a particular role requires will depend upon how extensive the network needs are. However, there are certain skills and qualifications that help to identify the most qualified Network Administrators.
Although there are opportunities for those without a formal qualification, most employers prefer to hire candidates with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Network and System Administration or Computer Science. Beyond this, you might also be able to get a job in this field if you have a degree in computer or electrical engineering.
Those who work in this occupation often have certifications from software vendors such as Cisco, Microsoft, Juniper, or CompTIA. Certificates such as these will demonstrate expertise in a particular product.
Although these on-paper qualifications are critical to a career as a Network Administrator, a successful candidate will also have an arsenal of soft skills. Network Administrators require strong problem-solving skills to allow the issues within an organisation’s computer network to be identified. Critical thinking is also key. These IT professionals need to weigh up all the possible options and determine which will be the most effective solutions to a problem.
8. Software Developer.
Software developers are responsible for designing, developing, installing, testing, and maintaining software systems.
This is a tech career that is incredibly multi-faceted. The job requires coding, designing, and building applications, websites, or mobile apps, working with multiple programming languages such as C#, C++, HTML, Java, Microsoft .NET, and SQL Server.
What skills and experience will a Software Developer need?
Building a career in Software Development has a minimum entry-level education, which typically involves a bachelor’s degree. Most commonly, these are held in computer software engineering or within the fields of computer science or mathematics.
Programming
Software Developers need to have significant programming skills. It is currently the industry norm for software professionals to choose one language to ‘master’ in, and a further 2-3 to become fluent in. A survey from HackerRank suggests that the most common programming language is JavaScript which was cited by 73% of developers. While the 4 most popular languages they wish to learn are Go, Kotlin, Python, and TypeScript.
Testing skills
Software Developers need to be able to demonstrate testing skills. The biggest bug in production is deploying untested or broken code. Testing your software often requires you to think logically. The smallest of errors can lead to the biggest problems. Using structured thinking, software developers should follow the process through back step-by-step to find the problem.
Inquisitive and eager to learn
A successful developer needs to stay ahead of industry trends. In so doing, software developers will always be able to provide recommendations and make improvements. Knowledgeable changes to web, software, and mobile apps will ensure the organisation stays ahead of competitor products.
The technology landscape is fast moving. A great software developer will always show curiosity and stay abreast of changes. They should always seek opportunities to learn more and continuously develop their skillset. Curiosity is what creates new innovations and enables software developers to continuously improve. By questioning, experimenting and testing ideas, devs are more likely to hit upon something truly spectacular, or even a solution no-one has stumbled on before.
Anyone studying software engineering should study good source code to identify the techniques for improving their own skillset. Good software developers can be separated from great software developers by their desire to learn from peers, through research projects or reports. Attending industry events and local meetups are great opportunities to network and hone your skills and ideas.
9. DevOps Engineer.
DevOps practices encourage faster code deployment with fewer deployment failures. This level of efficiency means more companies are hiring engineers with DevOps experience to oversee coding, scripting, and processes development. DevOps engineers often manage IT infrastructure, provision resources, oversee software testing, and monitor performance after release. These IT professionals are often the “go-betweens” between the operational and technical sides of a business.
These IT professionals help simplify code updates, thus enabling companies to continuously tweak and improve processes for maximum efficiency. Through DevOps, organisations launch better quality products quicker, with less downtime and fewer project failures
DevOps engineers are often ‘T shaped’ professionals; those who have cross-functional skillsets, blending specialist technical skills with broader general knowledge. Although these IT professionals rarely code from scratch, DevOps engineers must understand the basics of software development languages and be familiar with the development tools used to create new code or update existing code.
Despite the huge list of requirements that come within a DevOps job description, the formal education and training requirements for DevOps roles are typically light. However, they do usually include a bachelor’s degree in computer science or engineering, along with an AWS or Azure certification in public cloud services. This being said, it is a common belief among those recruiting for DevOps roles, that there is no substitute for hands-on experience within this field.
The role of DevOps engineer does not fall along one career track; professionals often evolve into the position from a variety of backgrounds
For example, a DevOps engineer might start as a software developer who oversees aspects of IT operations. Conversely, a DevOps engineer might move up from a system administrator role after they have gained knowledge about coding, scripting, integration, and testing.
Despite the broad and varied scope of DevOps roles, there are some common skills and traits for job candidates. Among others, these include a strong IT hardware and operations background with practical expertise in servers, storage and network device installation, provisioning, and monitoring. This is usually supplemented with a knowledge of IT best practices for fault-tolerant, high availability operations. Additionally, a DevOps engineer has a clear understanding of coding and scripting with common languages, such as PHP, Python, Perl and Ruby. They should also have knowledge of at least one major coding language, such as C++ or Java.
Typically, DevOps professionals will have a comprehensive background in OS administration, such as Linux and Windows as well as proven experience with CI/CD tools, such as Microsoft GitHub, Atlassian Jira, and Confluence, Red Hat Ansible, Prometheus, and Jenkins.
As DevOps engineers usually form the link between the technical and non-technical arms of an organisation, they need strong communication and management skills. They should hold supportive and collaborative management abilities in a team environment, as well as proven customer-facing management skills.
If you are looking to move into one of these in-demand tech jobs this year, why not head over to our job pages to browse our list of current vacancies.
We have roles that fall into every one of these categories. Mobile and Software developers, Network Administrators, and DevOps engineers are just a handful of the incredible tech jobs our progressive clients are looking to add to their teams. These are roles that will only grow in relevance and importance as our digital landscape shifts to adapt to current working and business practices in 2021.
We are looking forward to hearing from you.
