The Most Valued VS the Most Outdated IT Skills in 2022

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The recruitment of a talented IT workforce will bring many challenges in 2022. Understanding better which skills would be rising in demand and which are most likely to fade away is as important to companies as it is to employees. 

Here are some of the skills to keep an eye on in 2022 versus the skills that will probably lose value.

On the rise:

Product management – tech companies nowadays are looking for well-blended skills in technology, business, leadership, and marketing. 

Having this skill set is definitely a plus in 2022. 

Cloud and container technology – cloud computing, especially deployment, security, troubleshooting, and configuration for cloud services, is also expected to receive attention in 2022. 

As a response to the challenges that came with the pandemic, businesses are significantly expanding their cloud infrastructure and will continue to evolve into cloud computing. Based on various job report researches done in 2021, cloud-native skills are rising in demand more than in any other tech field. Almost fifty percent of recruitment managers are searching for cloud and container technology skills. 

Leading change  Although many IT executives have skills in HR management, managing changes requires a different set of skills. This includes understanding the dynamics of organizational change, having experience with change leadership models and tools, designing a roadmap that outlines how to implement a change, the processes necessary to implement and sustain it, and managing the organizational risks and human challenges and success factors.

Software engineering – It goes without saying that the demand for software engineers has never been as high as it has been in the last couple of years. As a matter of fact, it is expected that the demand will continue to rise even further in the foreseeable future.

A strong culture of innovation, training, mentorship, career guidance and opportunities for professional growth continue to be important aspects of attracting and retaining developer talent.

Cybersecurity – with the adoption of cloud technology on the rise, it only makes sense for businesses to try to make sure to increase the level of cybersecurity as well. 

Skills to lose value: 

Specialization in one technology ­- The Chief Information Officers of the future must be able to coordinate complex technology and business processes and understand emerging trends such as edge computing and artificial intelligence.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees – modern business focus more on hiring employees based on skills rather than degrees.

Traditional Project Management – As agile integrated IT delivery becomes the norm, traditional project management skills and processes will become less valuable.

Relying solely on tech skills is a thing of the past – In fact, even the largest IT companies have begun to realize that soft skills are the most difficult to master. Although technical skills are essential, you also need excellent communication skills, empathy, and the ability to motivate and inspire your team, especially if you’re a leader.

 Our industry needs leaders who are capable of leading their teams; while technical skills are changing rapidly, the most important skill remains the same.