What are the top technology skills that employers are seeking for 2018? The answers come from Indeed, which analyzed search activity for tech jobs during various intervals from October 2015 to September 2017. The company isolated tech job searches by focusing on job seekers that clicked on jobs that fall within the definition of tech titles and pulled the top search terms used to get the job seeker to a tech posting.
It should come as no surprise to anyone who is paying attention to the tech industry that cloud computing skills, such as proficiency with Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, are sitting high on the list of needed skills for employers. The number of businesses who are planning on transforming or have already moved their infrastructure to the cloud continues to increase. Employees with skills to manage cloud infrastructure are in high demand as a result.
There are quite a few programming skills topping the list both for job seekers and employers. One skill in particular that has increased significantly over the last couple years is React, a JavaScript library used to create user interfaces in applications. React is primarily maintained by Facebook and is experiencing exponential growth. For example, so far in 2017, the React project has had the second-highest number of contributors on Github, a platform used by developers to share code and build businesses. Proficiency in React is quickly becoming an essential skill for employees looking for jobs in the tech industry.
Python, also had a strong showing in the job seeker search term list, meaning that users who are looking for jobs are searching for ones that need Python skills. However, the volume of employer search activity for Python skills has dropped. So, while there are many people who have Python skills, it is not as highly in demand for employers.
With all of the recent security breaches, namely those at Equifax, Yahoo, and Uber, I was surprised to see that more security skills were not at the top of the list. Only one primarily security focused skill made the list, which was an Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP). The OSCP challenges students to prove they have a clear and practical understanding of the penetration testing process and life-cycle through an arduous twenty-four (24) hour certification exam. An OSCP has demonstrated their ability to be presented with an unknown network, enumerate the targets within their scope, exploit them, and clearly document their results in a penetration test report. The searches for this skill increased both in job seeker searches and in employer searches.
