The tech recruitment scene continues to change rapidly. The past couple of years saw much uncertainty due to layoffs and cautious spending caused by rising interest rates around the world. Despite that, other companies were actively recruiting people in tech.
It’s no surprise with generative AI becoming part of everyday life and businesses considering how to use it to improve productivity.
Today, businesses across the US and Europe have a more positive outlook. The US Fed’s announcement in December of interest rate cuts has relieved many companies. Meanwhile,
However, 60% of tech professionals plan to switch employers in 2024, which will likely cause difficulties for hiring managers. At the same time, 90% of tech managers report struggling to find top talent.
In this article, we’ll explore the key trends shaping tech hiring in 2024. Understanding these trends can help hiring managers and recruiters attract and retain top tech talent.
Tech hiring trends for 2024
The tech industry has undergone a significant transformation marked by massive layoffs and economic uncertainty. Despite that, the outlook is optimistic, with job openings expected to grow.
Recruiters have regained their footing after years of intense competition for top talent.
Here are the top technology hiring trends for 2024 to keep in mind. From the shifting employer-employee dynamic to the rise of AI, keep reading to learn more.
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AI will play a bigger role in hiring
AI has a mixed reputation among programmers and recruiters. According to a survey by CoderPad 67% of tech professionals use AI, while 70% believe it can reduce their workload. ChatGPT is one of the top tools tech professionals use.
Developers use AI for code assistance, debugging, learning, tutorials, and code generation. Among developers surveyed, 43% feel optimistic, 27% neutral, 23% skeptical, and only 6% are worried about the impact of AI on their careers.
However, employers are still hesitant to embrace AI. Roughly 28% of developers say their company is opposed to employees using AI.
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We’ll see more AI in employee upskilling
Not only will we see AI play a role in hiring, but also in employee upskilling. This will likely be a tech hiring trend for years to come.
An IBM survey shows 4 in 5 executives think generative AI will alter employee roles and skills, resulting in up to 40% of the workforce needing reskilling in procurement, risk, compliance, and finance.
Companies are increasingly using AI recruitment tools, with studies finding 35% to 45% of companies employing them. In recruitment, AI saves time by automating resume screening, sending emails and texts, and conducting cold calls.
Talent acquisition leaders agree generative AI helps them do their jobs more efficiently, allowing them to focus on strategic and relationship-driven aspects.
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Growing gap for advanced tech skills
The tech skills gap is the divide between the skills employers need and the workforce's abilities. That’s why it’s one of our top tech hiring trends for 2024.
When hiring junior and senior developers and other tech candidates, recruiters seek technical skills such as programming languages, cloud computing, AI, and cybersecurity. A Robert Half survey found 95% of tech managers struggle to find skilled talent. In addition, 69% have difficulty backfilling existing roles, and 29% face challenges to fill new tech positions.
The tech industry’s skills gap industry persists due to new technology, inadequate education, ineffective hiring methods, and unnecessary barriers to entry.
To overcome these challenges, companies should use pre-employment assessments in the tech hiring process.
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More focus on soft skills
Soft skills, like empathy and adaptability, are increasingly important in the IT industry. People hired as tech team leads, IT managers, CTOs, and other senior tech roles need soft skills to manage teams.
A Gallup survey found 44% of employers saying soft skills were lacking the most in the contemporary workforce. They described the absence of soft skills as “the greatest skills gap.” In the same poll, 72% said soft skills were “just as important as technical skills.”
Tech recruiters should focus on finding candidates with strong communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability.
To screen candidates for these qualities, recruiters can use a mix of behavioral and situational interview questions as well as psychometric tests.
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More jobs expected in cybersecurity
One of our technology hiring trends for 2024 and years to come is the increased interest and focus on cybersecurity.
Businesses turn to cybersecurity analysts and developers to protect themselves against cyber attacks and threats. Cybersecurity spending is expected to reach $215 billion in 2024.
The market for information security analysts is expected to grow by 32% between 2022 and 2032. Despite that, research shows a shortage of 4 million cybersecurity workers, with 92% of organizations reporting skill gaps.
To address these gaps, organizations are investing in recruiting skilled workers, upskilling current workers, providing more flexible working conditions, among other employee benefits.
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More focus on nearshoring for tech talent recruitment
Nearshoring is when a company hires workers from a nearby country. This helps companies cut costs, improve employee retention, and allows them to offer benefits like similar time zones and cultures.
In 2024, businesses around the world are expected to turn to nearshoring to fill different types of developer roles.
Investing in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and nurturing talent can be a game-changer for many countries. By prioritizing STEM education, nations can build a skilled workforce, equipped to tackle the challenges of the future.
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More companies will turn to hybrid work
Although employees have gotten used to working remotely, more companies are going back to the office. Since 2022, fully remote roles have declined.
One tech industry hiring trend we’re seeing is the growing number of companies embracing a hybrid work environment.
Hybrid roles provide a compromise, giving employees flexibility and company oversight. Offering hybrid or remote roles can attract a wider, skilled talent pool.
In 2024, tech talents are more likely to prioritize work-life balance, remote work, and salary.
Further reading: [Guide] How to Hire Remote Developers in 2024
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Declining emphasis on college degrees
An important technology hiring trend we’re seeing in 2024 is employers no longer requiring college degrees for technical jobs. Recruiters are hiring more tech talent without academic backgrounds.
By focusing on skills-based hiring, employers can diversify their talent pool, create more inclusive teams, and drive innovation.
88% of professionals consider networking to be crucial in furthering their careers.
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Networking with tech communities
Networking plays a critical role in talent acquisition, with research showing 88% of professionals believing “networking to be crucial in furthering their careers.”
One way to attract top tech talents and retain them is through the creation of a tech community and active participation in tech events.
While this isn’t a new trend, we’re seeing more focus and interest in tech communities and meetups. These tech meetups not only facilitate hiring, but also provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaborations, which directly impact organizational growth and innovation.
Companies that frequently participate in tech communities stay up-to-date with industry trends, new tech, and gain valuable insights. Companies can then use this data to modify their recruitment strategies to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Final words
There are many challenges when hiring tech talents. So, keeping up with tech hiring trends not only ensures you maintain an effective tech hiring strategy, but also helps you retain tech talents.
Need help finding and hiring tech talents? Want to empower your team through soft skills and tech assessments? Whether you currently have a tech team, want to hire one, or simply grow your tech team, we’ve got you covered.
Get in touch with us at TechieMatter today!
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