Ready to make a move in 2023? Please, read this first.

It’s that time of year again.

New starts, fresh ideas, and recalibrated goals. There’s something undeniable about January 1 that makes the act of resetting or refocusing that little bit more palatable.?

Naturally, it’s also a time when we feel emboldened enough to reflect on our career trajectories. You might be up for a new challenge, or maybe you’re in search of a completely new direction.

I’ve broken down the jobs that I think will be in high demand this year and the steps you should consider to stand out from the pack.

Importantly, I want to caveat this article with a reality check too. Obviously, the industry is facing some fairly serious headwinds at the moment, so I’m fully aware of addressing the elephant in the room while at the same time providing practical advice to help you keep your career moving in the right direction.

External realities begin to bite with tech growth?

The tech sector is as dynamic as it is innovative. The fast-paced nature of new and emerging tech and its application across multiple industries means new roles are popping up constantly and the most in-demand roles change year on year.?

However, as much as technology is going to continue to feature heavily in our collective futures, the industry still isn’t immune to the ebbs and flows of market forces and world events. The post-pandemic boom time is over, and with it, we’re currently facing a sizeable correction across the industry in the form of layoffs and restructuring en masse.

If we’ve learnt anything over the past few years though, it’s that opportunities and challenges often come as a package deal.

So, while some parts of the industry are winding back roles, new possibilities are opening up in areas like AI, cybersecurity, and data analytics.?

The recent ‘2023 LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise’ list also confirms the thriving state of tech jobs and periphery roles in the top 25 fastest growing job titles in the country. Combine that with a stubbornly tight labour market, and there’s still cause for optimism amidst the challenges we face.

Which jobs will be in high demand?

So, which roles will be the ones to look out for in 2023? Growing demand for skills in the fields of AI, cybersecurity and data analytics/engineering are the areas to keep a keen eye on.?

• Data engineers: Data engineers play a critical role in the data ecosystem, responsible for the infrastructure and systems that enable data scientists and analysts to work. As companies increasingly optimise and integrate data for efficiency and better customer experiences, engineers will be at the forefront of this.
• Cyber security: The high profile data hacks and cyber security threats of last year well and truly put the value of cyber security experts into focus. As companies scrambled to protect their assets, reputation, and bottom line, many are doubling down to ensure compliance is met. Undoubtedly, demand for experts in this area will keep growing exponentially.
• Technical architects: The role of technical architects within an organisation is pivotal — and for good reason. They ensure the projects are developed in line with overarching strategy,? while keeping one eye on the surrounding (and sometimes fluid) business environment to keep things nimble and adaptable. Their vision, technical nous, and overall problem solving abilities means that tech architect stocks will continue to rise in 2023.
• AI / ML engineers: With the advent of AI and ML technologies touching almost every corner of the tech industry, experts in these fields will be in high demand. Cutting out repetitive tasks to free up more time and resources for roles that require human creativity and ingenuity is one such benefit of AI/ML integration. And as user experience personalisation becomes a priority for the many companies, these roles will become even more indispensable.?
• Sustainability: The tech industry will continue to put an emphasis on sustainability in 2023, with companies prioritising their social and environmental impact alongside growth. Sustainability roles are central to saving costs, improving reputation, complying with regulations, and fostering innovation.?

In the know: steps to stand out

You know the jobs you want to aim for, but how do you increase your chances of success??

If you don’t have specific skills in these areas of expertise, there are many ways you can transfer skills or upskill to make it happen. With an existing solid base of knowledge and experience in a related role, many employers will often encourage you to learn new skills as it saves time and money in the long run with new hiring and onboarding processes.

A common misconception is that the tech industry is only looking for talent from within the tent. You might not have any experience as a developer, engineer, or solutions architect, but if you’re creative, with good problem solving capabilities and an open mind to learning new skills while transferring your existing ones, you could well find yourself on the shortlist.

Here are some more tips to help you work towards that new role:

1. Know what skills you need to be realistically considered for the role. There are endless online learning courses available to upskill through services such as Salesforce’s Trailhead or LinkedIn Learning to keep your knowledge up-to-date.
2. Know your network by expanding your sphere of relationships beyond the role you currently hold. It’s not always about ‘who you know’, but it certainly doesn’t hurt your prospects.
3. Know your industry inside and out to understand the nuances around future trends, remote job availability, and salary levels.
4. Know what motivates you by setting a course and sticking to it. Goals are a great way to break down seemingly large targets and tasks into more manageable milestones.
5. Know your soft skills. Technical skills are obviously weighted heavily in selection processes, but never underestimate the value of the soft skills you already own. From leadership to time management, these things matter.
6. Know when to move. By knowing where to find new roles, or the channels through which you’ll access them, timing can be everything.?

Finally, as someone who has been operating in the tech industry for over 15 years, I understand how all-consuming it gets to ride the ups and downs of the good times and the not-so-good-times. It’s times like these that it pays to stay optimistic and nimble.?

There’s never a predictable, linear curve when it comes to growth and opportunity, but on the other side of every trough, there’s a peak ready to be scaled.

Who knows? Your next dream role may be closer than you think.?

And of course, if you’re looking for more insights, information or you’re ready to explore any of the roles I have on offer right now — don’t hesitate to reach out for a chat .?

– Garth?