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ICT skills hotspots for 2015: Digital marketing, big data and mobile strategies

ICT skills hotspots for 2015: Digital marketing, big data and mobile strategies

The integration of technology and marketing is impacting the employment scene across industries, reports Hays New Zealand.

In 2015 we expect to see opportunities across all aspects of IT sector as employers invest in full-time hires, says Jason Walker, managing director of Hays New Zealand.

“Digital marketing will also be a big area of jobs growth,” says Walker, as the recruitment firm released its top talent trends for 2015. “As the technology and marketing worlds integrate, mobile optimisation will continue to be a significant priority for businesses.”

“Mobile strategies will move beyond simply having a responsive site or mobile app, and focus on mobile-optimised content and social media marketing as well, which will fuel jobs growth for suitably qualified and experienced candidates.”

Walker notes a key trend this year is the convergence of IT and marketing.

“The rapid evolution of digital marketing is transforming organisational structures and the gap between IT and marketing teams will narrow. As this trend develops, chief marketing officers with the management skills, operating experience, strategic mindset and vision will emerge to lead businesses,” says Walker.

Chief marketing officers with the management skills, operating experience, strategic mindset and vision will emerge to lead businesses.

Jason Walker, Hays New Zealand

Read more: MYOB launches cloud ERP for mid-sized businesses

Meanwhile, mobile optimisation has driven a lot of web redevelopment projects in the past year and Hays expect this to continue in 2015.

“As the industry matures, it is separating out more into specific skills areas such as content, SEO/SEM, analytics and social media and therefore experts in these areas rather than generalists will be valued,” reports Walker..

Businesses are looking to optimise their mobile site for SEO so they rank well on Google’s ‘mobile-friendly’ criteria and will incorporate mobile into all areas of their digital marketing. “We foresee skills shortages in this area as there is currently a lack of professionals who specialise in digital marketing in New Zealand,” he adds.

Walker lists other ICT skills in demand in upcoming months:

Read more: Dealing with the digital enterprise land grab

Mobile developers: Candidates with a Java background, iOS and Android development skills and commercial experience are highly sought after in Auckland.

Java integration developers– There is currently a shortage of candidates in Auckland with experience and development skills in IBM technologies, SOAP, web services and the Oracle SOA suite.

Intermediate .Net developers: Employers are also looking for intermediate candidates with commercial experience. There are many entry-level and senior candidates, but solid intermediate-level developers are in short supply.

Cloud platform developers/architects: Employers are finding it challenging to find senior developers with MS Azure or AWS development skills. Many businesses are seeking cloud development specialists but there are only a handful of people who have the necessary commercial experience in this space.

Read more: Career watch: Why more CIOs are getting MBAs

Front end developers: Similar to mobile Developers, these specialists are in demand but are sought specifically in the digital and creative space. Candidates with commercial project experience in HTML5 & Backbone, Angular and Knockout (Javascript frameworks) are quite rare at present.

Test analysts Specialists with SOAP UI skills are in demand for big banking projects. Experience with mobile applications and automation is also highly sought.

Many businesses are seeking cloud development specialists but there are only a handful of people who have the necessary commercial experience in this space.

Read more: Skilled staff top New Year’s business wish list, says ANZ

Business analysts – There is a real shift away from having two types of Business Analysts with employers now looking for candidates with functional ability as well as a clear technical understanding. CRM Business Analysts are particularly sought after as many organisations are looking to upgrade.

UI developers– Companies want websites and applications that will attract users and encourage them to input as much information as possible. UI Developers are in demand as they have the skills to create a responsive and dynamic website/application that can do this.

Permanent jobs are the focus at present as companies want to retain resources internally, states Walker. However, companies will take on contractors for temporary solutions until they can find a permanent candidate.

For instance, permanent jobs are being created for project managers, as contracts can last up to several years. But business analysts and test analysts are still being employed on a contract basis as their engagements are often shorter and more focused on project work.

Read more: The most in-demand IT skill? Developers with good communication skills

“We are finding that certain skill sets around testing are sought and this is encouraging employers to create a position.”

Send news tips and comments to divina_paredes@idg.co.nz

Follow Divina Paredes on Twitter: @divinap

Follow CIO New Zealand on Twitter:@cio_nz

Read more: Linda Price of Gartner on a critical CIO focus for 2015: Being a powerful digital leader and influencer

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