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The 20 Most Sought-After IT Skills
InsideTech
SAP, network security, and business intelligence top this quarter’s list of the IT job skills that companies are paying more for. While the overall value of IT certifications continues to decline, holders of several key certs and skills have made significant gains in salary over the past six months. Find out which areas of IT are hot in our analysis of Foote Partners’ latest snapshot of IT skills and pay.
Foote Partners IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index tracks salaries for upwards of 21,000 IT professionals holding any of 330 skills and certifications in the US and Canada. It’s an invaluable resource for large companies looking to set salary ranges for employees, but it’s also a great source of data for those of us looking to plan the next move in an IT career. Foote’s press release on the most recent update to the ITSCPI does a great job of showing you which skills and certifications are hot and which are declining.
So which skills and certifications are hot right now? The Foote Partners data shows several recent IT industry trends continuing:
IT skills continue to increase in value, despite tough economic times. The IT industry remains a great place to be, despite a harsh economic climate. Pay is high and increasing, talented workers are in demand, and if you can pick up new skills, it’s easy to stay on a career path that’s growing faster than average. But staying on such a path means constantly keeping up with industry trends.
Certifications add less of a pay premium than they used to. You’ll still get a boost in pay for holding an IT certification, but according to Foote’s data, that premium continues to decline. Still, several groups of certifications – including security and project management – continue to appreciate.
Nontechnical skills are increasingly valuable. As employers continue to compete for the most talented IT workers, nontechnical business skills are becoming an important way for candidates to differentiate themselves from other qualified candidates. IT workers who understand how they fit into a company’s business are well-positioned to advance to high-level jobs.
Next: The 10 Most Sought-After IT Skills
GuyCox
5 months ago
2 comments
I would like to have a in depth discription of these IT skills?
bozcopcspecialist
8 months ago
6 comments
I am currently back in school working on my CCNA and will be finished soon. Looking back, it was the best thing I have done for my career for the past 10 years or so. I am a mid career professional and needed the skills to make more income or perhaps get more contract work.
Education and certifications are the silver bullet and one of the keys to making positive changes.
Account Removed
9 months ago
WGAS the most unknown !!
ncartledge
9 months ago
6 comments
Isn't it true that the CISSP is the most difficult and expensive?
subhro
11 months ago
6 comments
I am surprized to find that Foote Partner's research forgot to do any research on the most sought after IT certification on today's date - i.e. ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) certification. This certification is meant for the managers or to aspire as a manager for IT infrastructure support. - SG
Jay_610
about 1 year ago
6 comments
Anyone have any feedback on an ITIL certification? Is it worth getting as a first certificate?
mnaveedarshad
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Informative article indeed!
oraclemanconsulting
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Oracle certification is a hot topic. Some says its just book and memorization skills. Others say it is a good overview of the technology. Some employers think it is helpful. Others have found certified people who cant do day-to-day work or anything "not on the test". I think it is an overused requirements by managers who themselves are not Oracle experts.
TR3NDSETR
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Interesting article. In 2001 when we all lost our jobs, Unemployment services advised Techies to chnage their field and go into health. Someone of us, including myself, strengthened our skills, taking key classes that were originally part of our degrees over. Sure enough when the market picked up again, there was an abundance of tech jobs again. Technology jobs will always be there. At times like this, its a good opportunity to strenthen your skills, or deversify yourself with some hardware, software and business.
tech_girl
about 1 year ago
2 comments
This question is for rigracemo67: what area did you specialize in that employers are saying is now dead?
rigracemo67
about 1 year ago
2 comments
This is probably great information for students polishing off their degrees. But I'm sure there are many of us who are transitioning, from other disciplines, may not have full college degrees, but have years of experience. I've personally been out of work for several months now, & have been told that my area is dead & will be dead for a number of years.
houndbb
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Nice article as I try to sculpt my academics!
Ikenna
about 1 year ago
4 comments
This sure is a promising information. Thanks!
vicmontana
about 1 year ago
42 comments
Great information for all of us in these good ol day's.
imran_asghar
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Valuable information for changing/finding job, thanks!