The tech industry is saturated with opportunities. While many workers fearing for their future due to automation, the tech sector continues to thrive.
The demand for highly-skilled IT professionals is increasing. Companies are placing more focus on promoting digitisation across their organisation. Organisations are using more business management software systems than ever before, and as a result, demand for tech professionals is skyrocketing. The turnover of digital tech businesses had increased by £30 billion from 2011 to 2016 — that’s twice as fast as non-digital businesses.
Salesforce may currently be the top CRM software solution, but cloud companies including NetSuite and Microsoft are vying for a bigger share of the market. This gradual levelling of the playing field is allowing developers the chance to cash in on multiple technological niches, broaden their skills, and boost their potential income — especially those who are working as a freelancer.
Tech salaries are rising quickly
Increasing demand for skilled tech professionals means developers can pull in a significant salary, provided they have the right skills. The wage for a mid-level NetSuite Developer across the globe has risen by 18.6% since last year, with NetSuite developers in the UK commanding an average yearly salary of £59,122.
A full-time developer working with Salesforce can expect a similar wage to their peers in the NetSuite channel. However, if they decided to go freelance, they could bring in a daily rate from £500-£690.
In terms of job security, the role of a software developer could be seen as one of the ‘safer’ roles currently on the market, being as it’s in demand all over the world. The role also allows professionals to gain valuable knowledge quickly, allowing them to jump onto new and trending technologies, such as crypto-investing, and get ahead of others.
Wide range of skills
Learning new digital skills is a surefire way to make a positive impact on your salary. The industry is changing at a rapid pace, and professionals must embrace a lifelong attitude to learning to fully take advantage of emerging markets and the opportunities they present. The more skills you acquire, the more valuable you will become.
As more and more products and platforms land on the market, many businesses are migrating; meaning the skill sets required internally are constantly changing to new, improved solutions.
Without relevant, up-to-date knowledge, tech professionals could find that their value takes a nosedive; widening your skillset, and becoming proficient in other areas can help make sure you stay vital to your organisation.
According to a Gartner report on skills needed in the workplace, there are sweeping changes to technologies and processes to computing, which will create ongoing skills gaps particularly for operations and support staff. By 2022, it’s expected that 75% of IT staff working for end users will have to gain significant skills in at least one more area of technology to remain effective in their job.
Freelance opportunities
A quickly changing market, coupled with high demand, makes working as a freelancer a great opportunity, either as a side gig or a full time role.
The number of professionals choosing to work freelance is growing; it’s predicted that half of the UK workforce will work as a freelancer by 2020. While a full-time role offers arguably better job security, going freelance would allows tech professionals to utilise their skills across various technologies, enabling them to keep their fingers in many pies, and help them to earn more.
The way we work is shifting quickly, and with technology continuing to advance, working freelance gives tech professionals more freedom to upskill and build knowledge of different products, helping them stay ahead of the game — especially as each software releases several versions of their product each year.
Certifications
The best way to show your knowledge is by becoming certified. Such qualifications are a great way to give you an edge in your field — take Salesforce’s Trailhead for example. A free, online training scheme, Trainheadoffers developers, administrators, and end users the chance to learn more about Salesforce, no matter what their experience level. Trailhead users can also earn badges to verify their new skills, and illustrate their competencies to potential employers.
Although there are many certifications available, the proof really is in the pudding that they can make a huge difference to your final pay. With companies crying out for certified employees — seven out of 10 of our clients ask us to provide certified candidates — now really is the time to showcase your skills through these official qualifications.
A certificate in Microsoft’s most advanced cloud certification, MCSE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure, for example, could stand you head and shoulders above others in your field and help you land your dream role with a great wage.
The same can be said for a certification in NetSuite. Anderson Frank’s survey also found that over a third of respondents noticed an increase in their salary once they had gained a NetSuite certification.
Certifications in technology help you make a great first impression, with research showing that certified employees are more confident, more knowledgeable, more reliable, reach job proficiency quicker and perform at a higher level. And with IT positions also expected to increase by 17% by 2022, becoming certified will help you future-proof your career as a tech professional.
There are a huge number of opportunities in the tech industry, and it doesn’t have to be ‘one size fits all’. By branching out and specialising in more than one technology, tech professionals will be more appealing to many employers and stand themselves in great stead to earn more.
James Lloyd Townshend is the CEO of Frank Recruitment Group, a global, multi-brand niche technology recruitment organisation.