Job openings for professionals with digital skills are growing much faster than the number of candidates. Specialists in these areas are the most in demand.

The pandemic has accelerated a digital transition that sooner or later had to be assumed but which, although it was foreseeable, was not expected to be done in such a precipitous way. This has radically changed the world of work in all sectors, giving greater weight to technology and forcing everyone to adapt to a new ecosystem that involves much more than the introduction of teleworking.

It’s no coincidence that after the hardest months of the health crisis, the business fabric is in need for people with digital skills more than ever. According to data from Mobile World Capital Barcelona, ​​the number of digital profile offers grew in 2020 by 80% compared to the previous year, but the number of suitable candidates to fill these positions only increased by 23%. “If we don’t digitize professionally, our companies run the risk of becoming completely stagnant and with the possibility of disappearing”, reflects Gianni Cecchin, CEO of the Verne Group.

This digitization must be tackled across the board and it affects all members of an organization, from managers to employees. Managers, the visible heads of companies, must take a step forward in this regard and set an example. “For senior managers, it’s essential to be informed about the technological trends that emerge and predominate in their sector, as well as to know how to interpret them and analyze how they affect their business”, explains Sara Redondo, director of the Student Experience Unit in the Careers area Professionals from the European University of Madrid.

Once they realize this, it’s necessary to surround themselves with a team that has even more digital skills than they do. Leadership models have changed, it’s not necessary for the same person to assume all responsibilities and the importance of delegating continues to grow in this new environment.

A LOT OF DEMAND, LITTLE SUPPLY

The search for workers with the necessary skills and individuals to entrust these tasks to is one of the main challenges for all Spanish companies. The demand is very high and suitable candidates are lacking. At Red Hat Iberia, a company specializing in open source solutions for companies, they have found that 87% of hiring managers have difficulties finding professionals with sufficient knowledge in this area.

As stated by the director of the Training area of ​​this company, Roberto López Gago, programming and software development are the main skills and profiles most in demand. And according to his prediction, they will continue to be for a while. López Gago believes that it’s important that people who are now joining the world of work take into account that in this niche there is an opportunity and that it’s not necessary to study a technical career or have previously worked in the technology sector to take advantage of it. “It is possible to recycle professionally, whatever the professional path that has been previously taken,” he points out.

Another position that is in great demand these days is a person in charge of IT technologies.

That job is basically to manage the technological tools used by the company and keep the executive team updated regarding the digital mechanisms they have, as well as those that they could incorporate in the future. “He is currently an indispensable professional to establish a strategy aligned with the objectives of the organization,” says María Galván, deputy director-general of Organization and Technology of Mutual Lawyers.

And, as Redondo points out, other of the most requested positions are that of big data analytics and that of community manager or social media manager. Very specialized profiles are needed in specific fields within each professional field. However, we can see that these charges are demanded across the board.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING

And, in an environment where digital is increasingly important than analog, cybersecurity experts are becoming a fundamental piece of the organization chart. As Galván points out, although to a lesser extent at least for the moment, experts in artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming more and more in demand.

Beyond specific profiles and competencies, both for managers and employees, there is a need for permanent training or long-life learning to respond to the constant changes that occur in the business world due to the emergence of new technologies. A good resume or an impeccable career path is worth little. If this ability to adapt is not acquired, it seems difficult to achieve job success in these times.

This is where Gianni Cecchin introduces the concept of unlearning: «It’s necessary to forget past experiences to make room for the new demands of the present. This is exactly what happens with digital skills, he concludes.