Specialists, be warned: Generalists are in demand this year!
Last year, companies identified cost-cutting and regulatory-compliance expertise as a top priority, according to IT work-force consulting firm Foote Partners in New Canaan, Conn. This year, compliance knowledge has moved down a few notches on the requirement scale and has been replaced by other skills, most importantly upgrading project management disciplines and work-force productivity.
This is good news for those who have been studying and practicing Agile Project Management, a discipline that equips practitioners in numerous high-demand skillsets, including "launching new products" and "increasing productivity".Here are the top 10 IT skills that Foote ranks as desirable this year, from the article Out for Blood in Gannthead.com:
- assisting in launching new products or services;
- sharpening PM skills;
- recruiting, developing and retaining IT talent;
- increasing productivity;
- supporting revenue/growth strategies;
- cost-cutting;
- ensuring regulatory compliance;
- performance management;
- centralizing IT management; and
- implementing strategies for IT governance and portfolio management.
The article also contains a list of technical skills in demand: Data Management and Business Intelligence top the list. And companies are looking for candidates with experience in vertical industries.