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Imagine a scenario where technology evolves faster than your team can adapt, creating a dynamic and challenging environment. In this regard, recruitment experts started to recognize skills as the new currency in the job market, underscoring the importance of continuous learning and adaptability.
Within IT sector, specialised technology skills emerge as the most prized and dependable asset. The increasing importance of niche expertise is shaking up the software development environment.
Chief Customer Officer at Altamira, Oleksandr Nesterenko, encapsulates this trend succinctly.
In the digital age, the most valuable niche skills are not just tools but the ability to adapt, learn, and innovate. In outstaffing, niche expertise is not just about finding the right talent, it's about building a synergy between specialized skills and unique business needs.
By leveraging outstaffing, companies can access a global pool of expertise, allowing them to scale while maintaining a high level of quality. This approach optimizes resource allocation and broadens the horizons, helping to drive transformative changes.
This insightful observation by Oleksandr highlights the growing importance of outstaffing in harnessing niche skills, essential for businesses aiming to remain compatible and sustainable. So, let’s explore this intriguing issue in detail.
Crunching the numbers
As businesses shift from legacy systems to cutting-edge platforms and methodologies, the need for tech-savvy professionals is skyrocketing.
A recent analysis by McKinsey highlights the top five sought-after digital competencies, covering Cloud Infrastructure Technology Developers, React JS Developers, Java Full Stack Developers, Android Developers, and Angular JS Developers. This surge aligns with the growing emphasis on technology overhauls across various industries.
At the same time, the Hays Global Skills Index reports that 74% of employers are prepared to pay a premium for specialists over generalists.
Why the surge in demand for specialists?
The surge in demand for specialists in IT field can be attributed to several key factors:
- Specialised insight: Specialists offer a deep grasp of particular fields, fostering innovation and advancements that might elude generalists.
- Efficient problem resolution: Specialists are typically quick to pinpoint and address complex issues due to their thorough expertise in a specific area.
- Substantial contribution: The focused abilities of specialists often translate into considerable enhancements to projects, rendering them crucial members of any team.
Which niche skills are in demand in 2024?
In Europe and globally, there’s a noticeable shortage of digital skills, leading to intense competition among major organisations to attract rare talent possessing the specific niche skills required.
The recent IT Skills and Salary Report by Global Knowledge, drawing on data from 9,000 IT professionals, reveals the top of most in-demand niche IT skills.
AI and Machine Learning
The surge in big data and the escalating need for data processing to enable data-driven decision-making are set to push the adoption and advancement of artificial intelligence.
AI and machine learning excel in rapidly identifying patterns, trends, and valuable insights, a feat unattainable by conventional methods.
It is expected that the AI market will sustain double-digit growth. This resurgence is attributed to enterprise demands for enhanced productivity and resilience.
Data analytics and data science
Data management remains a critical aspect, with the role of data scientists and analysts becoming increasingly vital. Their expertise is crucial for making informed decisions and extracting value from the vast amounts of data collected and analysed.
Projections suggest that by 2025, data processing will be 10 times greater than in 2016, amounting to an astonishing 163 zettabytes (ZB).
Cloud computing
The omnipresence of Cloud technology is undeniable, as evidenced by the growth of major platforms like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Transforming the industry, cloud adoption and migration has become one of the most significant areas for IT investment.
Skills in cloud technology are not only in high demand but also intersect with every other skill on our list. It is expected that the momentum for Cloud Adoption will continue to escalate, projecting a market worth $1 trillion by 2024.
Software development
Development roles, encompassing both front-end and back-end, are expanding at a rate surpassing most other IT skills, and this trend shows no signs of slowing shortly.
Additionally, mobile app development remains a skill gap in many organisations, making certification in this area particularly valuable.
Networking and Wireless
Cisco, renowned for its expertise in wireless and networking technology, forecasts that by 2023, the number of network-connected devices will triple the global population.
This expansion undeniably points to a growing demand for network engineers and administrators to efficiently manage this surge in connectivity.
Virtualisation
Virtualisation, known for its ability to lower IT costs and enhance agility, is garnering substantial interest from companies of various sizes.
Positioned as one of the highest areas of tech interest globally, this field has a strong demand for certified professionals.
Specifically, VMware Certified Professionals, Data Centre Professionals, and Citrix Certified Professionals are highly sought after, reflecting the growing emphasis on efficient and scalable IT solutions.
Programming
While there might be a perceived downturn in traditional computer programming, the demand for coding skills is set to rise substantially in the coming years.
Languages like Python, JavaScript, and C#, along with coding for mobile applications, are expected to see an increased need for programmers.
As organisations increasingly depend on data and online services, the requirement for skilled programmers is poised to continue its upward trajectory.
IT service management
The effective management of IT services is critically important for organisations to achieve their business goals.
Recent challenges, including fragmented and remote workforces and swift transitions to online services, have heavily depended on managing the corresponding technology solutions. Excelling in managing the diverse array of digital tools is key.
How outstaffing can help acquire niche skills
Outstaffing, an option of outsourcing, empowers businesses to employ remote workers who are dedicated solely to them.
This approach grants access to a broader talent pool and facilitates the creation of adaptable teams capable of swiftly responding to fluctuating business demands.
Outstaffing offers several benefits for companies to acquire the specific niche skills:
- Global talent pool: Outstaffing allows companies to tap into a worldwide talent network, enabling them to find the most suitable candidates for their specific requirements. This is particularly advantageous when sourcing niche skills that might be scarce in the local job market.
- Adaptive workforce: Outstaffing offers the agility to build teams that are nimble and can swiftly adjust to evolving business landscapes. Companies have the liberty to engage personnel for strategic initiatives or enduring engagements tailored to their operational requisites.
- Cost-efficiency: Outstaffing presents a cost-effective alternative to traditional employment practices. It enables companies to shorten their expenditures, such as office space, infrastructure, and employee benefits, all while securing the specialised expertise necessary for their operations.
Four signs indicating you should consider outstaffing
Organisations recognize that staying competitive and fostering ongoing innovation requires having the right talent with the correct technical proficiency.
Yet, securing access to such talent or cultivating the necessary core capabilities in-house can be a complex and costly endeavour.
Outstaffing models offer an array of benefits to businesses, such as accelerated market readiness, scalability, geographic adaptability, and enhanced product quality, all while trimming costs.
The appropriate approach can also enable businesses to employ committed IT professionals who are well-versed in the latest and most specialised technologies, along with the requisite experience to execute projects effectively.
However, the decision on when and how to outstaff is not always that simple for many organisations. To assist, here are four critical indicators that can help your organisation identify the right time to reinforce your team.
When you need fast time-to-market
Outstaffing is often driven by a lack of necessary expertise or capacity within the organisation. This need becomes more pronounced when external talent is scarce, leading to prolonged and time-consuming hiring processes.
Ourstaffed teams play a key role in speeding up your project’s time-to-market. Opting for an external development team allows you to commence product development almost immediately, as opposed to the lengthy process of assembling an in-house team of software developers.
Balancing the urgency of time-to-market against the process of recruiting qualified talent for in-house project completion is a significant factor to consider.
When you require niche expertise
In companies of all sizes, the pressure on IT departments to swiftly meet business demands is immense.
Software needs to be developed rapidly, developers must be integrated and become productive promptly, and they must have the appropriate technical skills.
Projects requiring specialised knowledge, such as artificial intelligence, are often prime candidates for outsourcing to companies with that specific expertise.
When there is a skills gap
Frequently, companies face budget constraints that prevent them from hiring highly skilled specialists, resulting in a skill gap, particularly for specific transformative projects. To overcome this and scale effectively, outstaffing IT developers can be a strategic move. This approach broadens your talent pool with expertise in niche technology, thereby bridging the skills gap and ensuring a high-quality outcome for your projects.
Attaining comparable flexibility with an in-house development team presents significant challenges. Recruiting new team members demands considerable time and effort, not to mention the resources needed for onboarding and rapidly acclimatising them to the project. In contrast, outstaffing allows you to scale teams up or down effortlessly in response to your product’s evolving needs. This approach helps maintain a lean project structure and swiftly adapt to new business requirements.
When IT is not your core competency
When IT is not a central component of your company’s core competencies, you need to engage a reliable third-party vendor for assistance with your transformational projects. Opting for this approach guarantees successful transformation and offers advantages such as scalability of the project, quick turnaround times, and high-quality outcomes. This strategy ensures that you can focus on your primary business areas while still achieving technological efficiency.
How do you pick an outstaffing firm?
If you’re uncertain where to start, we’ve prepared a helpful guide for you. There are three crucial considerations to keep in mind when choosing an outstaffing vendor.
Years of experience on the market
A company with 5–10 years of experience is likely to possess a more extensive pool of technical talent and a well-established employer brand.
The effectiveness of an outstaffing strategy hinges largely on technical expertise, making the ability to attract high-profile engineers a pivotal aspect for any vendor.
Certificates, awards, and recognitions
All these recognitions serve as indicators of an outstaffing firm’s capability to provide superior services internationally. Additionally, such credentials signify a company’s commitment to the professional growth of its employees.
Personal thoughts on the service provider
From your initial interaction with a vendor company, their communication skills become apparent. As a client, it’s important to observe how prospective outstaffing partners handle your queries or requests.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the increasing need for specialised skills and expertise in the tech sector brings a mix of opportunities and challenges for employers.
Outstaffing emerges as a viable solution, enabling companies to easily fill skill gaps and access a global network of specialists and experts.
To remain competitive, companies should identify in-demand niche skills and foster a culture of ongoing learning and development.
As a leading global provider of software development services and award-winning product consultancy with 13 years of experience in end-to-end digital product development, we empower your tech vision with subject matter expertise. We provide you with specialised talents who fit right for your unique project.
Our dedicated team solutions:
- Build Operate Transfer model: We build an expert team tailored to your project’s needs and then integrate this powerhouse into your operations, securing peak efficiency. At the final stage, we transfer a high-performing unit or service into your ecosystem as a sustainable addition to your company.
- Team Augmentation: Our dedicated experts will fill critical skill gaps, reinforce your existing team’s capabilities, and drive your projects to completion with unmatched precision.
- Vendor Transfer Management: We provide a disruption-free transition of services and teams from one vendor to another. We maintain continuity, safeguard data integrity, and uphold service quality throughout the transition.
There are numerous benefits you can get with our outstaffing solution, including but not limited to:
- Faster team scaling
- Reduced administrative burden
- Flexibility and scalability
- Access to niche expertise
- Risk mitigation
- Quality control
- Regulatory compliance assistance
- Business continuity planning
To hire the best IT talent beyond borders and boundaries, contact us.