The 10th Annual Open Source Jobs Report
Introduction
The 10th Annual Open Source Jobs Report is here! For those of you who are not yet familiar, this report is conducted by the Linux Foundation annually and it provides insights that dig deep into the global technology and professional open-source trends each year through comprehensive analysis, surveys, and company interviews.
Being informed of trending technologies and IT positions will allow individuals who are already in the field or someone who wants to shift careers in IT, to have an outstanding advantage as they will have an understanding of what particular skills or technological proficiencies they need to focus on in order to ride these trends.
The report focuses on everything open-source. So in this article, we will be covering an overview of different technologies you should be aware of as well as help you make an informed decision if you’re someone that wants to get started with various open-source careers and technologies.
Top 6 technologies that are in demand in open source?
According to the report, here are the top technologies or skills that are in demand.
1. Cloud and Container Technologies
The top skill in the report are Cloud and container technologies and the report suggests that more than 71% of hiring managers prefer candidates who are well knowledgeable in building infrastructure in the cloud.
Cloud computing has been the go-to solution for many companies as it has provided many benefits in terms of cost and high availability through pay-as-you-go billing models.
Many companies pursue the modernization of their applications, through software containerization, and the demand for professionals who are knowledgeable in these areas increases. Companies are most likely going to select an open-source professional capable of managing cloud operations, preparing infrastructure for scalability, and lastly, improvements to further speed up development and deployment.
2. Linux
In open-source, proficiency in Linux systems has always been the top skill being sought by hiring managers. Linux takes a whopping 96.3% of the top 1 million servers whether it’s on-premise servers or in the cloud. As an IT professional, having the knowledge to manage Linux operating systems can definitely be seen as a big advantage by hiring managers.
If you want to get started learning Linux and get certified at the same time, you can check out the Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) course and add Linux administration to your skill set.
3. DevOps, GitOps and DevSecOps
Skills in DevOps and all its variants are still extremely valuable and according to the report, this trend should continue for at least the next 10 years.
The reason why DevOps is key to any company that’s looking to modernize their application in order to stay competitive is due to the nature of the role. DevOps builds the necessary framework and infrastructure to automate the lifecycle of software deployment.
Combined with cloud and containerization, this enables any company to churn out new features and mission-critical bug fixes at a very fast rate. These reasons alone are why hiring managers are always on the lookout for skilled DevOps professionals.
4. Cybersecurity
As more industries get transformed to digitalized solutions, the need for stronger security also increases.
Security is now crucial more than ever as one small vulnerability exploit can potentially destroy entire software infrastructures, a company’s reputation, and stolen clients’ data. Hence, the need for DevSecOps is also on the rise due to the increased importance of placing security measures just enough to defend against cyber security threats.
5. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
The demand for AI and Machine Learning skills is also on the rise. Nowadays AI is being used alongside DevOps methodologies to further bolster improvements with automation as well as cybersecurity in the infrastructure.
6. Web Technologies
As more digitalized services are presented through the form of web or mobile platforms, regardless of how the application is served to the clients, it will in some form utilize or consume an API from web servers.
While open-source professionals focus on software infrastructure in the cloud or container technologies, there’s still a need for those with the skills to build and develop the applications. Although the demand has seen a noticeable decrease to make way for newer technologies, it certainly is still relevant in the entire ecosystem of IT.
Hiring rates, resignation, and retention
According to the report, re-training and recruiting top open-source professionals has been the number one priority for hiring managers. The majority of hiring managers are finding it hard to look for professionals with the necessary skills in open-source. These are what the majority of hiring managers have done in order to cope with the problem:
- Train existing employees
- Hire a consultant even though it’s a much more expensive approach
- Keep looking until there’s a match
Hiring managers also cited the top reasons why employees are resigning:
- Job did not meet professional expectations
- Better opportunity and work-life balance
- Lacking recognition for achievements and contributions
Hiring managers have also taken the following steps to decrease the chances of employees leaving and further improve employee retention rates.
- Salary Increases
- Flexible Work Schedules
- Company-paid training and certifications
In contrast, open-source professionals also now find it much easier to land a job now due to the increased demands, and this results in far better compensation and working arrangements. Hiring managers are also introducing new changes and culture to promote employee well-being in order to attract more job-seekers to sign up with the organization.
Training and Certifications
Due to the increased difficulty in finding talent, hiring managers are also becoming more open to training current employees fitting them with the skills needed and may go far up to get them certified with the company covering the costs in order to fit the skills needed and to modernize their infrastructure or application.
The importance of certifications has increased now more than ever. Hiring managers are more likely to hire an open-source professional with the relevant certifications compared to someone that is not, making certifications one of the key variables that majorly affect the decision for hiring.
Conclusion
This year’s survey results show the different strategies and coping mechanisms that companies use to combat the effects of the pandemic in their organizations. Companies are willing to resort to more expensive options through consultants or salary increases across the board in order to retain employees and avoid any delays in projects and roadmaps.
One of the positive notes here is the continuous increase in demand for open-source professionals. Certifications are now valued more than ever before and also being a great factor in the decisions of hiring managers.
This report also proves that this year still poses great opportunities for open-source professionals and is also an optimal time to consider being one. All that’s needed is to look for proper training resources that can equip you with skills that matter today and in the future.
if you want to get into all the details of the report, you can check it out here:
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