Tech job market to pick up amid candidate shortage

In 2021, companies in the Philippines were focused on their recovery plans and invested in the active hiring of top talent. Rexanne Gali, Principal Consultant at Robert Walters Philippines, shares, “There was an overall pick-up in hiring activity across tech jobs, though there was a shortage of available candidates in the market.”

“It has been difficult to hire top talent in technology, and companies have had to acknowledge the current situation and align their budgets based on candidates’ salary expectations. Companies were also more aggressive in proposing counteroffers to retain their top employees. As with many sectors in the Philippines, remote work arrangements have been the norm, and both recruitment processes and engagement have adapted to the new normal of work,” Rex adds.

Read on as Rex shares her expectations about the labour market for Technology and Transformation professionals in 2022.

Automation, AI, and cloud technology to shine in 2022

Rex notes, “We expect automation to play a bigger role in 2022, as it increases productivity by streamlining processes and eliminates the need to continue tedious and repetitive computer-based tasks and processes at the workplace. It also increases accuracy as human input and errors are minimised, while helping businesses identify targeted customers more proactively.”

“We also see greater investments in artificial intelligence-based systems, as AI can be easily deployed to handle repetitive tasks and function successfully as chatbots or customer support agents. This will allow human workers to concentrate on tasks that demand for creativity,” Rex says.

Moreover, Rex shares, “The growth in cloud and 5G network capabilities will enable businesses to communicate and collaborate more effectively, particularly important as many workplaces have transitioned into remote work models. Majority of enterprise companies have moved to cloud technologies and reduced their investments in on-premise data centres and servers, thereby increasing the demand for talent skilled in cloud technology. This demand is expected to increase significantly for the next three years.”

Automation engineers, cloud engineers, and programmers will be highly sought-after

Rex highlights, “We are seeing a rise in the need for programmers who are experts in the areas of machine learning design, development, installation, testing, and maintenance. This will make professionals with skills in Python, Java, React, Typescript, Scala, and Go in high demand in 2022.”

Rex also adds, “Automation engineers, particularly those with skills in robotic process automation, will be highly sought after as the volume of such jobs have grown over the years and widely adopted across IT, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, public and retail sectors.”

“Cloud engineers with certifications from the top 3 cloud computing platforms – AWS, Azure, and GCP – along with enterprise migration experience, will be most sought-after by companies,” Rex shares.

Advice on attracting and retaining talents

Hiring managers should ensure they offer excellent compensation and benefits packages as it is a key consideration for candidates. Healthcare benefits, with the inclusion of dependents, will be highly valued by jobseekers.

Moreover, Rex shares, "In the competitive market where good talent demand outweighs supply, quicker recruitment processes and turnaround times will help give companies a competitive edge in securing them."

"Additionally, with flexible work arrangements being the norm, it would be good for companies to be able to provide that option for both existing and potential employees,” Rex adds.

Emphasis on base salaries in 2022

Rex shares, “We expect salary increases to remain the same in 2022, at 20 to 30% for job movers. We also foresee more importance being placed on base salaries instead of variable bonuses, as guaranteed compensation is more attractive in current uncertain economic climates.”

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