Tech Career Decoded #1 Future of Work in AI | Women in Tech | Tech layoffs

Welcome to issue #1 of Tech Career Decoded from Michael Page! This month discover the top 5 AI jobs that should be on your radar right now. Also, we'll try to answer a burning question: is it becoming easier to advance as a woman in tech? And why not create an avatar for your next interview? Read on to find out! 

The most interactive CV ever made (Metahuman + AI + Microsoft Azure)  

You might have heard about the rise of job seekers using tools such as Chat GPT to help create their CVs, but one talented tech candidate has taken things a step further by creating a virtual experience for the job interviewer – featuring an avatar of himself!  

Don’t worry the bar is not that high just yet, but our hunch is that this candidate will not be without a job for long!   

Check this out 👇

The top 5 AI jobs that should be on your radar  

AI is here to stay and one way to future-proof your tech career is to embrace this new reality.  

As it stands, there simply aren’t enough qualified candidates for vacant AI positions. As the industry expands, this talent gap is set to grow, presenting engaged candidates with a big opportunity. 

 🤨 So, which skills do you need?  

Even as AI becomes more widespread, human creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills will continue to be essential for many tech jobs.  

Which AI Jobs are most in demand? 

While we can’t list all AI job positions, here are our picks for the top 5 most in-demand roles. 

• Machine Learning Engineer 

Most AI projects rely heavily on Machine Learning (ML), which means Machine Learning roles are increasingly in demand. 

• Data Scientist 

By analyzing and interpreting complex data sets which are used to develop the algorithms that power AI, Data Scientists fill a key AI position. Data Scientists are often tasked with building and evaluating predictive models that help forecast future outcomes. 

• AI Researcher 

AI Researchers fill a challenging Artificial Intelligence role. They are some of the main problem solvers of the team, tasked with finding new and original ways to create systems. The systems they create are often tweaked by Data Scientists to ensure real-world viability. 

• AI Engineer 

An AI Engineer builds and deploys AI systems and applications. Their role involves designing and implementing Machine Learning algorithms, integrating AI systems with existing applications, and optimizing AI models for performance and scalability. 

• AI Architect 

AI Architects act as the glue that brings all of the parts of an AI project together, and as such, are a little more involved than Data Scientists. Architects are responsible for planning, designing, and developing ecosystem.  

Is it getting easier to advance as a woman in tech?  

Yes, we definitely think so.  

Diversity and Inclusion is on the top of every HR manager’s agenda right now – not only are they looking for women in IT (Information Technology) to boost the diversity of tech teams, but they are also scanning for internal talent to upskill or promote into leadership positions.  

But even though a lot of progress has been made, women still face challenges to get to the top of the tech industry. To overcome these challenges and advance as a woman in tech, here are a few tips when looking for a job: 

Tip 1: Ask yourself: What is the company offering you?  

Do they have a clear Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy? Do they offer mentorship programmes and well-defined career paths? Do they promote women? If yes, these are the companies that will prioritise your progression.  

Tip 2: Back yourself 100% 

Studies suggest that men apply for jobs even if they only meet 60% of the qualifying criteria, while women only tend to apply when they meet 100%. You only miss the shots you don't take. Apply, apply, apply! 

Tip 3: Make new connections 

Attend 'women in tech' events and hackathons to build up a strong network and get mentoring from people who’ve been in your shoes. Doors won't open unless you knock. 

Tip 4: Showcase your achievements 

Tell the world about what you are doing well, keep a portfolio of your best work, be specific and quantify your results, use strong verbs and action words, be consistent across your CV, LinkedIn, and other online profiles. 

Tip 5: Don’t be afraid to negotiate 

Studies have shown that women are less inclined to negotiate than men. Before accepting what's on the table, do your research first and look at salary benchmarking reports. With a good argument and data, you have nothing to fear. Negotiate your salary and benefits.  

Tip 6: Support other women in tech 

Studies show that the number of girls going into STEM drops after secondary school. Try to be an example to the generation of women after you. Share knowledge, open doors and celebrate the achievements of others. Inspired by examples, women will join the field. 

Where did all the software developers go?  

The situation of the tech sector today can be intimidating, with layoffs still going strong. As of August 16, 2023, 227591 employees were dismissed in the tech sector worldwide in 2023, which is already more than the total number of layoffs in 2022.  

But don’t worry: we still witness a massive shortage of tech professionals – particularly experienced software developers. 

Recruiting developers with the right skills remains the top challenge for 2023, according to the new Reveal survey of 2,228 software developers and IT professionals in the US.   

 Add to that the rise of fields like data science and machine learning, the need for skilled programmers will only continue to grow.  

Our recruitment consultants are also reporting shortages in many programming languages.  

👉 The bottom line... there has never been a better time to get into programming.

High demand = high salaries. 

Remote working and flexibility are hygiene factors nowadays – so as a programmer – depending on your experience and the demand in the programming language you focus on – you can pretty much choose how you want to work.  

Need help to build your tech career? Feel free to leave your questions in the comments, and our experts will answer them in our next edition. 

If you enjoyed this newsletter, share it with your network 😎

Best,  

The Michael Page Technology team