8 Must-Have Skills for IT Engineers in 2023

By Vahid Haghzare, Director of Silicon Valley Associates Recruitment &
Armae Garcia, Marketing Associate, Silicon Valley Associates Recruitment

As the year ends, SVA Recruitment, the preeminent IT Recruitment Agency in Hong Kong and Asia, has reviewed the most in-demand skills, both hard and soft, from our employers in the last 12 months and also by our roster of successful software developers.

The IT Recruiters at Silicon Valley Associates Recruitment have crafted a long list of requirements and then reduced it to the top eight skills. Below will enable you to be a highly sought-after for software programmer and IT Engineer professional for the coming 2023.

1. Programming Skills

A Programmer must have knowledge in at least 1, ideally more programming languages. Our Tech Recruiters found that programmers ideally needed to master at least five key programming languages to be competitive in the job market.

Programming languages are used to produce applications that operate on computers. Programs written in a programming language convey instructions to the computer, as well as how to interpret them.

Within the world of software development, several programming languages are accessible and suited to different applications and levels of expertise.

As an example, iOS app developers use Swift. Android app developers need to use Java and Kotlin. While Back-end website programmers would need Python, SQL, Ruby, PHP, etc. and Blockchain developers use Python, Rust, C++, Go, etc.

Python, JavaScript, C++, Java, and Go are 5 of the most popular programming languages for Github.

When writing a code, you must familiarize yourself with the following.

Debugging & Testing procedures: Programmers use these tools to fix bugs in their code so that it functions accurately. These are vital for programming.
Version Control: A version control system, also known as a revision control system, is used to trace code changes. It makes collaboration possible to work on the same code by overwriting old codes or writing new ones. The most common version control systems are Git and Github.
UX / UI principles: “User Interface” and “User experience” A poor understanding of how users will interact with your product can lead to a bad product.
Integrated Development Environments (IDEs): Application development software is used by programmers to write code faster. Integrated environments for writing, testing, and debugging applications are provided. IDEs include software that makes it easier to write code, such as NetBeans, Visual Studio, Flex Builder, and Eclipse.

2. Data Structures And Algorithms

Algorithms are rules for solving problems, often in a hierarchical or logical structure. A properly designed data structure can make programs faster and more efficient. An algorithm for sorting numbers might be to compare each number with its predecessor, swap them if they’re out of order, and repeat this process until all the numbers are in order.

A good programmer knows how to choose the most appropriate data structure for a given task and write efficient code that runs smoothly. The two most important data structures and algorithms are the ones that help computers store and process information. To write software that works well with other software, you need to understand the special needs of other applications.

3. Cloud Computing Technologies

Cloud computing is a new technology that allows users to store and access their data on remote servers. Cloud computing's flexibility, scalability, and reliability make it an ideal approach for businesses seeking to keep up with technological advancements. Cloud computing enables many uses, including storing files and data remotely and using the software as a service (SaaS) applications like Salesforce or Dropbox.

4. Knowledge Of Database And SQL

The fact that data is everywhere is one of the most important truths about today's technology. Understanding how to manipulate data will give you an edge in any field, whether or not you work directly with databases.

SQL (Structured Query Language) is a programming language that accesses data in relational database management systems.

You don’t need to be an expert in all its intricacies, but you should at least know enough to write simple queries so that you can access the data stored in your database. Understanding how these technologies work will enable you to work with large amounts of data more efficiently.

5. Best Practices of the Industry

It is important to understand the expectations of your team and yourself if you want to do well in a programming position. The best programmers are those who are well-versed in the common practices of their field and constantly seek out ways to improve. You must have knowledge of the hottest industry trends and technologies.

The discipline also includes principles such as modularity, abstraction, encapsulation, and others. These help programmers write better code that is more maintainable, robust, reusable and extensible through time.

6. Online Networking Basics

To succeed in the software industry, you should have some familiarity with both wireless and wired networks. Some projects involve more one type of network than the other, but experience with both is valuable to employers.

7. The Business Side Of Software Development

In addition to having technical skills, software developers must understand the business strategy that underlies their work. A programmer must develop the required resources to build a product. These include people, tools, and software libraries. Designing a product that your customers want is the first step in building an innovative, successful business.

Once you have a clear idea of how much it will cost to build your product, you need to decide how much money you will need to generate from its development. When you work on your own projects, it is important to know what makes them successful and how they make money.

8. Soft Skills

The ability to solve problems and communicate effectively with others is a key component of any successful programmer. Soft skills, such as communication and teamwork, are learned through experience; they cannot be taught in a classroom. Many programmers think that these skills are not necessary for their job, but this is not true at all.

One of the skills you should develop as a professional is assertiveness. This skill helps you build better human relationships with your team members and clients, as well as ensure that you are a great person to work with in any situation.

These soft skills include:

Problem-solving skills
Creativity
Communication skills
Great attention to detail
Time management
Collaboration skills

As a developer, it’s important to have a wide range of skills. This article identified some of the most important ones. It is important to remember that there are other skills you can learn, and you can always build upon your existing skill set.

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Silicon Valley Associates is a specialist IT Recruitment Agency ideally positioned to support the continual demand from tech companies and IT Departments looking to hire in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Dubai, Japan, and Worldwide. Please let us know if you would like further advice on the above topic or if you are hiring needs.