Despite a Challenging Job Market, IT Candidates Still Have the Upper Hand

For employers looking to fill positions this year, it might seem like the talent market is in your favor. After all, hiring is slow across many sectors, with lengthy processes, cautious candidates, and plenty of time to evaluate options.

That is, except in the IT sector.

At Concero, we’ve noticed the exact opposite trend: qualified IT candidates are receiving multiple offers and getting snapped up quickly, creating a significant talent shortage for critical tech roles. As a result, employers who drag their feet are losing the best candidates to competitors who move faster—even as other sectors enjoy a buyer’s market.

Why the overall market has slowed down

First off, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room: overall, the 2025 job market is slow. Job growth is projected as roughly 16,000 fewer jobs added per month this year compared to the previous. Plus, there’s been a slight uptick in the unemployment rate to 4.2%.

But more than that, employers across most sectors feel they have the advantage right now. A slow job market plus an uncertain economy naturally justifies a slow hiring process. There are a number of factors driving this slowdown, most of which have to do with external economic factors:

• Interest rates remain relatively high—between 4.25-4.50%—which makes it harder for many businesses to acquire new capital, thus limiting the number of new employees they can bring on
• Uncertain macroeconomic conditions—whether you approve or disapprove of recent policy changes, the uncertainty is causing a lot of companies to tighten their belts until things even out
• Strategic reassessment due to technological changes—recent advancements in automation and AI-based technologies enable previously human-filled roles to be downsized or eliminated altogether

Why employers need to move quickly for IT talent despite market slowdowns

So given these trends, it may surprise you to hear that in IT and tech staffing, the power dynamic is completely different. In fact, it’s the exact opposite: IT candidates have the upper hand on employers in a way that has a shockingly similar feel to the Great Resignation (or Reshuffle) of 2021.

(IT professionals: This means you’re in a stronger position than you might realize. While your peers in other industries face tough competition, your specialized skills put you in the driver’s seat during negotiations.)

Ironically, one of the trends causing the hiring slowdown in other sectors is directly boosting competition in the IT sector. Many companies are downsizing or eliminating administrative or operational roles due to new automation and AI-based technologies. But while this means fewer admin or ops positions, it means these companies all need more people to manage the new technologies—dramatically increasing the demand for IT workers across the board.

Here are some other reasons employers are facing a candidate-driven market for IT professionals.

Critical IT skills shortages

According to the International Data Corporation, 90% of global organizations expect an IT skills shortage to hit in 2026—with an expected $5.5 trillion in losses as a result. These skills shortages stem from a few specific areas:

• A 50% gap in AI skills demand vs. adequately trained talent
• 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity roles in 2025
• Major growth in open data science positions between 2023 and 2033

All of these skills, though technically different, are similar in two important ways. First, they require high-level baseline expertise. At the same time, they’re constantly in flux and require continuous learning and adaptation to changing methods and tools.

For employers, this means you’re not just competing for someone with the right technical background—you’re fighting for those rare candidates who excel in both core competencies and demonstrate commitment to continuous learning and improvement. The longer you take to make offers, the more likely these candidates will be scooped up by faster-moving competitors.

(For IT candidates: If you have expertise in these areas, highlight them prominently on your resume and LinkedIn profile. These are the skills that will get you noticed and put you in a position to negotiate better offers.)

Emerging IT skills

The longer a skill set is in demand, the more people take the time to learn that skill. In the IT sector, however, new and emerging skills are coming into demand faster than most people can keep up. Candidates with the following niche skills command premium salaries, and employers who hesitate often lose them:

(IT professionals: Pay attention to this list—these are the skills worth investing your learning time in if you want to maximize your market value and negotiating power.)

• Specific skills in AI, cybersecurity, and data science
• AI prompt engineering
• MLOps—integration, deployment, and ongoing management of machine learning models
• Environmental stewardship in technological decisions
• Technological orchestration & integration—especially in hybrid and multi-cloud architectures
• Edge computing
• Quantum computing

For hiring managers and HR professionals, understanding the premium nature of these skills is critical when creating compensation packages and accelerating your hiring process.

Current tech investment landscape

According to research from Ernst & Young, 97% of leaders who invest in AI say they’re already getting a positive return on that investment. On top of that, 34% of companies already investing in AI say they’re going to invest $10 million or more next year. In fact, AI alone accounted for nearly one-third of all VC investments in early 2025.

In other words, your competitors are pouring money into these technologies, which means they’re also competing for the same limited pool of IT talent. With the skills shortage mentioned above, there simply aren’t enough qualified candidates to meet this surging demand—putting you in direct competition with both your industry rivals and companies from other sectors investing in similar technologies.

(For tech talent: This investment surge means more opportunities for you. Companies are competing for your skills, especially if you have experience with AI and related technologies. Even if you don’t have direct experience training and modeling AIs, experience working with AI-adjacent tools makes you increasingly valuable.)

How to compete effectively for top IT talent in today’s market

If you’re looking to attract and hire the IT professionals with the skills described above, you need a strategy that acknowledges the current market realities. Here are some ways smart employers are gaining an edge:

• Streamline your hiring process – Reduce the time from application to offer by eliminating unnecessary steps and conducting multiple interviews in a single day when possible
• Focus on skills over traditional qualifications – Be open to candidates who might lack traditional education requirements but demonstrate the high-value IT skills you need
• Develop compelling compensation packages – Research current market rates for specific technical skills and be prepared to offer competitive salaries and benefits
• Highlight growth and learning opportunities – Top IT talent wants to keep their skills current, so emphasize your commitment to professional development
• Move decisively when you find the right candidate – Remember that top candidates likely have multiple offers in progress—when you know, you know

What if you’re the one looking for IT opportunities?

If you’re the IT professional on the job-seeker side of the equation, this is your insider look at employer strategies. Use this knowledge to your advantage! When interviewing, ask about their hiring timeline and decision process. If they can’t give clear answers or seem to have an unnecessarily lengthy process, that might indicate they haven’t recognized the competitive nature of the current IT talent market.

To leverage your advantage in this market:

• Emphasize your niche, high-value IT skills, both on your resumé and in your interviews—especially if one or more of them is specifically mentioned in the job description
• If you lack the traditional qualifications for a given job (e.g. education requirements), push for a skills-based hiring approach
• Focus on your competencies and the outcomes you’ve achieved in your career, not just your years of experience
• Remember: although it may not feel like it in the broader market, you have the upper hand—use it

Don’t be afraid to negotiate for better compensation and benefits—the data shows you have significant leverage, especially if you possess the in-demand skills listed above.

Bottom line

All these steps are much easier when you have the right IT staffing partner in your corner. A Concero recruiter will help you navigate this competitive landscape with insider knowledge about what candidates are looking for and where to find the talent you need.

Beyond just finding candidates, we’ll help you understand the true market value of critical skills and guide you through creating an appealing, competitive offer that won’t break your budget. We’ll also help you identify which steps in your hiring process might be causing you to lose candidates to faster-moving competitors.

Ready to secure the IT talent your organization needs before your competitors do? Talk to one of our recruiters today.

IT professionals: Ready to take your tech career to the next level and capitalize on your market advantage? Search our open IT jobs here.