Never before have digital skills been so important in the workplace. In today’s digitally led era, global tech companies, financial institutions and all companies that touch the digital economy see this skill set as a non-negotiable. And this is no different for South African businesses.
According to SAP Africa’s new ‘Africa’s Tech Skills Scarcity Revealed‘ report, 70% of South African companies cited digital transformation skills as an in-demand skill.
“Digital skills are paving the way for our workplaces of the future,” explains Faye Ross, senior talent acquisition specialist at Strider Digital, a digital outsourcing agency. “So, it’s no secret that all digital jobs on offer today demand a baseline digital skill set that requires talent to be multi-disciplined and to have not only the hard skills but soft skills too.”
If you’re looking to find a new role, wanting to steer your career in a digital direction or just want to know what’s out there, Ross suggests you review the list below which covers three of the top digital positions clients are looking to fill, according to Strider Digital.
1. Product designer (UX/UI)
Both UX (user experience) and UI (user interface) design form part of a product designer’s skillset. UX or user experience involves the development of products that solve user problems, while at the same time provide them with a good experience. UI design refers to the look and feel of the product, ensuring that it’s pleasing to the eye and consistent with the brand’s visual identity. And it’s therefore not hard to see why product designers are in such high demand.
“As a digital recruiter, I field scores of requests for product designers each month,” says Ross, “and this is because we, as consumers, are increasingly differentiating good products and their offerings based on the experience that a company offers to us.”
It’s very true today that no one wants to use an app or website that is difficult to navigate or is unintuitive. And as a result, companies are constantly striving to improve usability of their platforms, as well as their overall customer experience. They have now come to realise that providing a good user experience is a way of upping the game against their competitors – and a good product designer is key to their success.
On the topic of successful traits that product designers have, Ross says: “UX professionals are emphatic, curious, creative and solutions driven. They are also innovative, and this must come across in a portfolio of work, that not only showcases final products but also showcases methodology and thought processes used.”
2. IT business analyst
IT business analysts oversee all of the digital elements that operate within a business. They focus on products, processes and systems, working to ensure these operate seamlessly within current digital trends as well as the needs of the market and desired profits of the business.
“As an IT business analyst, you will essentially be bridging the role of IT and business, while working to improve your company’s overall efficiency. Your duties will include a lot of data analysis which will include large volumes of digital information,” says Ross, “but more importantly, you’ll need to understand and interpret business requirements, and then create solutions based on these needs.”
IT business analysts can come from diverse backgrounds, but you can generally expect a business analyst to have experience in business administration, computer science, information technology or engineering.
“Most who succeed in this field are analytical thinkers with great emotional intelligence, a high attention to detail and exceptional stakeholder engagement skills,” adds Ross.
3. Software quality engineer
A software quality engineer tests the quality and the competency of a software product before it goes live, but also plays a quality check role throughout the entire product development cycle.
“As a software quality engineer, you’ll focus on developing and implementing software testing strategies as well as crafting and executing test plans and cases,” says Ross. “But as crucial as the tests you’ll run, is the relationships you’ll need to build. Software quality engineers work closely with software developers and other stakeholders alike, so communication is key.”
Ross says that successful software quality engineers are inquisitive, collaborative, fast learners and the ultimate problem solvers.
“As with many software development related jobs, software quality engineers usually have a background in computer science, but this isn’t always the case. We’ve seen candidates with a talent for testing propel themselves into immense success via a series of coding bootcamps or college short courses,” concludes Ross.
Source: https://www.bizcommunity.com/
