Developer jobs: Nearly a third of top tech roles remain empty, say recruiters

Nearly a third of key software roles are going unfilled as a result of hiring pressures and market shortages, according to a workforce study of more than 3,400 senior technology professionals.

A survey conducted by coding platforms CoderPad and CodinGame found that 30% of companies struggled to hire software engineers, data scientists and DevOps professionals in Q3.

Despite this, nearly half (49%) of respondents said their company hired several people on to their tech teams during the period. This contrast suggests that, even with aggressive hiring, employers are struggling to meet the heightened demand for skilled software professionals.

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The survey also found that 21% of companies had laid off employees in their tech teams during Q3. CoderPad suggested companies were “slim-lining their tech teams, while recognising the importance of still hiring for those pivotal roles.”

A survey from CoderPad and CodinGame earlier this year reported that tech recruiters anticipated hiring will be their biggest challenge of 2023, with full-stack engineers, software architects and machine-learning specialists proving particularly scare.

Despite news of prominent tech companies announcing hiring freezes and slowdowns, companies are still reporting a need for developers, and studies suggest that there might not be enough talent to go around. For now, skilled tech workers seem to be safe from growing economic concerns affecting other industries and professions.

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The small number of developer layoffs within the industry also offers a glimmer of hope for smaller companies hoping to hire skilled developers looking for work, said Amanda Richardson, CEO of CoderPad. Typically, smaller businesses have more difficulty finding talented developers, as they can’t compete with big tech’s perks and resources.

“Although the tech jobs market remains very tight going into Q4, the slowdown in hiring at a number of companies, including the FAANGs, offers a great opportunity for other businesses to tap into that pool of tech talent,” said Richardson.

“This situation is also an opportunity for non-traditional technology sectors (financial services, pharma/biotech, etc), which need developers, to recruit talented candidates.”