Big Data, Big Hiring Challenges
Posted January 14th, 2013
It’s definitely creating buzz, but big data is creating something even more important, too – IT jobs, and lots of them. In fact, Gartner researchers are forecasting that big data will create 1.9 million jobs in the U.S. by 2015. But there’s a big catch – right now, there are precious few IT professionals out there who can fill those jobs. According to the McKinsey Global Institute Report, “There will be a shortage of talent necessary for organizations to take advantage of big data. By 2018, the United States alone could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical skills as well as 1.5 million managers and analysts with the know-how to use the analysis of big data to make effective decisions.”
Why Analytics?
In a word, profit. The McKinsey report states that companies who use big data analytics properly and to their full potential could grow their margins as much as 60%. As usual, the companies that get there first often have an advantage – so the hiring race is officially on. While talent is needed across the board – think architects and engineers who develop ways to capture the data – the big prize is analysts, those professionals who can glean actionable insights from the mounds of data gathered.
How to Hire
Hiring managers looking for big data analysts face two challenges. First, schools and universities are simply not yet producing graduates with the skills that are needed. With an Accenture poll showing that 72% of organizations are planning to spend more on business analytics, increased demand will collide with the lack of available talent to create a hiring environment that will put qualified IT professionals in the driver’s seat – and might turn even the most mild-mannered hiring manager into a ruthless poacher.
The other hiring challenge is that right now, there is very little standardization in titles. John Reed, senior executive director at Robert Half Technology, explains that, “What one company calls a data analyst, for example, might be called something different at another firm.” For now, experts recommend taking the “skills bucket” approach to hiring. AbsolutData CEO Anil Kaul explains that this works best because, “Analytics professionals have spikes in different areas – some are technically stronger while others are stronger in interpreting numbers to craft the answer to the business questions, while others still are stronger in utilizing analytical technologies for answering the analytical questions . . . the key is knowing the specific skills you are hiring for.”
Between the shortage of talent and the precise technical knowledge required to hire the right skill set, big data can mean a big headache for IT hiring managers. For the best results, consider calling in a professional technology staffing firm, such as Bayside Solutions. We’ve been on top of every IT hiring trend since 2001 – and we’re on top of this one, too. Contact us today to learn more.
