Companies and recruiters have to be very resourceful in locating and securing talented software engineers in today’s hyper competitive market. Where are the top locations to seek out viable talent?

Wanted Analytics brings us the data and some very surprising locations:

Hiring demand for Applications Software Engineers continues to grow. In November, the number of job ads available online for Software Engineers was up 17.5% compared to November of 2011. More than 13,000 employers had a total of 86,000 jobs available at some point during November, making it the 3rd most in-demand technology related occupation. As hiring continues and competition among employers increases, Recruiters are likely to see more and more difficulties in sourcing this highly demanded talent. So, to give you a competitive edge among other companies, we thought we’d provide some of the best current locations for finding potential candidates.

Map of Hiring Scales for Recruiting Software Engineers in the US

 

Source: WANTED Analytics

 

By the above map of Hiring Scales for Software Engineers shows current recruiting conditions in major metropolitan areas across the US. The cities where these jobs are likely to be the most difficult to fill are depicted in red. It’s not surprising that tech hubs like San Francisco and San Jose (Silicon Valley) and Seattle would find Software Engineers hard-to-fill. However, there are some smaller metro areas where hiring demand is growing quickly. Some of those locations include Charleston (South Carolina), Bloomington-Normal (Illinois), and Fayetteville (North Carolina). Charleston ranks on our Hiring Scale as a 94 (out of 99,) showing that Recruiters here are likely to see many challenges when sourcing potential candidates.

Hiring Scale for Software Engineers in Charleston, South Carolina

 

Source: WANTED Analytics

 

So, where are the best cities to source Software Engineers? Below are the 10 locations likely to see the best conditions for finding this talent:

1. El Paso, TX
2. Las Cruces, NM
3. Jackson, MS
4. Evansville, IN
5. Wausau, WI
6. Chattanooga, TN
7. Mobile, AL
8. Rochester, MN
9. Fort Wayne, IN
10. Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA

El Paso, Texas is currently experiencing the best conditions for this talent, with a Hiring Scale score of 5. There are only 8 employers currently recruiting Software Engineers in this metro area. If you are about to source candidates in El Paso and relocate (or allow the to work remotely) you are likely to see less competition from other companies and have more candidates to source from. The same can be said for the other locations above. There are far fewer jobs being advertised in these locations.

What is the number one tech skill in demand?

SQL. So says Wanted Analytics and their data:

We often look at technology hiring demand, but today we wanted to focus just on the skill that is most commonly required in online technology job ads: Structured query language or SQL. In October, there were about 175,000 technical jobs available online that required SQL experience or knowledge.  This is a 6% increase in demand compared to 1 year ago, and represents about 26% of all IT related hiring demand. After reaching an all-time high demand in March, demand has been gradually declining from month-to-month. However, it saw an increase in October. Will it continue to grow through the end of the year?

Hiring Demand for SQL Skills – 4 Year Hiring Trend

 

Source: WANTED Analytics

 

SQL skill requirements can be seen in most computer related occupations. However, Web Developers and Computer System Analysts have the highest demand for this skill set. In October, just over 40,000 jobs were online with this requirement, a 10% increase compared to October of 2011. Computer Systems Analysts, along with Software Engineers (applications), grew by about 6%.

Occupations that Most Commonly Require SQL Skills – October 2012 vs. October 2011

 

Source: WANTED Analytics

 

What other skills are commonly required alongside SQL? Below are the 10 other skills that are also seen in tech jobs that require structured query language:

1. Microsoft SQL Server (MS SQL)
2. Oracle Java
3. Software development
4. JavaScript
5. Extensible Markup Language (XML)
6. Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)
7. UNIX
8. Problem solving
9. Microsoft .NET Framework (.NET)
10. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

What behind the massive glut of job openings for Engineering talent across the country? Are there no candidates or are the hiring skill requirements too high for most of the available talent?

Wanted Analytics brings us some analysis on the topic:

Engineers are one of the most in-demand occupations in the US.  In September, there were more than 184,000 available job listings online for engineering jobs. Although seasonal trends may be affecting month-to-month hiring demand, the number of job ads has still grown compared to last year, representing a 12% year-over-year increase and 17% growth from two years ago. The most in-demand engineering job titles in the US are Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Quality Engineer, and Project Engineer.

4-Year Hiring Trend for Engineers – Monthly Job Ad Volumes in the US

 

Source: WANTED Analytics

 

As one of the STEM fields and an area that seems to be constantly evolving, these jobs are often considered hard-to-fill. Some of this may be related to the combination of skills required of potential candidates. In addition to traditional engineering skills and certifications, like quality assurance (QA) and Six Sigma, we noticed there are several technologies that are more commonly being required in engineering jobs. Computer-aided design (CAD) experience is a common job requirement, and knowledge of programs like Autodesk AutoCAD and SolidWorks CAD are some of the most in-demand skills for Engineers. For example, Autodesk AutoCAD is more commonly listed as a qualification in online job ads than Six Sigma skills. Overall, the number of job ads that look for candidates with CAD knowledge or experience is up 14% compared to September 2011.

As employers increase hiring demand for Engineers and begin to look for candidates with new skill sets, they are likely to experience more competition and an increased difficulty to fill. Our Hiring Scale™ shows that employers across the United States leave engineering job ads online for an average of 6.5 weeks. However, each location and region of the US experiences a varying degree of difficulty and time-to-hire. Companies in Athens, Georgia and Jefferson City, Missouri are currently experiencing more challenging overall recruiting conditions since hiring in these areas is growing more quickly than the local talent supply can support. Job ads in these locations remain online for an average of 9 weeks – 2.5 weeks longer than the national average. In comparison, the Hiring Scale also shows that employers in Binghamton, New York and Virginia Beach, Virginia are experiencing some of the least difficulties. Larger talent supply compared to the hiring demand by employers in these metro areas means that open engineering jobs are likely to be filled easier and faster. The average duration of a job ad in these locations is 5.5 weeks.

Below is a heat map of Hiring Scales in major metropolitan areas across the US. How does your city compare?

Heat Map of Hiring Scales for Engineering Jobs in the US

 

Source: WANTED Analytics