Main image of article Which Tech Roles Do Managers Have the Hardest Time Filling?

Which tech roles are managers having the hardest time filling?

According to Hired’s new State of Software Engineers 2023 report, back-end engineers have become some of the toughest tech talent to source, followed by engineering managers, full-stack engineers, and site reliability engineers. Check out the full chart:

Demand for back-end engineers on Hired’s platform grew by 3 percent year-over-year, to 59 percent of all interview requests, followed by full-stack engineers and, in third, front-end engineers. “Traditionally, smaller organizations find more value in the versatility of full stack engineers,” Hired CTO Dave Walters wrote in a statement accompanying the data. “They don’t need two engineers to complete the stack. Larger companies, while mindful of efficiencies, can afford to be more flexible, employing separate backend and frontend engineers. Practically speaking, it’s often easier to source and hire for both of these roles, at the scale large enterprises require.”

Back-end developers and engineers must build and maintain the infrastructure that allows the front end of a website, app, or service (i.e., what the user sees) to operate. These developers and engineers must master a variety of skills and tools, from cloud-based platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) to cutting-edge tech such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Whether they work on the front or back end (or full-stack), these developers and engineers must also know some of the world’s most popular programming languages, including Java, Python, and SQL. Working with teams and a variety of stakeholders throughout an organization likewise demands a solid grasp of “soft skills” such as empathy and communication.

While many schools offer courses in engineering and development, those who prefer to learn disciplines on their own can head to online learning courses such as Udacity, Codecademy, and Coursera. Sites like GitHub and Stack Overflow can prove useful places to ask questions and find answers, contribute to open-source projects, and more.