• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Tech

These 10 Tech Skills Are In High Demand by Employers

By
Mack Gelber
Mack Gelber
and
Monster
Monster
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Mack Gelber
Mack Gelber
and
Monster
Monster
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 28, 2016, 11:00 AM ET
Silhouettes
Computer hacker silhouette. Blue binary code background. Seattle office.Photograph by Bill Hinton—Moment Editorial/Getty Images

This piece originally appeared on Monster.

As a denizen of the tech industry, you know that the number of potential areas of specialization can be dizzying. From programming languages to software frameworks and beyond, where you choose to focus your expertise can have a significant impact on your career options (not to mention your salary). And while it’s no secret that a developer talent shortage has made coders a hot hire, that still doesn’t help you when it comes to determining your personal specialty—or picking up a new one.

Fortunately, we’ve got the down low on which particular skills employers are looking for in their new hires. Using data from CEB TalentNeuron, we identified the tech skills currently in highest demand from employers who have job postings on Monster, providing a unique window into which skills make for a must-have tech applicant. So whether you’re a grizzled veteran or just starting out, we’ve got the insights you need to help suss out your next great gig.

1. Structured query language (SQL)

Jobs requiring skill: 2,409

Companies hiring: Google, Dassault Systemes, Macropace Technologies

2. Java

Jobs requiring skill: 2,375

Companies hiring: UnitedHealth Group, Solidus, Insight Global

 

3. Linux

Jobs requiring skill: 2,113

Companies hiring: State Farm, Kaztronix, Thomson Reuters

 

4. JavaScript (JS)

Jobs requiring skill: 1,742

Companies hiring: Array Information Technology, Cognizant, Amazon

 

5. Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Jobs requiring skill: 1,652

Companies hiring: NTT Data, Tech Mahindra, CenturyLink

 

6. Microsoft SQL Server (MS SQL)

Jobs requiring skill: 1,544

Companies hiring: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, AT&T, Live Nation

 

7. Quality Assurance (QA)

Jobs requiring skill: 1,425

Companies hiring: Ciber, Real Soft, TransCore

 

8. Technical support

Jobs requiring skill: 1,390

Companies hiring: Harbortouch, ClearOne, Apple

 

9. UNIX

Jobs requiring skill: 1,310

Companies hiring: Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Northeastern University

 

10. Microsoft .NET framework

Jobs requiring skill: 1,198

Companies hiring: T-Mobile, Facebook, Anthem

About the Authors
By Mack Gelber
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Monster
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Warner gestures
AIAmerican Politics
New college grad unemployment will spike to 35% in 2 years, senator warns, forcing ‘Dario, Sam’ to quit AI fear-mongering
By Jacqueline MunisMarch 25, 2026
4 minutes ago
Pete Hegseth speaks behind a podium as Donald Trump watches behind him.
EconomyRecession
Mark Zandi warns recession odds are creeping toward 50%, and the Iran war could launch us into economic turmoil by midyear
By Sasha RogelbergMarch 25, 2026
16 minutes ago
People on a breakwater backdropped by commercial vessels anchored in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, on March 22, 2026 in Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
EnergyIran
Trump wrote the tariff playbook. Now Iran is using it on the world’s most important oil route.
By Eva RoytburgMarch 25, 2026
17 minutes ago
Big TechMeta
Meta and YouTube found liable in landmark child social media harm case, ordered to pay $3 million—with punitive damages still to come
By Kaitlyn Huamani, Barbara Ortutay and The Associated PressMarch 25, 2026
19 minutes ago
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
The ROI for AI isn’t one-size-fits-all, says data storage CTO
By John KellMarch 25, 2026
43 minutes ago
PoliticsDonald Trump
Trump taps Zuckerberg, Huang, Ellison for tech advisory council—but excludes Musk and Altman
By Sharon GoldmanMarch 25, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Magazine
The youngest-ever female CEO of a Fortune 500 company is fighting Trump's cuts to keep Medicaid strong
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
1 day ago
Commentary
The Treasury just declared the U.S. insolvent. The media missed it
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
2 days ago
Success
Palantir’s billionaire CEO says only two kinds of people will succeed in the AI era: trade workers — ‘or you’re neurodivergent’
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
1 day ago
Energy
Nobel laureate Paul Krugman calls it 'treason': $580 million in suspicious oil futures traded minutes before Trump's Iran reversal
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
24 hours ago
Success
JPMorgan has started monitoring the keystrokes, video calls, and meetings of its junior investment bankers—and they say it's for employee well-being
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
1 day ago
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of March 24, 2026
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.