Up until recently, California was the hub of technological innovation, the world’s “tech” capital if you will. Silicon Valley, of course, was known as the golden land of opportunity, for both startup founders and tech employees alike.
Although the talent pool has spread to other cities worldwide, California has still remained a hotbed for tech talent. With that said, there is still a high demand for technical talent in the state.
You’ll no doubt find an abundance of openings for technical jobs in California, but you can land your best fit with the help of a technical staffing agency. We’ll examine how.
Defining A Tech Job When It Comes To Technical Staffing
First and foremost, it’s worth defining what tech jobs are and delineating the differences between certain types. Tech and technical jobs – although interconnected – differ, even though the terms are used interchangeably. We can divide these jobs into a few categories.
A technical job is essentially any job that’s based on technological applications or systems. If it involves computer software/applications or hardware, it’s a tech job of sorts. Of course, you knew that, but for the sake of this article, we wanted to distinguish it from other types of “technical” jobs such as mechanical or electrical ones.
Types Of Technical Jobs
- Engineers
- Developers
- Analysts
- Administrators
- Managers
- Scientists
- IT
These titles are the most common technical jobs you’ll find when searching for technical openings. These roles are integral to the development of almost every form of application and hardware produced today. And let’s not forget that almost everything nowadays has an app – so these technical teams are needed more than ever.
The Demand For Technical Staffing Has Never Been Higher
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, there was no concern that the tech industry would undergo some radical shifts. But no one would anticipate the market to take the turn it did. For the first time, tech talent yielded the power of who got hired or not.
Just a few years ago, it was the talent who was in hot pursuit of a lucrative yet hard-to-secure tech gig. But an article published in the LA Times in the summer of 2021 revealed that tech companies are now the ones who were desperately searching for talent.
The article revealed that tech companies are treating prospective employees like “celebrities”. Recruiters and managers alike are seeking out talent – employers now have their pick of opportunities.
COVID-19 upended many aspects of tech jobs. Because of the pandemic, businesses had to adopt all sorts of apps and software to facilitate remote collaboration and conferencing (ie. Zoom), making tech talent even more essential. And of course, many more tech-influenced or tech-centric platforms emerged during the pandemic.
In June 2021, job openings for IT workers reached a high of 365,000, the highest monthly total of postings since September 2019. That’s just IT workers alone! Among these openings were roles for software developers, system engineers, and system architects. Both seasoned veterans and new up-and-comers were suddenly opened to a world of new jobs, many of which are based in California.
But with all of these new opportunities, tech workers can still land a poor fit if they’re not careful.
The Tech Industry Can Be Dark Without Guidance
As glamorous as the tech industry is, it likely comes as no surprise that it can have a dark side. Many tech workers have found themselves in less-than-ideal scenarios after landing the wrong tech jobs. They represent the class of tech workers who have complained about some now-infamous flaws found at both tech startups and mature enterprises.
Downsides Of Tech Industry Jobs
- Discrimination – Ageism, and sexism still exist in the tech industry, despite efforts being made to clamp down on these issues. This can prevent talented people from getting jobs or getting promotions at their jobs.
- Lack of diversity – Even in the absence of discrimination, many tech companies have a staff that looks almost identical from person to person. It can be quite intimidating for people of minority backgrounds, neurodivergent, or other marginalized groups to work in a homogenized workforce.
- Burnout – The traditional start work at 9, leave by 5 doesn’t always hold up in the tech industry. It’s not uncommon for employees to work double-digit hours, especially when trying to meet deadlines.
- Poor mentoring from superiors – It’s not uncommon for “higher-ups” in tech companies to lack understanding of their co-worker’s job requirements, or to be too busy to mentor their employees. Under these circumstances, tech talent can find themselves in a situation where they receive little support or opportunities to grow in their role.
The problem here is that these problems can exist at the most prestigious tech companies. Blinded by the glamor and glory of a role at a fancy startup, it’s easy for prospective employers to miss signs of these issues.
A Technical Staffing Agency Can Help You Find The Perfect Role
There’s a huge demand for technical staffing, with companies seeking out new talent. The question though, is how does talent find the right company to work for? How do you find an opportunity that compensates you fairly and gives you room to grow, without compromising your values and ethics? It can be hard to make the right choice.
A technical staffing agency can help you separate the gold from pyrite so-to-speak. Representatives from a staffing agency not only help you find a financially-rewarding role, but they’ll also help you find a professionally rewarding role. That means the roles they scout for you will feel inclusive and allow you to reach new career highs.
California’s Tech Scene Is Alive & Well
If you’re looking for a tech job in California, this is one of the best times to make the jump. The demand has only peaked due to the pandemic, and the culture of remote work and education it’s fostered. But do yourself a favor and find the role that’s your perfect match.
You can do so by working with a technical staffing agency that has the connections and insider knowledge to help you identify these opportunities. A staffing agency will ensure that your next tech role will be a stepping stone, rather than a dead-end.