Tech job losses could be a boon for indigenous organisations

For some time now, small and medium-sized organisations have struggled to find skilled technical professionals, which has been a real hindrance to business transformation. Cyber security specialists are in particularly short supply.

However, we’ve recently seen some of the large multinationals start to lay off staff – and not just commercial or operations employees. Large swathes of technical professionals have found themselves redundant and on the hunt for a new role.

While it’s undoubtedly unfortunate for the individuals involved, there is massive opportunity behind this labour market shift, both for those job hunters and mid-sized organisations.

Many technical professionals are now weighting risk more into their decision-making process when taking on a new role.

Consider what has happened with Twitter recently, with Elon Musk sacking thousands of staff at the stroke of a pen. We’ve also seen Salesforce, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and others announce the trimming of their global workforces, and this is impacting Ireland and beyond.

At a time of significant increases in the cost of living and soaring accommodation costs, safe is the order of day – and that’s why many technical staff are now looking at growing, mid-sized indigenous organisations such as Ekco for their next career move.

“If I were on the hunt for a new role following redundancy, I might take the view that mid-sized indigenous organisations are a safer bet,” said Conor Scolard, technical director, Ekco.

“They’re stable, more predictable and less influenced by company policies outside the region. One can also get more rounded technical experience, rather than being pigeon-holed into a niche role in a multinational.”

Examining the profile of the business you want to work for is important. Job seekers need to watch for financial stability, senior management with a solid track record, defined career progression, and growth ambition. Who doesn’t want the option of geographic or role mobility once you cement your position within the company?

Ekco is a security-first, managed cloud provider with technology specialists in Ireland, Britain and the Netherlands. The company is currently recruiting for a number of technical and commercial roles. For details: see www.ek.co/about/careers