These 10 Tech Skills Are In High Demand by Employers

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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