The Tech Talent Evolution: Find Specialized Skills with Global Hiring

2024-11-154 min readWritten by Christine Orchard

We’re still in a tech talent shortage—and yes, we know that sounds crazy with all the recent layoffs. But even as tech jobs are cut, the demand for specialized skills keeps climbing. Hiring managers everywhere feel stuck in this gap between talent availability and the expertise companies actually need.

Our latest Tech Talent Evolution report, which we created with our EOR partner Multiplier, digs into why this is happening and how global hiring is stepping up as a powerful solution. Here’s what we learned and why it matters to your hiring strategy.

Why It’s Not Just About “More Talent”

As Jeff Lam, Arc’s Director of Recruiting, puts it: “The current hiring challenge is not a general talent shortage, but a high demand for specialized expertise that has intensified over the past two years.” So, even though companies like Intel, Cisco, and Apple are laying off thousands, tech companies are still struggling to find people with critical skills in areas like AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.

The Rise of Global Hiring

One trend from our research is the shift to global hiring. With remote work now the norm, companies can source talent from anywhere, not just in their local markets. And we’ve seen this open up a huge opportunity for tech companies to find the right skills faster and more affordably by tapping into emerging markets.

As Jeff explains, “Companies need to turn to specialized talent marketplaces like ours to source skills from around the world. They cannot find these people on job boards alone because of the overwhelming amount of generalized talent.”

According to the report based on data from Multiplier, US-based companies are hiring from India, the Philippines, Canada, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and the UK.

Why Remote and Freelance Talent Work

Hiring globally isn’t just about getting more resumes but finding the right match. It allows companies to hire remote talent working from regions with lower living costs, making hiring more budget-friendly. It also allows companies to scale up or down with freelance talent based on project needs, a massive advantage in this unpredictable market.

“Companies often opt for this option before hiring full-time tech talent,” Jeff adds. “There’s a lot of uncertainty in the market, so it’s hard for companies to predict their budget. If they have a project requiring specialized skills, it’s difficult to know whether it is enough to satisfy a full-time hire.”

Key Takeaways from the Report

Here’s a quick look at the insights from our Tech Talent Evolution report:

Specialized skills are essential – Hiring managers increasingly focus on specialized talent in high-growth areas like Blockchain, DevOps, and Data Science.
AI skills are in demand everywhere – Generative AI and related skills are becoming critical across all tech roles.
Global, skills-based hiring is the future – Focusing on skills over location gives you access to the best talent out there.
Flexibility is key – Companies that implement dynamic, flexible hiring strategies will be the ones that thrive.

Our report shows that the future of tech hiring is global. Companies that adapt and embrace global and freelance talent will be the ones to thrive in the years ahead.

Check out the Tech Talent Evolution report for the latest insights into today’s tech hiring trends and practical strategies for bridging your talent gap.

How Arc Makes Global Hiring Easy

At Arc, we’re passionate about helping you navigate these hiring challenges. Our platform connects you with top-tier, pre-vetted remote and freelance developers, designers, marketers, PMs, and more worldwide. Whether you need full-time remote team members or freelancers for a specific project, Arc is designed to get you the right talent, fast.

With our curated pool of global talent, you don’t have to worry about quality or spend weeks in a hiring process. We’ve got the talent—you just choose the right fit for your team.