Dive Brief:

• Demand for tech talent with mobile development skills, including those that can build mobile responsive websites, grew 104% year over year between 2014 and 2016, according recruiting firm Randstad Technologies.

• Employers are seeking specialized skills needed for building mobile applications and mobile responsive website design in iOS, Android, HTML5, Angular, Java and JavaScript, according to Randstad. The demand comes, in part, from the expected 5.5 billion mobile users by 2020, Cisco Systems reports.

• "People expect to be able to use untethered technology, and CIOs and IT managers are responding," said Rob Hubley, practice director at Randstad Technologies.

Dive Insight:

Consumers are addicted to their mobile phones, and businesses know they must provide a good mobile experience to capture them. Randstad’s data confirms businesses are responding by dedicating more resources to enhancing mobile apps and optimizing the online presence with mobile responsive website design.

But hiring more mobile developers is also about workforce demand. Companies want to enable mobile workers, and in some cases, are using mobility as a perk to attract more tech workers. That means making sure internal tools, including things like intranets and sales portals, are responsive and efficient.