Dive Brief:
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Microsoft Office Suite skills are the most sought-after software skills today, according to Novel Aspect, which examined Indeed job listings from the 50 most populous U.S. cities.
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Companies seeking tech employees collectively mentioned Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint in 35.4% of job listings, Novel Aspect found.
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Job applicants with Amazon Web Services skills stand to earn the most, however. Ten of the top 20 highest-paying software skills related to applications produced by AWS, according to the report.
Dive Insight:
Because spreadsheets, email and presentations are still key tools for most businesses, it makes sense that Microsoft Office Suite skills are so desirable. But just because such skills are necessary doesn’t mean they pay well. Novel Aspect found the majority of the top 20 highest-paying software skills related to cloud-based services or offerings.
The skills most likely to earn talent big dollars are engineering skills, however. Computer network architects in the U.S. earn an average annual salary of $103,100. Not surprisingly, when it comes to location, San Francisco had the most job listings with software needs.
The findings speak to the changing tech economy. Companies' demands have changed as the use of software and programming has become commonplace in the workplace across every sector. If organizations need a back-end infrastructure skill, they're willing to pay a premium.
