Recruiting Digital Transformation Specialists
For companies to leverage digital technology and data to enhance their competitive advantage, hiring Digital Transformation talent is crucial. So, what specific qualities and skills are required for Digital Transformation talent?
Qualities and skills required for Digital Transformation talent
Companies can advance digital transformation and accelerate their competitiveness by hiring talent with the following qualities and skills.
| Technical Skills | Programming and data analysis skills |
| Business Perspective | Ability to create new value and transform your business |
| Communication Ability | Proactive within an organisation, yet flexible and able to involve others in the process |
| Documentation Skills | Can provide clear explanations, even to people with low technical literacy |
| Mentality | Perseverance and enjoys overcoming obstacles, even when a project hits a snag |
| Motivation To Learn | Always up to date with the latest technology trends |
6 major roles & skills required for Digital Transformation
Digital Transformation PM (Project Manager)
As a core role in addressing corporate issues, a wide range of experience is required, specifically:
- Experience in managing the ordering, requirements definition, planning, and design phases of projects related to core system renewal
- Experience in implementing SAP, ERP, and SCM-related systems.
*Projects ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of yen.
Infrastructure Engineer
Responsibilities include designing, building, and maintaining servers and networks, and migrating to cloud environments. Required experience and skills:
- Experience in migrating to and operating major cloud services such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform
- Experience with both cloud and on-premises operations
- Hands-on ability to set up environments, rather than just managing external vendors
Application Engineer
Develops business-specific applications, participating from concept to maintenance. Required experience and skills:
Understanding of business systems (e.g., knowledge and experience with accounting systems)
Experience in system implementation from the upstream process
Experience in both development and PM
Security Engineer
Designs and operates servers in IT infrastructure with a focus on security, conducts research, and implements measures to prevent cyberattacks. Required experience and skills:
- Experience in building and operating SOC or CSIRT
- Experience working as a network engineer in security-related fields
- Experience with Zero Trust
Database Engineer/Data Scientist
Database engineers primarily design and build data analysis platforms. Data scientists use data analysis to solve business problems and propose new business ventures. Required experience and skills for both:
- Database construction using Oracle database or Teradata
- Introduction and operation of BI tools such as Informatica and Tableau
- Tasks related to creating dashboards and visualising analysed data
Recruitment trends for Digital Transformation specialists
Recent trends indicate a rising demand for Digital Transformation talent. According to a survey by JAC Recruitment, the number of job openings with " Digital Transformation " in the title was about 30 times higher in 2022 than in 2018, and this trend is expected to continue beyond 2024.
The Digital Transformation talent market is highly competitive, with companies actively recruiting. Digital-specialised positions and talent with skill sets are in high demand, so companies need to offer appropriate benefits and a comfortable working environment. Additionally, companies promoting Digital Transformation tend to hire individuals who can solve specific problems and increasingly seek those with the expertise to address these challenges.
Meanwhile, Digital Transformation talent tends to seek training and career path opportunities. As digital technology evolves rapidly, Digital Transformation talent must maintain an interest in self-development and the latest trends. By creating an environment that supports the growth of Digital Transformation talent, companies can retain talent and improve their organisation's competitiveness.
We will explain the trends in Digital Transformation talent recruitment for each job type.
Hiring a PM (Project Manager) due to aging IT infrastructure
The aging of IT infrastructure (legacy systems) is a common factor delaying digital transformation in many companies. Not only small and medium-sized enterprises, but also some large companies are still transitioning from on-premise operations to the cloud.
For this reason, many companies continue to hire PMs (project managers) who can understand their entire system and manage its improvement. This includes vendor control and determining how to optimise the system.
Hiring specialists with UI/UX knowledge
A notable challenge facing enterprise companies is a lack of UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) knowledge. As a countermeasure, companies are actively recruiting talent from industries with strong UI/UX experience, such as fintech, retail, and major IT platform providers.
Hiring a data architect to improve the company's data environment
The next step in developing IT infrastructure for Digital Transformation is creating an environment for appropriate data use. This goes beyond building compatible databases; it involves utilising existing information assets by introducing data integration and visualisation tools, and creating systems to visualise and deliver data analysis results.
Top enterprise companies, including global manufacturers, are redefining their data architecture. However, data architects are in high demand, so recruitment is ongoing.
Hiring security engineers to implement security measures
In addition to "offensive investments," "defensive investments" like security measures are essential. Responding to security incidents is crucial, yet few companies have independent security departments or CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers).
The financial industry actively invests in security measures, operating specialised internal organisations like SOCs (Security Operation Centers) and CSIRTs (Computer Security Incident Response Teams). This trend is expected to spread to other industries, like manufacturing, where data collection and utilisation via IoT is increasing.
Key Points for Recruitng Digital Transformation Talent
Demand for Digital Transformation talent is high, so pay attention to these points when recruiting:
Clarifying the skills and personality required
Clearly define the type of digital transformation (Digital Transformation) your company wants to achieve and the specific skills required in potential hires. This will make your job postings more targeted, preventing mismatches and attracting the right candidates. Prioritise the essential skills and define them in advance, as it may be difficult to find candidates with all the desired Digital Transformation expertise.
Clarification of business content and mission
Communicate your company's mission and the specific job content in detail. After understanding the candidate's values and motivations, clearly convey the company's digital transformation vision and goals, presenting the job opportunity in an appealing manner.
Improving the working environment
Creating a positive working environment is crucial. Offer attractive work styles, such as flexible hours, remote work options, opportunities for growth and development, and access to the latest technology. These factors can significantly enhance your company's appeal to DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION talent.
Compensation and salary with the market value
Offer compensation that aligns with the market value of Digital Transformation talent. Enhance your job offer's attractiveness by providing competitive salary packages, benefits, and clearly defined career paths.
Ensuring speed of selection process
Speed is key in the selection process, as job seekers often receive multiple offers. Pre-determine your schedule, internal structure, and recruitment methods to ensure a swift selection process and prompt job offers.
Assessing cultural fit
Mutual fit between the company and job seekers is vital for long-term success. Prioritise candidates who share your company culture and vision to foster strong, trust-based relationships.
Conducting engaging interviews
Interviews should make candidates feel enthusiastic about joining your company. Design interviews that highlight your company's unique appeal and make candidates eager to contribute to your Digital Transformation efforts.
How to develop Digital Transformation specialists within your company
There are several ways to develop Digital Transformation talent within your company:
Defining skills and requirements
Understand the skills, knowledge, career paths, and aspirations of your current employees. Clarify the specific personnel requirements for the Digital Transformation roles you need to fill within your company.
Creating a digital transformation talent development plan
Create an environment where employees can develop themselves by defining specific goals, outlining ways to acquire skills, and establishing training programs. Selecting talent from various departments can lead to the creation of new business opportunities.
Providing career paths
Digital Transformation personnel must always have the latest technology and knowledge. Introduce curricula and promotion systems that encourage employees to grow and acquire the necessary skills.
Sharing information
Utilise the company intranet, in-house training sessions, and other channels to actively inform employees about your training programs and their results. Even small, short-term updates can improve IT literacy and foster interest in Digital Transformation within the company.
Creating a management structure
Create an environment where Digital Transformation talent can easily achieve results. This can be done by providing regular feedback from supervisors, conducting career interviews, and setting clear, achievable goals.
How to secure Digital Transformation specialists
While developing Digital Transformation talent in-house is effective, it takes time and company-wide involvement. To accelerate your Digital Transformation initiatives and gain immediate contributions, consider augmenting your team with experienced professionals. Mid-career recruitment can be highly competitive, so partnering with a recruitment agency can be beneficial. Additionally, the growing pool of freelance engineers and consultants offers another avenue for accessing specialised Digital Transformation talent.
If you have any questions or would like assistance with your Digital Transformation talent strategy, please feel free to contact us.
