Who are Peterson Technology Partners?

Peterson Technology Partners, also known as PTP, is a staffing and consultancy firm, located in Chicago and operating globally. PTP specializes in providing IT staffing and talent supply management solutions.

What services does PTP offer?

PTP is known for sourcing best-in-class talent for the IT industry, specializing in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cloud Computing, DevOps, and Cybersecurity.

What are the benefits of working with PTP?

PTP’s proprietary 5-step assessment process ensures that our clients receive only the absolute best-in-class talent for their staffing needs. Our 4-point promise to every client guarantees Quality, Speed, Agility, and Customization.

Do I have to pay for this service?

We require no payment from job-seekers. If you’re a job-seeker looking for your next great opportunity visit the Jobs page. If you’re an employer looking for top-tier talent to meet your staffing needs, Contact Us to start building your customized service plan.

Introduction

It is perhaps a confusing time for job-seekers in the tech sphere right now. Are layoffs really as prominent as the headlines make them seem? How much of the shift in tech job requirements is due to AI? What skills can professionals build to stabilize their tech career?

This PTP Report aims to answer all these questions and more.

In their most recent Tech Jobs Report, Dice listed which skills (hard and soft) were referenced the most in tech job postings last month. Not only are we sharing this list, but we’re also detailing why these skills are in high demand and which roles they’re most useful for.

1. Communication

Unique job postings in August 2025: 94,904

Communication is the number one most-mentioned skill, highlighting the importance of soft skills in tech jobs. Communication is critical for any leadership role, especially one that involves explaining complex technical concepts to stakeholders. But the more companies recognize the drawbacks (and dangers security-wise) of siloed teams, the more tech communication skills are needed from every tech professional, from data scientists to security analysts.

2. Computer Science

Unique job postings in August 2025: 57,337

It’s likely that computer science earned the number two spot because it appears in the education requirements of tech job descriptions. That said, computer science fundamentals are great to have for any tech role—and not just technical ones.

3. Management

Unique job postings in August 2025: 56,028

Many organizations are adapting the function of tech management roles as business goals shift and technology develops. As AI agents rise in use, for example, management could mean monitoring one or multiple agents. It could also mean leading a team of IT professionals and (as mentioned in number one) communicating the progress of IT projects with non-technical leadership.

4. Problem-Solving

Unique job postings in August 2025: 55,859

It’s no surprise problem-solving skills made the top 10, as finding solutions to big and small–picture challenges is truly at the core of the tech industry. Take cybersecurity engineers, for example. Security professionals need to address individual incidents along with the big picture of evolving cyberthreats due to technological advancements like AI.

5. Troubleshooting

Unique job postings in August 2025: 51,153

While troubleshooting in IT falls under the category of problem-solving in theory, it’s a skill you’ll see the most in roles like systems analyst, network administrator, database administrator, and IT support specialist. You may also need to demonstrate troubleshooting skills in more advanced roles like DevOps engineer, software quality assurance engineer, and IT project manager.

6. Leadership

Unique job postings in August 2025: 47,337

Every industry needs leadership, but there are special applications for leadership in tech that extend beyond motivating and managing a team of workers. For companies striving for innovation, leadership requires vision, initiative, and experimentation. Businesses looking to stay ahead of the competition want leaders who don’t let the fear of failure hold them back.

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7. Operations

Unique job postings in August 2025: 45,878

Operations skills consist of a unique blend of technical and non-technical skills, from data processing and product development to strategic planning and people management. While operations skills pop up the most in operations management roles, it’s a skill that is useful across tech, in roles like product manager, project manager, and IT manager.

8. Python (Programming Language)

Unique job postings in August 2025: 41,707

Python programming skills are useful for several, if not all, tech jobs. Primarily, Python is used for roles involving automation in tech, like QA automation developer, DevOps engineer, and data engineer. However, learning Python can enhance any role, as those who learn it can use it to automate a variety of tasks, from data visualization to API requests.

9. Automation

Unique job postings in August 2025: 37,319

The demand for AI skills in tech jobs is on the rise, symbolizing an industry-wide desire to maximize efficiency and reserve more time and energy for innovation. So it makes sense that automation made this list. Automation skills can play a role across diverse functions—from robotics to project management to QA testing.

10. SQL (Programming Language)

Unique job postings in August 2025: 35,691

SQL plays a key role in data and programming roles, aiding in querying, storing, and managing data within relational databases. Roles likely to require SQL skills include (but are not limited to) business intelligence analyst, data scientist, QA engineer, developer, and server administrator.

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Conclusion: Opportunities at PTP

Harness these in-demand skills and get started on your next adventure—perhaps through a premier staffing agency with nearly three decades of expertise matching top organizations with talented IT professionals.

PTP’s IT talent pipeline consists of a wide range of experts, including web and mobile developers, AI/ML engineers, DevOps engineers, cybersecurity engineers, QA engineers, data scientists, project managers, Adobe specialists, Salesforce professionals, and business managers.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to grow in your tech career, browse PTP’s job board or submit your resume to our recruiters.

FAQs

Which of the top tech skills of 2025 are expected to grow in demand through 2026?

While many hard and soft tech skills are on the rise, soft skills are especially expected to grow through 2026, highlighting the importance of matching technical proficiency with business acumen and interpersonal effectiveness. For example, the demand for trustworthiness, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration increased significantly from 2024 to 2025 (Dice).

What is the demand of AI skills, and how can building them improve tech careers?

By August, 43% of US tech job postings required AI skills, only up 3% from July but up 80% from August 2024 (Dice). To meet this demand and boost your salary in the process, consider pursuing AI certifications and quantifying how your AI use has maximized efficiency and performance at previous roles if applicable.

Is learning any one of these in-demand technical skills enough to land a job in tech?

Short answer: no. Programming languages like Python, for example, are useful for many IT roles and appealing to employers, but job-seekers will need more proven work experience in a relevant area to get hired. That said, things like personal projects and open-source project contributions are great ways to practice your skills and grab the attention of an interviewer.