2025 will be a challenging year. To attract the right expertise, you need to know what knowledge will be and remain relevant. On the other hand, future employees with that talent are in demand, so approach them appropriately. Understanding the following trends will help you make smarter hiring decisions and stay ahead in the competitive IT-recruitment landscape.

Trend 1: Does your developer speak the right language?

We’re not talking about English, Dutch, or Portuguese. The way applications are written is changing, and so are the languages used by developers to build them. For more than a decade, JavaScript was the most popular programming language on GitHub, where developers store their code. This year, that language has lost its crown for the first time. Most programmers now work in Python.

Requirements for developers are changing fast. Languages that were relevant a couple of years ago may no longer be, and vice versa. For your company’s projects, you need people who are fluent in the programming languages defining today’s and tomorrow’s work. In 2014, those languages were JavaScript and Java; ten years later, Python takes the lead.

Trend 2: Is security a priority?

Every candidate for an IT-related position in your company should have the same answer to this question: what is your top priority? The correct answer is security. Whether it is a developer, an operational expert, a network engineer, or a project manager, they must all have security ingrained in their DNA.

Unfortunately, threats are more complex and pervasive than ever. The only way to keep a company safe is to integrate security from the very beginning. Bolt on security is no longer viable, secure by design is the norm. You do not secure an application after it is built, but you develop it securely from the first line of code.

This requires a mindset and interest not everyone possesses. During the recruitment process, it’s best to assess the candidate’s vision upfront. A fast, user-friendly solution is worthless after a ransomware attack. In other words, you want to hire people who prioritize prevention over cure. European regulations such as NIS2 make this approach essential rather than optional.

Trend 3: You guessed it – AI (but not for you)

No one wants to see AI as a trend anymore, but we cannot ignore it. Do not immediately focus on hiring AI engineers or experts, but look for people who embrace AI with open arms. Applications with Copilot are already making employees’ lives easier, enabling them to work faster and more efficiently.

You want future developers to use AI for repetitive tasks where possible, allowing them to focus on complex, value-added work. This principle applies to any new profile you hire, whether in IT or in other fields. Search for people who can and want to collaborate with AI.

On the flip side, good talent is scarce. Therefore, do not rely too much on AI and automation in your recruitment process and prioritize personal contact with interesting candidates as soon as possible. You will not be the only one and you want to avoid that a competitor with a more human touch swoops in.

Trend 4: Everywhere at home

Cloud first? Or everything on premises? Beware of extremists. The answer to the question where your IT environment functions best is, like the answer to most important life questions, nuanced. Today, a hybrid environment is the norm. Those setups are more complex and require a solid understanding of the pros and cons of both cloud and local IT. Those who constantly ask where something should run have the right mindset. Some things work better in the office, others don’t.

The same applies to people. These days, rigid office policies are a thing of the past. Ultimately, you want a new team member to perform at their best. Listen to the candidate’s questions and expectations. Benefits such as flexible remote work are often more important to candidates today than salary.

Trend 5: Keep it lean

Sustainability will be key in 2025. The IT world is now aware of its impact on the environment. The good news? What is good for the environment is often good for the budget too. Think of digital hygiene; activating virtual machines in the cloud for useful workloads but leaving them running unnecessarily increases both costs and CO2 emissions.

IT does not exists in a vacuum and efficiency is becoming a crucial trend in 2025. Look for people who consider not only possible approaches to a task but also whether they are the most efficient solutions.

Emphasizing this during recruitment also signals that sustainability is important to your company. Research indicates that people prefer to work for organizations that share their values. Highlight this and increase your chances of finding like-minded talent for your company.

2025 may sound like a challenging year, but CHRLY has got your back. Find out how we help your organization with IT recruitment and contact us as your first New Year’s resolution.