Demands for IT professionals with experience of Linux is soaring as recruiters redouble their efforts to find the right talent, according to research from the Linux Foundation.
Almost all hiring managers questioned in a report for the foundation said they would be looking to recruit Linux professionals within the next six months to work on a range of systems and projects that use the open source operating system.
Shravan Goli, president of recruitment firm Dice, said: "Competition for Linux talent is accelerating, as the software becomes more ubiquitous.
"Hiring managers need to ensure they are offering the right set of incentives to attract talent, while professionals need to provide evidence of their knowledge and skills, especially in areas of growing demand such as the cloud."
As interest in the cloud has increased experience in OpenStack and CloudStack has become important to two-fifths of prospective employers surveyed, while software-defined networking (SDN) knowledge was highlighted by a fifth.
Despite the high demand many are looking to verify prospective workers with qualifications, with just under half saying they are more likely to hire a Linux certified candidate, and just over half expecting formal training or grading of potential system admins.
"Demand for Linux talent continues apace, and it’s becoming more important for employers to be able to verify candidates have the skillsets they need," said Jim Zemlin, executive director at the Linux Foundation.
"Formal training and certifications are a key way of identifying qualified talent, and as more people join the Linux community, it will be increasingly necessary for professionals to show they stand out in the crowd."
