The IT Job Market in 2025: Expert Insights from Vilmate Recruiters

The years 2023-2024 have been challenging for the IT sector. Many specialists and job seekers noticed a visible slowdown in the job market. While the statistics didn’t indicate a major crisis, people within the industry were more alert than the official data suggested.

As we approach 2025, it’s a fitting time to discuss the outlook for IT recruitment. We spoke with four Vilmate recruiters to get their perspectives on the current state of the market and their predictions for the future. Their insights can help highlight key aspects of job searching for the coming year.

What soft skills will be essential for candidates in 2025? How is artificial intelligence influencing companies’ choice of specialists? What should newcomers prepare for? Oksana Nikonova, Serhii Pruhlo, Svitlana Klochko, and Olena Fomina tackle these and other interesting questions. Let’s explore the opinions of our recruiters and draw some valuable conclusions!

A Consistent Factor: The Personal Qualities of Specialists

Do clients notice a specialist’s personality? The answer is definitely yes. For lasting, productive collaboration, mutual understanding is essential, and good communication always makes a positive impression on clients, encouraging them to return.

So, which personal qualities are most important for an IT professional? Let’s look at what Vilmate’s recruiters focus on when evaluating candidates.

Svitlana Klochko: “For me, the most essential qualities are technical competence, flexibility, and a willingness to learn. Ultimately, professionalism is the first thing clients notice. Communication skills are just as important as they support effective teamwork and collaboration. A good specialist is someone ready to work productively and puts the client’s needs first.”

Other recruiters share Svitlana’s view. Olena Fomina added that clients often value initiative and a readiness to take responsibility for their work. Oksana Nikonova highlighted that along with these qualities, friendliness and punctuality are timeless values for clients.

Our fourth specialist agreed with the others, added a few important points, and offered some advice for job seekers.

Serhii Pruhlo: “A candidate should have strong critical thinking skills to solve problems effectively. The ability to analyze situations and make complex decisions is crucial for success. Emotional intelligence is also key—a specialist needs to manage their own emotions and understand others’ to build healthy working relationships. I also value intercultural competence, as Vilmate works with clients worldwide.

• Be ready to communicate at any time. You may work with clients in different time zones, so it’s essential to prioritize clear, quick communication, even if it requires some personal flexibility.
• Don’t let personal issues affect the client. If you’re dealing with challenges, manage them so they don’t impact the client’s experience.
• Use caution with criticism. Before giving feedback to the client, consider how constructive it is.
• Aim for full understanding. If anything is unclear, ask questions instead of making assumptions.”

Serhii also highlighted specific qualities valued for different roles:

What can we conclude from our specialists’ insights? In 2025, as always, competence, communication skills, and availability will remain key. But will there be new requirements for candidates in the future?

IT Specialist in 2025: New Requirements for Candidates

We asked our recruiters what changes are expected in recruitment soon. In general, their views were similar—unsurprisingly, as they all share the core values of Vilmate.

Olena Fomina: “The core values will stay the same, but new criteria may be added to meet changing demands and opportunities. We’re likely to see more demand for specialists with a narrow focus. Clients are increasingly looking for experts in AI, cybersecurity, and blockchain.

Svitlana Klochko agrees, adding that knowledge of new technologies will be more valued in the future. She also mentioned that demand will grow for Full-stack developers and DevOps specialists with expertise in cloud platforms.

At the same time, Serhii Pruhlo believes that all core requirements will become even more critical. You’ll need to improve in every area: respond to client messages a little faster and have a better command of English.

Our specialists also agreed that soft skills will become much more important than they are today.

Oksana Nikonova: “In 2025, selecting candidates will be much more thorough. Along with strong technical knowledge, excellent soft skills will be essential. Your personal qualities will play a big role as the number of professionals in the field continues to grow.”

Based on their responses, we decided to learn how they assess candidates’ soft skills. Their answers will help you prepare for upcoming interviews.

Preparing for an Interview: How Your Soft Skills Are Assessed

In 2025, working on your self-presentation will be crucial. Our recruiters have already acknowledged that they will focus more on the personality of candidates. Can you prepare if you’re nervous before an interview? Let’s look at how recruiters generally assess your skills.

Serhii Pruhlo: “Soft skills can be assessed in three stages. The first stage is a call with the recruiter, who makes general conclusions about whether the candidate fits the company’s needs. The second stage is the technical interview. Here, the recruiter focuses on how the conversation flows and how the candidate answers questions. The third stage is the conversation with the client. This part is very subjective, so there’s no universal advice for preparation. However, it’s a good idea to work on your spoken English and always thank clients after they share something with you.”

At the same time, Svitlana offered some universal advice: she recommends that candidates work on their self-presentation skills and, most importantly, be sincere. Honest answers and being yourself are key to success, in her opinion. She also shared how she evaluates candidates’ soft skills.

Olena added that she focuses on how candidates speak and how concisely and structured their answers are. She also sees it as a good sign if a candidate has prepared for the interview and learned about the company’s values and corporate culture.

Oksana shared some specific questions you might hear during an interview:

Oksana Nikonova: “You might be asked:

We continued discussing soft skills with our specialists. Given the rise of Artificial Intelligence, we decided to ask if recruiters are considering candidates’ ability to use new technology.

Do You Need to Know How to Use Artificial Intelligence in 2025?

In 2025, AI will be even more widespread than it is today. Here’s what our specialists think about it.

Svitlana Klochko: “I would consider AI knowledge a hard skill. AI tools can greatly improve work processes by automating routine tasks, enhancing data processing, and generating solutions from analyzing large amounts of information. Knowing how to use these tools helps candidates be more productive, which is valuable for companies.”

Oksana Nikonova fully agreed with Svitlana, stating that experience with AI is becoming increasingly important for IT specialists. Serhii Pruhlo noted that clients don’t often require this skill from candidates yet. While he agrees it’s useful, he advises not to get too focused on the technology.

Olena Fomina shared a different view.

Olena Fomina: “Being able to use artificial intelligence helps with overall professional growth and significantly increases a candidate’s chances of landing a job. AI skills are becoming standard, so candidates should focus on developing these skills.”

We also asked about other soft skills related to progress that may emerge in 2025. Oksana Nikonova answered this question.

Our specialists are highly experienced, so we decided to discuss how the IT job market will treat both newcomers and experienced candidates in 2025.

Tips for IT Specialists: How to Find a Job in 2025

We asked our recruiters for specific advice on how to find a job in the IT industry in 2025. Here are their recommendations.

Svitlana Klochko: “In 2025, the IT industry will require the ability to adapt, learn continuously, and remain flexible. Beginners should focus on building a strong foundation in both technical and soft skills. Mid-level and senior professionals should concentrate on specialization, leadership, and strategic thinking to stay competitive in the job market.”

Oksana Nikonova agreed with her colleague and emphasized the importance of developing personal qualities.

Serhii Pruhlo: “Beginners need to study hard and understand that learning takes time. It will be harder to find a job, but it’s important not to give up and keep working toward your goals. I think young people with relevant degrees (Computer Science, Software Engineering, etc.) and a strong command of English will have an advantage.

Olena Fomina provided a list of useful tips for beginners:

What conclusions can we draw from this?

The IT industry will change in 2025 and will become even more demanding. If you want to become a sought-after IT professional, focus on both technical skills and soft skills.

Companies looking to hire will also need to adjust to market changes. With more candidates, companies will need to be more selective. Vilmate specialists are experts in building strong, professional teams, so feel free to contact us for help.