What's happening in tech hiring this month
Insights into Dice's tech professional community, the tech hiring landscape, and what it means for you as a recruiter.
Surging skills
Last month, we talked about the rise of AI-assisted development (AIAD)—the use of AI tools to help developers code smarter and faster. This month, we’re spotlighting Cursor, a tool that brings AIAD to life by helping developers write, edit, and debug code with built-in AI support.
Cursor works like Grammarly but for coding—suggesting improvements as you write, fixing bugs, and answering questions in real time. For developers, that means less time spent on repetitive work and more focus on solving meaningful problems.
And the momentum around Cursor is building. Dice candidates are adding Cursor to their skillsets 70% more than last year, and recruiter searches for it have risen by 90%. 1 As AI continues to transform software development, tools like Cursor are quickly becoming essentials in a developer’s toolkit.
Voice of tech professional
Have you ever wondered how tech professionals view themselves? Here’s how they define what it means to be a tech professional:
Specialized technical knowledge
“Someone in a STEM-related field, like engineering, coding, developer, IT, science tech, math tech, healthcare tech, security engineer, database management, etc.”
Problem-solving skills
“A professional who can leverage technical tools to solve problems.”
Continuous learning and adaptability
“A highly skilled subject matter expert who has a wealth of knowledge and hands on experience with eagerness to adapt to change and always learning and growing and able to contribute in his/her environment.”
Collaboration and communication
“A tech professional who is strategic, with critical thinking, ability to analyze detail, quick to learn new skills, adaptable, collaborative and confident.”
Hot topic: How to connect with tech professionals
Now that you understand how tech professionals think about themselves, here’s how you can better connect with them: Start by recognizing what helps them thrive—tackling complex challenges, having the freedom to think creatively, and continuously growing their skills. Problem-solving isn’t just part of their job; it’s at the heart of who they are. When reaching out, focus on the impact of the role: What problems will they solve? What technologies will they work with or learn? And be clear about how their work contributes to a larger mission or business objective. Highlight opportunities for skill development, true ownership of projects, and collaboration with other high-caliber talent.
Monthly tech jobs report
Check out the most recent jobs report for a snapshot of how tech jobs are faring in the overall market, what roles companies are hiring for, top job titles, and more.
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1 Dice candidate profile and recruiter search data in compared to 2023
2 Internal Dice research conducted among tech professionals in Q3 2024