Uncovering the skillsets required in computer science jobs using social network analysis

• Published in: Education and information technologies 2024-07, Vol.29 (10), p.12759-12780
• Main Author: Maghsoudi, Mehrdad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Business Skills; Communication; Communication Skills; Communications networks; Computer Appl. in Social and Behavioral Sciences; Computer Science; Computers and Education; Education; Educational Technology; Embedded systems; Information Systems Applications (incl.Internet); Labor market; Network Analysis; Programming Languages; Skills; Social network analysis; Social networks; User Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction
• ISSN: 1360-2357; 1573-7608
• DOI: 10.1007/s10639-023-12304-4

The rapid growth of technology and computer science, which has led to a surge in demand for skilled professionals in this field. The skill set required for computer science jobs has evolved rapidly, creating challenges for those already in the workforce who need to adapt their skills quickly to meet industry demands. To stay ahead of the curve, it is essential to understand the hottest skills needed in the field. The article introduces a new method for analyzing job advertisements using social network analysis to identify the most critical skills required by employers in the market. In this research, to form the communication network of skills, first 5763 skills were collected from the LinkedIn social network, then the relationship between skills was collected and searched in 7777 computer science job advertisements, and finally, the balanced communication network of skills was formed. The study analyzes the formed communication network of skills in the computer science job market and identifies four distinct communities of skills: Generalists, Infrastructure and Security, Software Development, and Embedded Systems. The findings reveal that employers value both hard and soft skills, such as programming languages and teamwork. Communication skills were found to be the most important skill in the labor market. Additionally, certain skills were highlighted based on their centrality indices, including communication, English, SQL, Git, and business skills, among others. The study provides valuable insights into the current state of the computer science job market and can help guide individuals and organizations in making informed decisions about skills acquisition and hiring practices.