What has changed in the IT job market in recent months
In September companies posted 6340 vacancies on DOU (Ukrainian IT job board). This is a noticeable retreat from the peak in March when there were almost 8 thousand positions. Overall, in the third quarter the number of open vacancies fell by 6% compared with the second quarter.
At the same time, the reduction in supply has been accompanied by an inflow of jobseekers. If in June about 22 thousand candidates were applying to vacancies on DOU, by September that number had grown to 27 thousand. As a result, competition has increased and the average number of applications per vacancy in September reached 38.
Who is in the worst position
It is now hardest for Front-end developers, Node.js specialists and quality assurance (QA) engineers to find work. Front-end vacancies receive on average 275 applications per position. For Node.js that figure is 185, and for QA it is 113 applications.
The number of vacancies for Front-end fell to 91 in September, whereas in January there were 302. Among developers, the biggest declines are in Ruby — down 58%, iOS — down 49%, React Native — down 33% and Android — down 23%. Java has not yet suffered a sharp fall: in September there were 89 vacancies.
Where demand has grown and who finds it easier to get a job
Alongside cuts in several areas, growth trends are noticeable. The number of vacancies increased in Legal, Security, Hardware and Architect roles. For Security, September was a record — 134 positions.
Technical specialities — for example Hardware and Embedded — look more favourable for candidates. In September there were 274 vacancies for Hardware and on average 3.5 applications per position. For Embedded two figures are mentioned: 146 vacancies in one place and 160 vacancies elsewhere, with an average of 6 applications. For system administrator (SysAdmin) there were 116 vacancies and 12 applications per position.
DefTech (defence technology) as an exception amid cuts
The DefTech (defence technology) sector continues to scale up hiring. In September it recorded a record — 1395 open positions. Demand in this segment is reflected in candidate activity: over the month they left 12.7 thousand applications, which gives on average 9 applications per position.
This means that even when the overall market contracts, there are industries where demand for specialists remains high. Security and some hardware areas show that competitive conditions are distributed unevenly.
What has changed for you and what practical steps to take next
If you are looking for a job in IT, it is important to understand a few things. First, competition has increased: in September the DOU site averaged 38 applications per vacancy. Second, the situation depends on your speciality: Front-end and Node.js remain at peak load, while Hardware, Embedded and Security offer fewer competitors per vacancy.
Practical steps you can take immediately are listed below. They will help reduce the risk of a long job search and increase your chances of being invited to an interview.
- Assess demand for your speciality and, if necessary, broaden your profile — for example, learn adjacent technologies or emphasise experience in Security, Hardware or Embedded.
- Optimise your CV for a specific vacancy and add work samples or links to a portfolio.
- Actively search for vacancies in growing sectors such as DefTech and Security and apply faster than competitors.
These steps do not guarantee an offer but help you stand out when there are many applications per vacancy. If you are considering changing your profile, assess the time required for training and compare it with the likelihood of finding work in a new niche.
Where to find more detailed information
You can view in-depth analysis with figures and charts in the DOU analytics. There is a breakdown by speciality of vacancies and applications which allows you to assess competition in your field.
If you are deciding to change your profile or urgently looking for a job, use this material as a reference for what has changed, whether it concerns you, and which practical steps to take in the near term.
