The current reality of Brazil’s job market is bleak. About one-quarter of the workforce is either unemployed or underemployed—and 5 million people have given up on finding a job altogether. But one field, however, has set itself apart: IT. As Brazilians companies modernize, the sector has become crucial for any company—soon, all businesses will rely on software.
According to a recent report on market trends by recruiters Robert Half, Talenses, Page Personnel, and online recruiting service Catho, the IT sector is set to boom in the coming years. Whether they be in agribusiness, healthcare, or education, companies are looking to invest hefty sums in technology. And these investments could lead to more openings in executive positions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pushed by fears of crime and violence, security is another sector where technology is booming. The area is expected to grow 10 percent this year, with public and private security solutions becoming more and more popular. Such products include facial recognition technology, home security systems, and personal alert applications.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Moreover, the new Brazilian Data Protection Law—approved in 2018 by President Michel Temer—will force companies into establishing and monitoring new protocols to deal with consumer data. If you have ever bought anything in Brazil, it is likely you were asked for your taxpayer ID number (CPF)—that is sensitive personal data, meaning that this company, whether it be a large pharmacy chain or a small-time bakery, will have to comply to the new rules.</span></p>
<h2>What drives the IT market in Brazil</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brazilian tech firms are sprouting up all across the map. According to the Brazilian Startup Association, no fewer than 2,000 tech startups were founded between January and April of this year. By December, another 3,000 could open their doors. Meanwhile, more mature markets are seeing an increasing demand for technology—which could grow the sector’s revenue to BRL 200 billion by 2024.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When compared to other sectors of the economy, one of the characteristics of the Brazilian IT market is the rampant flexibility in job relations. IT companies are far more open to hire freelancers and accept home office contracts than other segments. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The IT sector has also proven to be more open to less prestigious diplomas—or professionals with no diplomas at all. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For years, companies have filtered their candidates from the graduation pools of prestigious universities. However, there is a growing consensus that Brazilian universities have failed to keep up with the evolution of the IT market, meaning that graduate students often receive their diplomas without possessing the skills sought after by future employers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a result, employers are now placing more importance on candidates’ portfolios rather their academic résumés. “A diploma proves you’re intelligent, a portfolio shows how imaginative you are,” says Mathieu Le Roux, a former venture capital investor who brought </span><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2016/04/21/how-le-wagon-is-quietly-becoming-a-major-coding-bootcamp-in-europe/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Le Wagon</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">—a French coding boot camp—to three Brazilian cities.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I remember attending my first Rubyconf [a tech event] in São Paulo a few years ago, and seeing a 13-year-old girl wearing a cat-ear tiara lecturing an audience of men twice her age about how to code—and many of them were taking notes. It’s hard to imagine another field that would be open to a teen wearing cat ears. She obviously wasn’t old enough to have a college degree—which didn’t mean she wasn’t a great coder,” says Mr. Le Roux.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A recent survey shows that two-thirds of coders in the U.S. are self-taught. “Nobody will discriminate against you if you come from a great school. But until you show what you have developed, it means nothing.”</span></p>
<h2>Higher salaries</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brazil’s average salary per worker has stagnated in the past six years, at around BRL 2,200. Which makes all the more noteworthy the boom in the IT job market. According to experts, these are the careers with the best potential—and pay—in the near future.</span></p>
<h4>Chief Data Officer: BRL 30,000-45,000</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Starting in 2020, every company dealing with customer data </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">must </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">have a Chief Data Officer, according to the new Data Protection Law in Brazil. And few professionals are prepared for the task. Which will make the market very favorable for them.</span></p>
<h4>IT Manager: salary between BRL 14,000-25,000</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Companies look for people with leadership—but who also can code themselves. Only delegating won’t cut it for managers anymore.</span></p>
<h4>Project Manager: salary between BRL 2,500-20,000</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As companies are expanding the amount of simultaneous IT projects they have, they need people capable of coordinating different teams.</span></p>
<h4>Business intelligence expert: salary between BRL 10,000-16,500</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Increasing competitiveness generates the need for assertive strategies. Analyzing data then becomes crucial for businesses.</span></p>
<h4>User experience expert: BRL 4,000-15,000</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Companies are investing more and more in developing their own apps and web spaces.</span></p>
<h4>Help desk: salary between BRL 1,500-5,500</h4>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tech problems can prevent companies from billing and operating. So, having a help desk support team on board is always recommended.
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