Ian Clark, Head of Americas at cloud staffing firm Frank Recruitment Group, breaks down the key reasons IT professionals are moving to The Windy City.

When you think of the world’s great tech cities, Chicago may not always be top of your mind, but its transformation over the last decade makes it impossible to omit from any discussion about the best American cities for IT professionals.

The global skills gap in technology means that professionals hold most of the cards when it comes to choosing how and where their career pans out, but Chicago has a lot to offer to make sure people want to be there.

Of course, there must be opportunity, and there’s plenty of that. Tech giants such as Google, LinkedIn and Salesforce all have offices in the city, which is partly why CompTIA named Chicago as one of the largest tech employers in the US last year.

Here are the top three reasons tech professionals are packing an extra layer and heading to the Jewel of the Midwest:

ITCareerFinder breaks down the most sought-after information technology jobs you can get with a degree in computer science. Delve into each role for marketable courses and electives, salaries, recommended degree programs and insider tips.

There’s never been a better time than now to pursue a career in IT. The proliferation of emerging technologies in mobile and cloud computing, soaring demand for data science, programming and cyber security skills, and the increased automation (for better or worse) of legacy roles in retail and manufacturing, are just some of the factors driving a golden age for tech employment. There are infinite paths to the IT job of your dreams, but whichever road you choose there’s a good chance that earning a degree in computer science (CS) will be your first step.

CS curricula and the jobs you can land with a computer science degree vary widely, but there are some core subjects shared by most undergraduate computer science programs. The core curriculum in a CS associate or bachelor’s degree typically includes programming and software development, data structures and algorithms, operating systems, and applied mathematics. There are many CS specializations that dive deeper into one or more of these core areas, and plenty of computer science majors designed to prepare you for a specific IT career path. Your personal passions, resources like time and money, and the job you’re shooting for will dictate the computer science program that’s right for you.

The curriculum in a graduate computer science program builds on the undergrad coursework above. Generally, a computer science master’s degree dives deeper into the technical skills you learned as an undergrad, with a greater focus on a specific career track and potential management roles. MBAs in computer science concentrate on the business side of things; here you will learn to use computing skills to set and achieve organizational goals. Doctoral and PhD degrees in computer science tend to focus on research and scientific advancement; these programs are geared toward jobs like computer research scientist and CS professor.

This article will lay out some of the best jobs you can achieve with a computer science diploma (“best” in this case means top-tier salaries, an aggressive hiring forecast, and a high rate of upward mobility). We'll also highlight the courses and electives you should pursue to maximize your job prospects in each role, recommended degree levels, and earnings.

Here are the best jobs you can get with computer science degree:

So you've spent the money, time and effort to become an expert on anything IT. Now where do you go? Using Redmond Report's 2010 Salary Survey for reference, factoring in lists from publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch and Kiplinger and then sticking all applicable data into some of the most sophisticated algorithms created specifically for this list, we've narrowed down the top U.S. cities to relocate to, for those both just starting their careers as well as those looking for a change. And we've also taken into account that, once your 9 to 5 is over, you'll still have to live there.

Establishing a personal brand is now a crucial part of a successful job search. Since we think it’s such an important tool for job seekers to understand, and because the experts we spoke to had such good advice, we decided to divide our personal branding post into two parts. Read this then check out Personal Branding Part 2: Marketing Yourself.

Did you know that on average, recruiters spend six seconds scanning a resume? When looking at candidates' CVs or online profiles, they mostly check for certain keywords that signal whether you may be a good fit for the position. This can be especially true for technical job roles where hiring managers scan for required technologies and IT certifications. This means you only have these few seconds to make the first cut.

Devskiller, an online platform that facilitates software developer job interviews and screening exams, compiled data from more than 112,000 tests taken by candidates worldwide to create the Devskiller Global Technical Hiring and Skills Report, offering a unique snapshot of the IT and development workforce. This article will present key findings from the report that will help you maximize your chances of passing the resume scan and getting hired.

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"Skills gap" is a phrase that anyone working in the digital skills arena will have heard a lot over the past couple of years. The information technology job market is booming right now, with open positions massively exceeding the number of qualified candidates available to fill them.

Job seekers have more choice, and more leverage, than ever before. But just because it’s a candidates’ market doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be pulling out all the stops to put yourself head and shoulders above your competition.

The growing talent shortage offers a tremendous opportunity to tech workers willing to throw themselves into that skills gap and fill it. Transforming yourself into the ideal candidate will not only put you ahead of others in the market, but it gives you leverage to land a higher salary and better benefits.

One of the best ways to bolster your skills and make your value abundantly clear is by earning certifications. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly necessary to give you the edge—a recent survey found that 54% of Microsoft tech professionals hold an official Microsoft certification, making it a smart move for those wishing to compete in the market.

Which certification is best for you depends on your career plans and what you’re looking to specialize in, but there’s no doubt that simply having an accreditation on your resume will boost your marketability. It could substantially improve your earning potential too; research by Microsoft found that 23% of Microsoft Certified technologists received a 20% salary increase after earning their certification.

Why do hiring managers value these certifications when considering candidates?

Talented cloud application developers are in high demand, but to build secure applications that protect their employer (and job), they need these vital expertise in cloud and server security.

The cloud brings enterprise-grade infrastructure within reach of every application developer. High-quality databases, frameworks, and tooling are freely available, making it easier than ever before to build powerful, custom applications. But building an app and securing it are not the same thing. Developers must also have a solid understanding of the security issues their app is likely to face.

Here are 5 skill sets developers need to build secure, cloud-based applications:

Engineers are in high demand across a variety of tech-centric fields. Here we examine the pros and cons of earning these coveted engineering degrees online versus a campus-based setting.

Engineers are flooding the tech industry, fighting tooth and nail for jobs in software, hardware, systems, electrical and other tech-related engineering fields. In an effort to secure these desirable positions faster than the competition, many would-be engineers are pursuing credentials online. Indeed, web-based engineering degree programs are usually more flexible than those on a college campus, and many can be completed in less time and at lower costs. But - what do employers think when they see an online engineering degree on a resume?

Online degrees in engineering offer many benefits, but if employers aren’t impressed by digitally earned credentials, there's no point for aspiring engineers to enroll. Here are some useful facts as well as employers’ opinions on engineering diplomas and learning formats to help you choose your ideal engineering degree program.