TechCareers talked with three expert executive recruiters at top staffing agencies to discover what tech skills are in demand today and down the pike. We also got their insight on the eternal question of whether to pursue tech certifications. And as IT job seekers always want to know who's hiring we polled the experts on hot job areas in terms of industry and region.
Participating in the Q&A roundup, and providing their feedback were Ray Brown, a senior technical/engineering recruiter with
Volt Technical Resources; Heidi Golledge, executive vice president at
Cybercoders, and Chris Gibbons, president/IT staffing consultant with
Dunhill Professional Search in Wilmington NC.
Here's what the experts had to say:
What are the top 2-3 IT skills companies are looking for?
Brown/Volt: C#, .NET, Linux, Java and C++ are still skills that seem to be big and/or growing. Networking/security
Golledge/Cybercoders: .NET, C# and Ruby on Rails
Gibbons/Dunhill: .Net and J2EE developers are the big thing right now.
|
|
|
For more expert career advice and articles on
career issues and topics, visit TechCareers.
| |
|
|
|
What IT professionals, who are not specifically skilled in those skills mentioned above, would have the easiest transition/scale up time to move into that skill?
Brown/Volt: Entry-level software engineers/software test engineers, systems administrators.
Golledge/Cybercoders: C++ and java professionals who have strong OOD skills.
Gibbons/Dunhill: Any type of object-oriented developer should be able to move into those technologies easily.
What top skills do you expect to see demand for in the next three to five years?
Brown/Volt: I think C#, .NET, Linux will definitely continue to grow. I think Java will continue to be a big one as well. Network security will be something that will continue to be extremely important.
Golledge/Cybercoders: .NET, C#, J2ME and all tech skills focused around security and wireless applications.
Gibbons/Dunhill: I would continue to see the Web application oriented skills to be in demand. I would also expect storage and security to be hot areas.
Are there any specific industries looking to hire on more IT staff than other industries?
Brown/Volt: We aren't really seeing one industry that is hiring more than any other in northern Colorado. In my opinion it's fairly evenly spread.
Golledge/Cybercoders: Technology and software-based companies, of course, but also companies who are in high demand regardless of the economic shifts, such as hospitals.
Gibbons/Dunhill: We really only work in two industries, government and high-tech/IT solution providers, so I'm not really sure but when I do browse the boards it seems like companies of all types are looking to hire. I think that a lot of companies in traditional industry are outsourcing a lot of their IT requirements to the solution providers.
From your perspective, what's the value of gaining certifications, such as security certifications for job employment?
Brown/Volt: I think certifications are a great asset to any job seeker. Not only are they a great resume builder but they show initiative. Employers like to see that job seekers are going out of their way to learn new skills and keep themselves competitive in the job market.
Golledge/Cybercoders: Certifications can help set you apart. Top secret clearance is key to getting a high-paying IT job in the government sector. Network administrators will be able to get a job quicker and could demand a higher wage with the right certifications.
Gibbons/Dunhill: A certification is like a reference as it's a third party stating that you have mastered that technology. Some of our clients will require certifications for certain positions because they have guaranteed that in a contract with one of their customers.
Other recent articles from TechCareers
How To Avoid IT Career Burnout
Hiring Wave Bodes Well For Job Seekers
The Disconnect Between Job Seekers And Hiring Managers
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!