Emerging Programming Languages Career-Minded Developers

If you're a developer looking to increase your employability, then learning a new language is always a good strategy. But the big question is this: Which language should you learn? A quick glance on any developer recruitment site tells you which common programming languages are in demand. Take a look right now and you see plenty of vacancies for programmers with skills in programming languages such as Java, C, C++, C# and Objective C, scripting languages including Python, PHP, Ruby and JavaScript, and database programming in SQL. If you want to stay ahead of the pack, though, and be able to take your pick of the plum jobs of the future, then it may be worth looking beyond Java, Python and these other languages. What about gaining skills and experience in up-and-coming languages that aren't in demand yet - but may well be soon? It's a career strategy that worked for programmers who spotted the potential of Java when it was introduced in the 1990s. Those who got in there early could walk in to any Java programming job they wanted a few years later - and demand the very highest rates as well. The problem is picking the right language to learn, as there are plenty of new ones to choose from. "Almost all new languages are coming from open source projects," says Mark Driver, a research director at Gartner. "That means there are no barriers to entry, so thousands of new languages are coming on to the scene. Most disappear quickly, and only a few ever catch on." Driver says he believes the reason is that, for most organizations, the "incumbents" such as Java, C++ and C# are just too entrenched to replace, "and there's very few enterprises that want to expand the languages they use too much." But the signs say a few new languages are catching on. Here are six of the most promising ones, in no particular order: Dart: Replacement for JavaScript Dart is an open source language developed by Google as a replacement for JavaScript. Like other JavaScript replacement languages such as CoffeeScript, it's not hard for JavaScript developers to learn. It's significant because it has been designed to make it easy to build large scale, multi-developer Web apps - something JavaScript itself isn't really suited to. Right now, Dart applications can run in Chrome's built-in Dart VM or in other browsers through cross compilation to JavaScript. Why learn Dart? Google's backing ensures that Dart has a good chance of succeeding. Opa: Simple, Secure Web Apps Opa is designed to make developing Web applications simpler and more secure. How? Instead of creating browser-side, server-side and backend database components in different languages (perhaps JavaScript, PHP and MySQL ) and connecting them together, you write the whole application in Opa. The compiler then creates the client and server code and builds the communications infrastructure between them. Clever. Although Opa hasn't yet been adopted by enterprises in any significant way, there are a lot of discussions about the language on the Internet at the moment, Driver says. Why learn Opa? Web applications are going to get more complex and prevalent, and there's unique value in having the server-side/client-side distribution of code happen automatically. Scala: Scalable Language in More Than Name Only Scala is short for "scalable language," and it's designed to be exactly that: Scala can be used for tiny programs or very large-scale applications. It's not particularly new, as it was introduced in 2003, but interest is on the rise. One key reason for that is that you can optimize code to work with concurrency. Another is simply that many developers like using it. A key advantage for companies considering Scala is that it interoperates with Java. It runs on JVMs (and Android), while integrated development environments (IDEs) such as Eclipse, IntelliJ or NetBeans, and frameworks such as Spring or Hibernate, all work with it. "The ability to adopt it on top of existing JVMs is really significant," says Jeffrey Hammond, a principal analyst at Forrester. Why learn Scala? It appeals to enterprises that have already invested in Java and don't want to have to support anything new in their production environments. Erlang: With Concurrency Comes Availability Erlang is another language gaining momentum because of concurrency. Originally developed in 1986, Erlang was open sourced in 1998. It's designed for building large-scale, highly available applications. Erlang's runtime system supports hot swapping, so code can be modified or updated without having to stop a running system. Language-level features are provided for creating and managing processes to simplify concurrent programming. Meanwhile, processes communicate using message passing, removing the need for explicit locks. Why learn Erlang? Both Gartner's Driver and Forrester's Hammond suggest Erlang is likely to proliferate in the coming months and years. Ceylon: Modular Java Killer Based on Java, Ceylon has been designed as a Java killer. Developed as a language for writing large programs in teams by Red Hat, the first stable release became available at the end of 2013. Modularity is a key feature. Code is organized into packages and modules, then compiled to module archives. The tooling supports a system of module repositories, with every module published in a central repository called Ceylon Herd. Since Ceylon is based on Java programming and comes with an Eclipse-based IDE and command-line tools (with built-in modularity support,) Ceylon shouldn't be too difficult to get up and running if you're already skilled in Java programming. Why learn Ceylon? Ceylon programs, compile to and execute on Java and JavaScript virtual machines - for client and server systems, it's similar to Opa - and can easily interoperate with native code. Go: Language for the Cloud Go, another open source Google language, first appearing in 2009. Also known as Golang, Go is a traditional language like C, but it's written expressly for the cloud, with concurrency and other features such garbage collection built in. Large Go applications can be compiled in a few seconds on a single computer.

(Courtesy: Paul Rubens)

Source: CIO.com   Paul Rubens    June 5, 2014

http://tinyurl.com/l7zvydf

Here's Why You Shouldn't Ignore Recruiters’ Calls

Here's Why You Shouldn't Ignore Recruiters’ Calls
Glassdoor, May 29, 2014

You may be in your dream job, but that doesn’t mean you should blow off the recruiter or executive search consultant if they come calling.

Getting inundated with recruiters’ calls if you have sought-after skills can be annoying, but you never know when the roles will reverse and you will be the one looking for a job.

“It’s very common (for people to blow off recruiters calls) and it always leaves us scratching our heads,” says Kathy Harris, managing director of recruiting firm Harris Allied in New York. “We very often know about positions that no one knows about. At the end of the day you want to be the first person we think of.”

For the happily employed it doesn’t hurt to take the phone call. After all they may have an amazing job for you. Not to mention you are clearly wanted because they are the ones seeking out you. Even if the job may not be right for you but could be ideal for someone you know which creates a win-win situation. You get to refer someone you care about and you create a relationship with the recruiter because you are helping out.

Landing a better position or referring a friend or family member are the primary reasons you want to take a recruiters phone call, but it’s not the only reasons. Recruiters can be a great source of industry information as well as a sounding board as you navigate your career.

“Recruiters know which industries are shifting, which companies are growing, who is downsizing, and they are able to share this information in a third-party, non-biased way,” says Tom Gimbel, president and chief executive of LaSalle Network, a Chicago staffing company. “They know which skill sets are in demand, which certifications you need to grow your career and what you need to succeed in a role.” Not to mention recruiters know a lot of people and can connect you with mentors, key players and others who can help your career.

But not every recruiter or executive search consultant is created equal. You don’t want to waste your time with someone who can’t help you just like you don’t want to blow off the one that can. Figuring out who to create a relationship with and who to avoid can take work but it’s not impossible to do.

According to experts, when determining who is a good ally and who is a waste of time, do some quick research. If you get a call from a recruiter check out his or her LinkedIn page. See what types of clients they’ve placed what firms they work for and how long they have been in the business. Rightly or wrongly the amount of experience the person has as a recruiter matters a lot. Typically someone starting out in the recruiting field isn’t going to have the same contacts as someone who has been in the industry for years. It’s perfectly ok to ask how long they’ve been doing this, what industries they specialize in and what their client base is like.

“Finding a good recruiter is no different than looking for good networking contacts. Ask your friends and colleagues who has a good reputation,” says Susan Ruhl, a managing partner at OI Partners Innovative Career Consulting in Denver. “Research firms and individuals on LinkedIn.”

Once you figure out which recruiters you want to build relationships with then you can start the building. One of the most important things to do is establish boundaries up front as to how the relationship will go. For instance if the recruiter makes a habit of calling your office phone but you work in an open office environment tell the recruiter to phone you after hours or during your lunch hour on your mobile phone.

Equally important, says Harris is to make sure the conversations that do take place whether over the phone, email, text or in person are confidential. The last thing you want to happen is your boss to get wind of your newfound friendship with the recruiter for a competitor.

If you do decide to pursue an opportunity provided by a recruiter career experts say the best way to maintain an honest relationship is to be upfront about your experience, your skills and your weaknesses. Any embellishments will easily be revealed once the recruiter starts checking your credentials. It’s also a good idea to treat any interviews with a recruiter or executive search firm as if you were interviewing with the company. “A retained search firm is an extension of its client organizations, and should be treated as such during the interview process,” says to Linda Komnick, principal at Witt/Kieffer, the national executive search firm. “The search firm is expected to screen potential candidates based on mutually defined criteria, so think of your interview with the recruiter as your first interview in the hiring process.”

7 Ways to Advance Your Project Management Career

This article offers some good advice. However, often times you will need to change jobs to advance your career. Having a well written resume highlighting accomplishments (saving money, increasing revenue, reducing cost, etc.) as well as examples of the projects you managed (budget amount, duration, # man hours, team size, sponsors, users, etc.) is also important.

Please click on the URL below to read the article.

http://www.cio.com.au/article/543526/7_ways_advance_your_project_management_career/

Source: CIO.com

Mobile Development Skills Most in Demand

Mobile Development Skills Most in Demand   Source: www.cio.com Rich Hein The demand for programmers and developers with mobile skills continues to rise, but which ones should you consider adding to your toolbox? We look at which IT skills are most sought-after by employers. Mobile development is a hot IT topic, but which specific mobile skills are employers looking for most. We spoke with Dice president Shravan Goli and Mike Newman, president of On The GoWARE, to find out what IT skills businesses are clamoring for when it comes to mobile developers. This list represents the mobile development skills employers and hiring managers are searching for within Dice's resume database.   Key Survey Findings Demand for mobile developers, whether its mobile Web or mobile application development, is on the rise in a big way. According to recent research by IDC and Appcelerator, 63 percent of 6,046 Titanium developers surveyed said their skills have seen "increased" or "greatly increased" demand from enterprises in the past six months. Enterprise Demand is on the Rise. Demand is shifting from mainly B2C apps to B2B apps. Tablet Growth - Developers identified tablets as the next emerging app platform. Android seems to be the exception, however, where 12 percent more developers favor smartphones. Android Device Growth - Although the number of handsets is approaching 1 billion, this hasn't equated to the same amount of developer interest. Java Java skills top the list of in-demand mobile developer skills. It also tops many lists such as the Tiobe programming index, for example. Java is used mainly on the mobile application side to build native Android apps. "It's not a full version of Java but a subset that Google adopted. There are a couple different frameworks, but anyone who knows Java can easily adapt themselves to building applications for Android," says Dice.com president Shravan Goli. .NET Microsoft's mobile platform represents only a small percentage of the mobile development market so what is driving the demand for this skill? Back-end integration. "Integration is vital for mobile solutions," says Newman, and with countless back-end systems using Microsoft products and services it's no mystery as to why demand is high. Cloud adoption is another reason demand for this skill is high, says Goli. CSS Cascading style sheets (CSS) are used on most websites today and are responsible for how Web pages appear in your browser. When used in conjunction with JavaScript/jQuery and HTML5 CSS can help build impressive and eye-catching designs. They are all part of the mobile Web experience and an integral part of responsive design. JavaScript The mobile Web experience and responsive design are driving demand for JavaScript skills. JavaScript is more browser-level technology, so if you are building mobile Web experiences you can leverage JavaScript. That said, there are also cross-platform tools such as Titanium that use JavaScript to help developers build their code set once and run it on any platform. The problem with tools like this is that there are often limitations and lags between features updates. Quality Testing/Quality Assurance In a recent report from CapGemini, 29 percent of respondents say they lack the specialist expertise to effectively certify mobile applications making this skill one to consider adding to your toolbox. "This is mostly on the application testing side for mobile experiences," says Goli. Mobile has been in high gear for about the last three years and there aren't a wealth of people who know how to test for quality on mobile platforms, he says. As more businesses jump on the mobile bandwagon companies either have to groom these skills in house or look for people in a very competitive market. User Interface Whether it's UI research, design or UI developers, it's all about knowing how users think. Experts in this field understand and predict the behavior part of the equation and help shape how the experience needs to flow step by step. "The user interface is as important as the back-end code. If you've got a user interface that is not working, counter-intuitive or frustrating for people to use, it won't matter if the back-end code works or not. Both Google and Apple have user interface guidelines because they want consistency in the way their apps are used," says On The GoWARE's Newman. HTML5 The debate rages on over native apps vs. HTML5, but regardless demand for HTML5 skills is on the rise, making this another great skill to consider adding to your knowledge base. "This is the biggest part of the responsive design standpoint that people are leveraging today," says Dice's Goli. More businesses are leaning toward responsive design, which means demand will likely increase, he says. "Whether it's mobile or desktop Web you'd better know HTML5, because HTML5, CSS and JavaScript have really become the preferred ways of handling everything that used to be done in Flash," says On The GoWARE's Newman. Linux Linux is the OS many business systems run on and demand is high on the enterprise side. Linux is one of the fastest growing technologies in demand because it's open source. A lot of the new services and applications are built in Linux as a platform because it's cheaper to build and more open source services are built to power your enterprise applications or consumer applications, allowing you to leverage more free things. Objective-C "You better know Objective-C if you want to develop anything on the Apple side," says On The GoWARE's Newman. Demand for Objective-C skills, according to Dice data, is up 4 percent year over year. Some of that demand is likely the result of the release of Apple's iOS7. If you're considering going down this path, be aware that Objective-C isn't the easiest language to learn. "Objective-C is one of the stranger languages and there is a little bit more of a learning curve. That is why you don't see a lot of cross-over developers," says Newman.

(Courtesy: Rich Hein, CIO)

IT Hiring Expected to Outpace Every Other Industry

The Information Technology sector overall has added over 300,000 since 2010 and is showing no signs of slowing down.

 

According to CareerBuilder’s latest forecast, 36 percent of IT employers said they expect to add full-time, permanent headcount in the fourth quarter, outpacing the national average for companies hiring and surpassing even Manufacturing and Finance.

 

When it comes to which particular occupations are particularly “hot” right now, Sologig.com and Economic Modeling Specialists, Intl. (EMSI) compiled the following list of IT industry occupations with the greatest job increase between 2010 and 2013.

 

TH “Hot Jobs” for IT including salary information:

1. Software Developers, Applications
   • 11% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $43.34
2. Software Developers, Systems Software
   • 12% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $47.64
3. Computer Systems Analysts
   • 8% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $37.98
4. Computer User Support Specialists
   • 7% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $22.54
5. Network and Computer Systems Administrators
   • 9% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $35.14
6. Computer and Information Systems Managers
   • 7% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $58.11
7. Computer Programmers
   • 6% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $35.30
8. Web Developers
   • 11% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $27.84
9. Database Administrators
   • 11% increase in jobs since 2010
   • Median hourly wage: $37.39
10. Computer Network Support Specialists
    • 6% increase in jobs since 2010
    • Median hourly wage: $28,59

 

Source: CareerBuilder    October 7th, 2013

By Mary Lorenz in Forecasts, Information Technology, Talent Factor

Demand for Computer Programmers boosted by Obamacare

Computer Programmers

Under the Affordable Care Act, doctors and hospitals must use electronic medical records, but taking their old paper system into the digital age is a giant technological construction project. “You need an army of programmers to put these things together,” says Osborne, of Staffing Industry Analysts. Indeed, the number of medical records and health information technicians employed in the U.S. has grown 7% to more than 182,000 since 2009, before the ACA was enacted, according to BLS data. Employment in other occupations, meanwhile, decreased or stayed flat during the same period, Osborne says.

Computer-related jobs in health care have grown more than 30% in the past five years, although they still represent less than 1% of all health care jobs, Turner says.

Employers will also have to build new electronic systems to report the costs of their employees’ health coverage to the government, although they will have more time to do it, since the ACA 2014 deadline has been extended. The enormous task may be over the head of many companies’ in-house IT departments, so benefits and payroll firms are hiring their own engineers to create tools for their clients.

 

Source: MarketWatch  August 6, 2013           

10 careers boosted by Obamacare

Hiring is booming in these fields as a result of health reform

Ever Wonder What Hiring Managers Are Thinking?

Hiring managers are known for their poker faces and judgmental appraisal while you’re sweating bullets in the interview hot seat. Want a better idea of what interviewers are probably thinking but don’t say? Here are a few common areas of assessment that any job seeker can avoid if prepared for it.

“Are you always late like this?”
Showing up late to an interview is not a good way to start an interview. Typically it leaves hiring managers questioning if you are always late and sometimes questioning how much you actually want this position.

Solution: Plan for double the travel time you actually need. Showing up early is better than late.

“Do you usually dress like that?”
Interviewing in less than professional attire could give hiring authorities the impression you aren’t professional enough or taking this position seriously.

Solution: “Dress for the job you want.” Even if your daily attire may be more casual, it’s better to dress up rather than down for any interview.

“Are you going to jump ship?”
When there are positions on your resume that you have held for less than a year at a company the first thing most interviewers are going to ask themselves is if you are going to truly commit to this job long-term.

Solution: Be prepared to overcome these obstacles. No need to draw unnecessary attention to it but be prepared to quickly explain your career aspirations and be able to put “the hiring manager’s mind at ease.”

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/6-things-hiring-managers-think-145012868.html

Writing Thank You Letters after an Interview

Writing Thank You Letters after an Interview

 

One of the most crucial times in the interview process, is the time after the initial interview. It is the period when you can be forgotten or just blend in with the crowd. The "Thank you" letter is a very good tool to make sure that you are remembered in a positive light. They are not just a formality; they act as marketing tools that can have tremendous value in moving your candidacy forward and positioning you above the competition. Although much of what you include in your thank-you letter may have already been communicated during your interview, there is nothing more effective than the written word to etch those thoughts into your interviewer's mind.

 

Overcome Objections

During an interview if there were any objections raised as to your candidacy, use your thank-you letter to respond to and overcome those concerns. Demonstrate the concerns are not an obstacle but an opportunity, and you're fully prepared to meet the challenge.

Reiterate Your Expertise

If the company communicated its specific needs, issues or challenges, use your thank-you letter to demonstrate how you can meet those needs.

Highlight Your Core Professional Competencies and Successes
If the company communicated its ideal qualifications for a candidate, use your thank-you letter to outline how you meet or exceed each qualification.

Length

How long should your thank-you letter be?  You can take the risk of boring your potential employer to tears or just re-emphasizing your relevant experience directly related to the position. Of course, as with anything else in a job search, there is no definitive answer. We recommend the "short and sweet" versions and have seen that they pack more punch than something that is so long it makes its way to the trash instead of the inbox. Remind yourself that you already have the company's interest or you wouldn't have been interviewing. Use your thank-you letter as a tool to communicate your interest, not re-write your resume. 

Preparation

Make sure you have the correct spelling of the recipient’s name along with their company title.  If sending via email, be sure to verify their email address as well. It’s very important to spell check your letter before sending it out.  Failure to do so shows a lack of attention to detail. If you are working with a 3^rd party recruiter, have them proof your letter to get another opinion.  When you have double-checked the spelling and grammar and are satisfied with the letter mail it out as soon as possible. Don’t delay.

The Counter Offer: Opportunity or Risk?

The job search is a complex process in and of itself. Once you are almost done with this tough decision making process, another complicated factor may avail itself at the end which may need confronting. A counter offer is a delicate situation which must be handled with the utmost care. More often than not employers offer counter offers to employees who they deem valuable and therefore shower them with all the things that were lacking in the jobs in the first place. It may be a raise, higher bonus, change of title etc. The list is endless. However the underlying truth to counter offers is still the same, it is something that comes too little to late, and is all too often too good to be true.

People often search for a new job when they are motivated by some reason or another if there is something lacking in their current role. Whether it is money or recognition or a host of other issues, the fundamental point is the same, the need for change far outweighs the prospects of resorting to the status quo.

There may be risks associated with starting a new job but they are a lot less risky than accepting a counter offer. A company will offer a counter offer to patch up the immediate threat of being short staffed. Money, Title, Vacation, Promotions are all offered to offset your departure. However, what must be understood is that such things should not be provided when an employee threatens to leave. An employee's self worth should be dictated by their performance and not by what they can get elsewhere. Time and time again, employees fall prey to counter offers thinking it as a good thing. When they least suspect it, they are let go when their replacement, usually at a discount, has been procured. Once your loyalty is questioned, it is almost impossible to regain that trust. Also, by accepting a counter offer it shows that you are willing to break your commitment to your new employer after accepting their offer, and this will raise additional red flags.

The biggest assets of an employee outside of his/her ability to do the job, are in the areas of trust and loyalty. Counter offers violate these key components. A counter offer should be viewed for what it really is, a bandage for the time being until a permanent resolution can be achieved. Unfortunately, one's career advancements should not be subject to the temporary resolutions set forth by their employer. It should be based on a clear picture of what is expected, what will be received when those expectations are met, and valuing ones services by their merits and successes. This should not be raised by their unhappiness and desire to leave.

IT Trends - 2013

Ok, the good news is that we are still alive! The world did not end in 2012. That was one prediction that went wrong. But that is not the case of predictions for IT industry – they still hold. The big four trends were cloud, mobile, social and data and these will continue to rule the IT scenario in the New Year as well.

The public cloud was where the action was in 2012 -- and it's where much of the action is going to be in 2013. According to IDC, in 2011, IT cloud services generated 1.5 million new jobs and projected that number to reach 8.8 million in the next four years. (Those numbers include both jobs with cloud computing providers and cloud-related jobs within corporate IT.)

A recent Gartner study predicts that Mobile App projects targeting smartphones and tablets will outnumber native PC projects by a ratio of 4:1 by 2015. After a year marked by growing pains, Social Media is heading into 2013 with a strong start. 2013 will be the year of social ecommerce. Even the most traditional retailers will weave likes, pins and tweets into websites and social platforms, like Pinterest, will embrace online sales.

Big Data, which refers to data collected and analyzed from every imaginable source, is becoming an engine of job creation as businesses discover ways to turn data into revenue, says Gartner. By 2015, it is expected to create 4.4 million IT jobs globally, of which 1.9 million will be in the U.S.

No doubt 2012 was a challenging year for IT professionals and 2013 may continue to be so. But there is always a silver lining - IT jobs are growing steadily. We all are aware that IT job market outperformed other fields in the past few years, with unemployment rates much lower than the national average. In November, when national unemployment rate was 7.7%, IT industry was below 4%.

Even so, you cannot get complacent and must take steps to wade successfully through the tumultuous IT industry. Keeping up with the trends and acquiring new skills is not an option, it is a survival tactic. Other side of the low employment rate coin is lack of availability of skilled professionals. As a result employers have to strive to fill positions that require rare skill sets.

Source: ITJC Newsletter

Shortage of IT Talent and Degrees

VP of Rita quoted in Tampa Bay Times
IT Degrees and shortage of them today..

Salary Negotiation Mistakes to Avoid

Salary negotiation is a big part of job-hunting and it makes many young applicants as well as experienced professionals uncomfortable and anxious. Especially when effective tactics are not known. After all, you might ask for too much, ask for too little, or otherwise sabotage your own chances of getting the best possible salary. Negotiation will go more smoothly if you know what landmines to avoid.

When it comes time to negotiate salary for a new job, make sure that you don't make these key errors:

1. Being Unprepared.

At some point, employers are likely to ask what salary range you're looking for, possibly as soon as their first contact with you. If you're caught off-guard, you risk low-balling yourself or otherwise saying something that will harm you in salary negotiations later. It's crucial to do your homework ahead of time so that you're ready when the question comes up.

While salary sites might seem like the most obvious way to figure out what to ask for, these sites are frequently unreliable, in part because the job titles they list often represent wildly different scopes of responsibility. Professional associations in your industry might do more reliable salary surveys, but even then, you're more likely to get the right range by talking to people in your field.

Apart from conducting research online, you should also gather information on your prospective employer’s salary levels, promotion and salary hike policies, benefits, etc.

2. Negotiating Before You Have an Offer.

There's no point trying to negotiate before you have a job offer; after all, the employer still hasn't even decided if they want to hire you. Your leverage will be far stronger once someone is certain that you're the one they want. Once you have the offer you are in a powerful position to negotiate. To start the process, ask more details about the salary and the entire compensation package including health insurance, bonuses, and other perks.

3. Discussing Salary in Your Cover Letter.

Some candidates announce their salary requirements in their cover letters without being asked, and some even include their salary history on their resumes. There's no reason to talk money at this stage, and doing it unprompted at the application stage can come across as naive. By doing this you leave no room for negotiations. Or you may not even get an opportunity to interview with the company even if you are a good fit for the job.

4. Citing your Need or Finances.

Salary conversations should be solely about your value to the company, not about your own finances or your need. Employers don't pay people based on financial need, so don't cite your mortgage or your kid's college tuition as a reason you're asking for more money. Your emphasis should be on the value you bring to the company.

5. Accepting Job Offer Too Quickly

In the current economy, it may take several weeks to get a job offer. When you get one, you will be tempted to accept it immediately even if it doesn’t match your expectations. But even such offers should be reviewed before making a decision. Don’t be in a hurry. The employer has chosen you because you are a good match for the position. So, if you feel you deserve a better deal, negotiate further and then make a decision.

6. Asking for too Much Time to Respond to an Offer.

It's normal to request a few days to consider an offer, and sometimes employers will give you a week or so. But if you ask for much time beyond that, you risk signaling that you're not excited about the job, but might settle for it if you don't get any other offers. That's a good way to lessen the hiring manager's enthusiasm and bring into question your own.

7. Asking For Too Many Changes in Counteroffer.

If you have a strong interest in the job, but the offer is not what you expected, you can consider making a counteroffer proposal. You should only pick the one or two most important elements; you can't negotiate every aspect of the offer. If the salary is too low, focus on that aspect in a counteroffer. If you know the company will not negotiate on salary, then focus on modifying a few of the other terms of the offer such as additional vacation time, earlier performance reviews, signing bonus, relocation expenses. Just remember that you cannot attempt to negotiate the entire offer; conduct your research, and write a short counterproposal.

8. Declining Job Offer Too Quickly.

When an employer doesn’t offer a salary that you expected and if it is much lower then rejecting the job may be a wise decision. Yet, take time to think it over before rejecting it. If the money is not very much lower than your expectations, take a look at the benefits.

Salary is only one part of a compensation package; you also need to factor in benefits like healthcare, retirement contributions, and paid leave. After all, if you'll be paying significantly more for healthcare or receiving fewer paid vacation days than you're used to, that might cancel out part of any salary gains you hope to make. On the other hand, being able to work from home or having an on-site day care might be benefits that make it worth it to you to take a slightly lower salary.

9. Underestimating Happiness as a Factor.

A higher salary generally won't make up for a job where you'll be miserable, so think carefully about factors other than money: the work you'll be doing, the people with whom you'll be working, the company culture, and even the length of your commute. It might be worth giving up a bit of extra pay to ensure that you're happy going to work every day.

10. Listening to Bad Advice.

Negotiation advice that worked a few decades ago isn't always effective now. In fact, some of it can hurt your chances. For instance, delaying the salary conversation as long as you can or refusing to name a figure first—common advice in previous generations—can backfire today by turning the employer off and making you look like you're playing games.

11. Not Negotiating.

Whatever you do, negotiate. If you simply take the first salary you're offered, you'll never know if you could have received more by simply asking. Settling for a lower salary than you are worth has some major negative consequences; you will earn less, receive smaller raises (because most raises are based as a percentage of your salary), and have a smaller pension (since pension contributions are usually a percentage of your salary). But settling for an offer that you feel in your heart is too low will not only set you back financially, but also eat at you until you finally begin to seriously dislike your job and/or employer.

12. Taking Salary Negotiations Personally.

Whatever you do in this process always stay professional in handling the negotiations. If the employer has made you an offer then you are their choice, so even if negotiations go nowhere, or worse, keep in mind that you did receive an offer, even if it is not what you expected or deserved. And if negotiations break down between you and the employer, move on graciously, thanking the employer again for the opportunity because you never want to burn any bridges.

13. Not Asking for Final Offer in Writing.

Once you have received a job offer that you find acceptable, the last thing you should do is ask for the final offer in writing. No legitimate employer will have issues with putting the offer in writing, so if yours balks at your request and accuses you of not having any trust and tries to bully you to accept the verbal agreement, take it as a MAJOR red flag that there is something seriously wrong.


[Courtesy: Alison Green, USNews & Randall Hansen, Quintessential Careers]

Big Corporation Vs. Small Business: What’s Best For You?

Big Corporation Vs. Small Business: What’s Best For You?


...“Would you rather be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a sea of water?” Weighing out the pros and cons of large versus small companies is not a foreign task for most of us. So, you have your chosen field, now which environment is right for you: a big corporation or a small business?

For the second year in a row, Apple, Google, and Walt Disney rank as the top companies undergraduates believe to be their “ideal” employers. Furthermore, business majors are still eager to join big name firms like JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs.

Alternatively, there are those searching for something entirely different. A more intimate work setting without the big name appeals to other job seekers, and for different reasons.

No matter the size, most companies are looking for good, honest, and hard working individuals to fill their next open positions. If you have those three nonnegotiable traits and the proper skills to match the position, the ball is in your court. When choosing you next job, it is important to consider a multitude of aspects directly affecting you and your future happiness and success: one of which being to go big or go small.

Below are characteristics describing the culture of large corporations and small businesses. Know yourself and imagine how you might fit:

Large Corporation:

Structure: If you are an individual who thrives off of structure and organization, then a large corporation might be for you. Most Fortune 500 companies have rotational and training programs in place to prepare their employees for their future roles in the company. Your position comes with a list of very specific responsibilities and they will often be outlined for you. Though not immune to the unpredictable economy, entry-level positions can be considered risk-averse and respectively stable.

Your role: You are one of many working on a team at a large corporation. If you enjoy collaborating and relying on a group dynamic, then you will be productive on the job. Be aware of the ever-present diffusion of responsibility existing in the companies. “That’s not my problem” can only be used as a reason when many people are involved in the same project.

Your future: On your very first day on the job, you will be handed a competitive network on a silver platter. You will have successful leaders in your field surrounding you during the workday. As far as moving forward, you will know the exact corporate ladder of your company. The vision of working your way up is clear and you know what you have to accomplish to get there.

Small Business:

Structure: The structure of small business is often times a little more flexible than those of large corporations. Because the environment in a small business is ever-changing, your schedule may be also. You may have the opportunity to take longer lunches, work from home, or spend a little more time on balancing your personal life. For those who choose not to set a predetermined trajectory of a career path, the small business route gives you a little more wiggle-room.

Your role: Rather than having a strict and straightforward title attached to many corporate workers, you may be expected to juggle many roles when you work for a small business. If you find a small business opportunity with a mission you are passionate about, you can be a driving force in the company’s success and you have the ability to receive more responsibility sooner.

Your future: In a small business, you are competing for a higher position with less people than Fortune 100 companies. You are in control of you own destiny in a small business and your voice will get heard, whether you like it or not. If you find the company you chose isn’t for you, employers love seeing small business experience on a resume. A candidate with small business experience usually is more of a self-starter, company-focused and has ideas.

Big or small, if you have a will to succeed, your future will be bright. Consider the structure, your role, and your future when deciding what size company is the best fit for you.


Source: Posted by Heather Huhman, Glassdoor.com  • June 12th, 2012

How To Make Yourself Indispensable in the Current Job Market

Ditch the slackers, take on dirty work, do it with data -- here's how to get the inside track on a highly rewarding career in IT.

How do you keep your job or get a better one in an era when hiring is in a freeze and budgets are perpetually squeezed? Follow these maxims and find out.

Some of these ideas are practical advice you've probably heard before (and ignored). Being familiar with the business objectives and how technology can improve the bottom line is more important than ever. But so is expanding your portfolio of IT skills. Mastering cloud services or data management will help ensure your relevance in a rapidly changing work environment. You'll also want to reach out and communicate with your colleagues across the aisle and the organization, and take on dirty jobs nobody else wants. Eventually it may even mean leaving the comfort of a big organization and branching out on your own.

But remember: Becoming "indispensable" can be a double-edged sword. Get too indispensable and you might find yourself unable to move beyond your niche.

Effective IT Habit No. 1: Get Down to Business

You may be your organization's most talented developer or dedicated systems administrator. But if you don't know what the business is selling or what service it's providing, you're an unemployment statistic waiting to happen.

First step: Learn as much about the business as you possibly can, advises Mark A. Gilmore, president and co-founder of Wired Integrations, a strategic technology consulting firm.

"Ask yourself, 'How does it make its money? What are its strengths and weaknesses?'" Gilmore says. "Once you understand how the company works, you can use your IT knowledge to improve the company thus making yourself more valuable and less dispensable."

It helps to have a deep understanding of the company's critical infrastructure and to keep abreast of tech trends, he adds. But this may also require broadening your worldview.

"Don't look at things from strictly an IT perspective," he says. "Widen your vision to see how things relate to the business world around you. That will make you more valuable than 20 technical certifications and a master's degree."

Effective IT Habit No. 2: Keep Your Eye on the Bottom Line

Your job isn't just to keep the lights on and the data center humming. It's to help your organization use technology to improve the business; especially by trimming costs and increasing efficiency.

Servers running at a fraction of their capacity? If you haven't already virtualized your data center, now's the time. Software licenses dragging down your budget? You have an increasingly broad choice of low-cost cloud-based apps that let you pay only for what you use and only for as long as you use it. That's barely scratching the surface.

"IT professionals need to focus on areas which either drive down costs, such as virtualization, cloud computing, and converged networking, or on areas that help to generate revenue, such as social media, mobile marketing, and SEO," notes Rick Mancinelli, managing partner for IT consultants Cloud Computing Concepts.

"Ultimately, those IT professionals that have a positive impact on the bottom line will be the most valuable to their employer."

Effective IT Habit No. 3: Keep Your Head in the Cloud

Because so many traditional IT functions are moving to the cloud, which any business user can procure with a phone call and a credit card, your company may no longer need you to flip switches, connect cables, or troubleshoot machines. But they will still need someone who can tell them what services are available, which ones are worth looking at, and which ones they should avoid.

"If your organization plans to rely more on public cloud providers, especially for basic infrastructure needs, you may find you need fewer in-house operations people to maintain, patch, and upgrade systems," says Mark White, chief technology officer of Deloitte Consulting's technology practice. "But you'll still require people with expertise in managing a catalog of cloud services, handling subscribers, brokering agreements with cloud providers, and intervening when problems arise.

"The cloud puts greater demands on both your technical and your business-of-IT skills. If you're CIO, it's an opportunity to take your capabilities up to the next level."

Effective IT Habit No. 4: Broaden Your Tech Horizons

Besides mastering their own tech domains, savvy IT pros broaden their skill sets to include other areas of expertise. If a crisis arises in one of those areas and the persons responsible for handling it aren't available, you may be able to step in and save the day.

"This helps employers view them as valuable team players who can easily branch out to handle other jobs," says Dr. Issac Herskowitz, dean of the Graduate School of Technology at Touro College. "And an employee who has more than one area of expertise is more valuable when a department is downsizing."

The easiest way to develop new skills (and impress your boss) is by volunteering your services to other areas of IT and to stay on top of emerging tech trends, Herskowitz adds. The more you know about the latest and greatest tech, the more likely you'll be invited into the conversation when those technologies are being considered for adoption.

Effective IT Habit No. 5: Don't Become Literally "indispensable"

The problem with being labeled indispensable is that it can become a trap. Your talents can become so critical to an organization's survival that you can never leave or rise to a new position within your company, says Steven A. Lowe, CEO of Innovator LLC, a consulting and custom software development firm.

"A friend of mine is an excellent developer who has created a few critical software systems for the company that employs him," Lowe says. "No one else can step in and do what he does, and the company can't 'afford' to promote him to a more senior position or pay him much more money. So he's frustrated and miserable -- but he's certainly indispensable!"

The way to avoid this trap: Don't hoard information or expertise. Delegate responsibility. Start training your own replacement now, or find ways to outsource your current responsibilities so that you can take on more challenging assignments.

"I have been both indispensable and dispensable, and I had better job security and was happier when I was dispensable," says Jen Hancock, author of "The Humanist Approach to Happiness: Practical Wisdom."

Hancock says, "When I was indispensable, things fell apart. If I tried to take a long weekend I came back to a mess I had to clean up. The longer I was away, the worse the mess. When I finally got my act together enough to manage the work and delegate it out properly, everything ran more smoothly."

Effective IT Habit No. 6: Ditch the Slackers. Find a Mentor

Hanging with a crew that likes to take long lunches and knock off at five (or earlier)? You're not doing your career any good, says David Maxfield, author of "Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success," a book about alter your career-limiting habits.

"The habits that hold you back are likely enabled, tolerated, or encouraged by others," he says. "Use positive peer pressure by surrounding yourself with hardworking friends who share your career goals. Distance yourself from the office slackers."

Instead, Maxfield advises you seek someone with more experience to steer your career in a positive direction. "Find a trusted mentor," he says. "That will help you navigate the career development opportunities that exist within the organization."


Courtesy: Dan Tynan, Infoworld

Where Should You Look for IT Jobs in 2012?

As the economy continues through its recovery and corporate earning improve, businesses across North America are reinvesting in IT projects that were put on hold through the recession, according to a survey from three top IT staffing companies.

The industries with the strongest growth, including technology and health care, are adding the most IT jobs today, and the IT positions in demand today are a combination of those directly related to profit drivers (product and service development) and back-office operations (such as networking and database administration), a positive indicator for the economy overall.

The distribution of the “Top Cities” across the region also points to the fact that IT job growth is not confined to those areas traditionally considered IT “hubs,” such as Silicon Valley. And with the most skilled IT workers today seeing multiple job offers and commanding higher salaries, 2012 is the year for IT pros to find a new job, the report concluded. Three national staffing firms—Modis, Robert Half Technology and Technisource—shared their lists of the best U.S. cities for finding IT jobs. Here are their picks:

Washington, D.C.

The nation's capital and its environs (and McLean, Va. in particular) top the list of the best cities for finding IT jobs. The federal government may not be creating many jobs, but the systems integrators, defense contractors (hence the picture of the Pentagon), and professional services firms servicing the government are making up for it, according to staffing industry execs. Banking companies in the area are also hiring tech workers, as well as rising tech startups.

These companies are primarily looking to hire developers (especially JAVA and .NET), says Matt Colarusso, a regional manager with Technisource's parent company Randstad. Modis notes that business analysts, information security professionals, project managers, and database administrators and architects are also in demand.


Houston, TX

It should come as no surprise that oil and gas companies are major catalysts for tech hiring in Houston. Notably, the healthcare industry is beginning to rival the energy industry as a top tech employer in the area. Houston has "a massive healthcare and medical presence," says John Reed, executive director of Robert Half Technology. This presence includes M.D. Anderson Clinical Care Center, CHRISTUS St. John Hospital and Bayshore Medical Center. All of those organization (and more) need IT professionals who can help them meet deadlines for compliance with new Federal regulations.

Some of the most sought-after IT skills in Houston include network engineers, project managers, business analysts, and JAVA and .NET developers, according to Modis CEO Jack Cullen.


San Francisco, CA

Add San Francisco, the East Bay, San Jose and Walnut Creek to our list of the usual suspects for finding IT jobs. As IPO fever rises and venture capital flows, tech startups are creating jobs. So too are the industry stalwarts. Application developers of all stripes are in great demand.

The healthcare industry is also contributing to the explosion of tech jobs in and around the Bay Area, says Randstad's Colarusso. Both Kaiser Permanente and UCSF Medical Center have large presence in the Bay area.


Minneapolis, MN

Colarusso, Cullen and Reed agree that Minneapolis is a great place to find work, especially in IT. Several Fortune 500 companies including Best Buy, Target, 3M and General Mills, are based in one of the Twin Cities or surrounding areas. Cullen notes that the unemployment rate in Minneapolis, at 5.1 percent, is low, and it's even lower for IT workers. He refers to Minneapolis as "one of the best kept secrets" as a place to live and work in the U.S.

The retail, manufacturing, financial services and healthcare companies in the area are all looking to hire IT professionals—specifically project managers, business analysts, application developers, network security engineers and help desk analysts, according to Modis's Research.


Seattle, WA

"It's hard to talk about tech jobs without mentioning Seattle," says Robert Half's Reed. Besides Microsoft's looming presence in Redmond, a host of smaller tech companies, including Avanade, Lizard Tech and Big Fish Games, call Seattle their home. Randstad's Colarusso says that he recently read that Seattle has experienced the most sustained growth in IT jobs than any other city over the last 10 years. He adds that the most common positions Seattle-based tech companies need to fill are business analysts, project managers and developers.


Boston, MA

Five major industries are booming in Beantown and its neighboring cities and suburbs: financial services, healthcare, biotech/pharma, education, and of course IT. And all need tech talent. Boston's most prestigious educational institutions, Harvard and MIT, are based just across the scenic Charles River in Cambridge. They provide local tech and biotech companies, which include EMC, Analog Devices, iRobot and Genzyme, with a ready talent pool, and they give local venture capital firms such as Greylock Venture Partners and OpenView, promising MBAs (or dropouts) to invest in.

The IT jobs in highest demand across all five major industries in Boston include JAVA and .NET developers, storage engineers, project managers, business analysts, business intelligence analysts and data management professionals, according to Modis.


Detroit, MI

Car sales in the U.S. have been growing steadily since the second quarter of 2011, according to the Wall Street Journal, and that's fueling a resurgence in Detroit. While General Motors continues to struggle, Ford and Chrysler are seeing year over year sales growth.

When car makers like Ford and Chrysler do well, so too do their suppliers and subcontractors in the Detroit market, which increasingly includes tech companies developing mobile applications and devices for cars and trucks, says Modis's Cullen. As all of these companies experience sales increases, they have money to invest in IT, which creates demand for project managers, business analysts and JAVA developers, according to Modis.


New York, NY

Robert Half's Reed says that his firm sees the most employment activity in NYC and the surrounding area because of the high concentration of large companies based there. The two industries for which the Big Apple is known—financial services and media (and in particular, digital media)—are creating jobs for JAVA, SharePoint, .NET, PHP and mobile application developers, as well as for project managers, business analysts, business intelligence analysts and quality assurance testers, according to Modis.


Orlando, FL

Tech job opportunities in Orlando, Fla., are increasing due to the new Medical City project's adding 10,000 new jobs in Orlando (driving health care IT jobs) and the increasing networking needs of companies of all industries (driving telecommunications jobs).


McLean, VA

McLean has a lot of startups and growing industries, resulting in an average unemployment rate that is well below the national average. The federal government and contractors continue to drive the need for more workers and open jobs.


Walnut Creek, CA

Many traditional industries are looking for cost savings by using technology to be more efficient, and they need IT workers to build these technologies. This is creating a higher volume of job opportunities, as some data centers are located here as well.


Jacksonville, FL

A low cost of living, coupled with large companies that have invested in the growth of Jacksonville’s economy by adding many IT jobs, have increased the demand for even more people with technology skills. Jacksonville employers have embraced cutting- and bleeding-edge technologies that help drive top IT talent.


Denver, CO

Denver has a diverse economy with a mix of established and startup companies. It also has a low unemployment rate for IT workers and a strong midmarket sector. The report noted Denver has always been a city where people want to live, and as a result, it attracts talent from other markets.


(Courtesy: eWeek & CIO)