Saturday, June 23, 2007

IT Hiring Index & Skills Report


Looking for a technology-related job in the third quarter? Prospects couldn't be brighter according to a survey of more than 1,400 Chief Information Officers (CIOs). Here's a quick snapshot:
  • 17 percent plan to add IT staff in the next three months
  • 2 percent foresee personnel cutbacks
The net 15 percent increase is the highest in nearly six years! In Boston the ratio is 14 to 1.

When asked "Within your IT department, which single job area is experiencing the most growth?" the response included the following:
A closer look at the skills most in demand shines a light on which Web-related skills will grab the attention of CIOs.

When asked "Which of the following technical skill sets are most in demand within your IT department?" the response included the following:
This survey reveals that, at least in large organizations, Web-related skills that incorporate database connectivity and programming expertise, especially in the form of Microsoft's .NET technology, will help open doors. A summary of the Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report for the third quarter is available for review.

Relational Databases

Sales of relational database management systems (RDBMS) continues to expand at a 14 percent clip according to report issued by Gartner. Adding database knowledge and expertise to your resume offers perhaps the single best return on investment that a Web designer/developer can make.

Three top-tier vendors account for more than 85 percent of worldwide RDBMS sales. These vendors are as follows:
  • Oracle (47 percent)
  • IBM (21 percent)
  • Microsoft (17 percent)
The language common to each of these database systems is Structured Query Language (SQL). The most popular open source database is MySQL, which can be downloaded for free to either a Mac or a PC. Training to learn the SQL language is also available for free at the following:
With SQL topping the list of the most in-demand Web-related technologies at more than 2,000 current job listings, there might never be a better time to add database connectivity to your Web arsenal.

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Sunday, June 10, 2007

Oscars of the Internet


The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet. The Webby Awards presents two honors in each of more than 100 categories -- The Webby Award and The People's Voice Award -- in each of its four entry types: Websites, Interactive Advertising, Online Film & Video and Mobile.

Beantown Web highlights this year's Webby Award winners in the Websites entry type. The 11th Annual Webby Awards received a record 8,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. In addition, more than 400,000 votes were cast by people around the world to identify the People's Voice Awards.

Organizers also announced recipients of this year's Webby Special Achievement awards, including the following:

Boston area readers should make special note of the Webby Award Winner in the Government category: MBTA.com -- The Official Website for Greater Boston's Public Transportation System.

Also, fans of LinkedIn will be pleased to know that this business-oriented site walked away with two awards -- Services and Social Networking.

The 2007 Webby Awards winners are as follows:
You can review 100s of additional Websites including The People's Voice Winners in each category and additional category nominees at the Webby Nominees Website.

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Sunday, June 03, 2007

Boston Market -- June


During the month of May the Boston Globe and Monster.com announced the launch of a co-branded website for Boston-area employers and job seekers. This new Boston.com/Monster website replaces the BostonWorks.com website that Beantown Web has been using for its monthly Boston Market analysis. On average there are two to three times more listings on the new joint venture website.

Job prospects for technology workers in the greater Boston area with in-demand skills remain bright. Two studies confirm these findings:
  • Hudson Employment Index -- the number of workers who said their company had plans to add headcount stands at nearly 30 percent, the highest recording since last November. In addition nearly three out of four Boston area workers said they were happy with their job, the highest reporting since last October.
  • The 2007 State New Economy Index -- this index measures the drivers of the information technology revolution that is transforming virtually all industries and contributing to increased productivity. This index places Massachusetts in the top spot among all 50 states.
New Economy Skills

So, what are the hot New Economy skills? Beantown Web's monthly analysis of salaries and job postings provides some insight.

The Average Salaries in Boston for common Web-related job titles has been updated for June. The salaries are posted in the right-hand column. Here is a snapshot of title and salary ranges:
  • "Designer" >> mid-$30s to the low $60s
  • "Developer" or "Programmer" >> mid-$50s to the low $70s
  • "Database">> low-$70s to the low $80s
Top 10 Web Technologies in Boston has also been updated for June using the new joint venture website. Here is a list of skills commonly associated with each technology category:
  • "Designers"
    • HTML (#4)
    • CSS (#9)
  • "Developer" or "Programmer"
    • Java (#3)
    • JavaScript (#6)
    • Perl (#8)
    • ASP.NET (#10)
  • "Database"
    • SQL (#1)
    • Oracle (#2)
    • XML (#6)
    • SQL Server (#8)
The Top 10 List can be found in the right-hand column. Structured Query Language (SQL) tops the list with a staggering 2,000 job openings! The static web page is dead, long live the dynamic data-driven Web universe!

Conclusion

The New Economy is clearly a programming / database-driven economy. Web Designers who develop skills in these areas not only increase their earning potential, they also expand their pool of potential job opportunities.

Action Plan

If you are new to programming and databases, consider signing up for Introduction to Programming, a FREE eight-lesson online course offered at the HP Learning Center. Classes begin Thursday, June 7.

Editor's Note: Next month's Boston Market -- Third Quarter will offer an expanded Top 30 list of Web technology skills in demand in the greater Boston area using the new Boston.com/Monster job search engine.

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