Sunday, November 08, 2015

Boston Web Tech Job Market | Q4 2015


Job growth accelerated in October and the unemployment rate declined to 5.0 percent.  Beantown Web's quarterly Boston Web Tech Job Market analysis confirms that the job market, especially for web technology workers, continues to expand.

Boston Web Tech Job Market


The list of Top 25 Web Technologies in Boston has been updated for the fourth quarter. It appears in the right-hand column and below.  This list is based on keyword searches in job postings at Indeed.com. The most in-demand keywords are listed more frequently than less in-demand keywords.

Indeed.com is a meta-search engine that offers a maximum number of search possibilities.  All searches encompass a 25-mile radius of Boston.  Search parameters can be adjusted to fit your personal needs.  Indeed helps more people get hired than any other job site.

Top 25 Web Technologies in Boston


Here is an abbreviated list of the 25 most in-demand web technologies in Boston.  or  from early July ] listed by number of job postings at Indeed.com:

November, 2015
  1. SQL | 5,923 10%
  2. Java | 3,967 3%
  3. agile *** | 3,715 5%
  4. JavaScript | 3,105 5%
  5. Oracle | 2,662 10%
  6. Python | 2,321 2%
  7. social media | 2,229 7%
  8. Web Services | 1,662 2%
  9. SaaS | 1,659 6%
  10. C# | 1,601 4%
  11. iOS | 1,564 40%
  12. SQL Server | 1,400 0%
  13. HTML + CSS | 1,399 6%
  14. XML | 1,239 3%
  15. UI | 1,197 9%
  16. scrum *** | 1,195 3%
  17. jQuery | 1,190 10%
  18. Android | 1,181 56%
  19. Perl | 1,042 0%
  20. MySQL | 1,007 3%
  21. Ruby | 994 6%
  22. AWS | 935 6%
  23. Git | 911 14%
  24. PHP | 848 8%
  25. UX | 799 7%

Recommended Strategy


Select five technical skills in the Top 25 and focus on becoming proficient -- if not expert -- in each technology.  What are your top five technology skills?
  • ________________________
  • ________________________
  • ________________________
  • ________________________
  • ________________________

List three links to projects that demonstrate your proficiency in these technologies?
  • ________________________
  • ________________________
  • ________________________

Guard against being distracted by "shiny new object" skills that are not listed in the Top 25.  Without having solid core skills in high-demand technologies, you may not experience an optimum return-on-investment in terms of time and energy invested in becoming proficient at lower-demand technical skills.

To help you develop your technical skills consider joining Boston PHP Meetup and participating in one of the following virtual self-study groups:

Git Lunch, Season 1
jQuery jAM, Season 6
HTML5 Brunch, Season 6
PHP Percolate, Season 8
Drupal Diner, Season 2

[Full Disclosure: The author of this blog is one of the co-organizers of Boston PHP Meetup.]

Boston's Top 100 Web Technologies


An expanded version of this list -- Top 100 Web Technologies in Boston -- is being counted down for the next two months @webapprentices.

[ NOTE: Follow Beantown Web on Twitter @webapprentices and become a Fan of Beantown Web on Facebook today. ]

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Boston's Rockstar Recruiters | Q4 2015




~ Boston's professional sports teams -- won nine championships in the 21st Century
~ Martina Navratilova -- won Wimbledon (singles) nine times
~ Rafael Nadal -- won the French Open (singles) nine times

These are indicators of high standards of performance in the arena of professional sports.

In the recruiting industry nine becomes the new standard for performance.  Technical recruiters need nine to make The List.  They need nine LinkedIn recommendations to make The List of Boston's most-recommended recruiters -- Boston's Rockstar Recruiters.
 
 Martina NavratilovaBoston's Top 100 Technology Recruiters

In the fall of 2012 Beantown Web asked the question, "Who are Boston's Rockstar Recruiters?"
  Welcome to the 13th installment of The List.


To begin the quest, Beantown Web identified more than 450 technology recruiters via LinkedIn.  Most are located in the Boston area.  Some are located in New Hampshire and Rhode Island and conduct a significant amount of business in the Boston area.

Beantown Web then turned to LinkedIn to identify customer satisfaction scores.  In particular, how many people were willing to provide a public recommendation for each recruiter?

Professional athletes have championship trophies.  For those of us who perform on different playing fields, we have LinkedIn recommendations to recognize our performance.  Less than 100 out of 450 technology recruiters in the Boston metro area has earned Boston Rockstar Recruiter status with at least nine LinkedIn recommendations received.

Boston's Top 10 Technology Recruiters


Boston's Top 10 Rockstar Recruiters perform to a higher standard.  The best in the recruiting business have received at least 42 LinkedIn recommendations each.


Here are the Top 10 Boston Rockstar Recruiters for the fourth quarter of 2015 [number of LinkedIn recommendations received + given]:
  1. Chris Fountas [104 + 9] -- The Ceres Group
  2. Scott Dunlop [95 + 6] -- The Bivium Group
  3. Brendan Andersen [76 + 20] -- CyberCoders
  4. Doug Schade [76 + 11] -- WinterWyman
  5. Jamie LeBlanc [76 + 2] -- The Bivium Group
  6. John VanderSande [65 + 2] -- WinterWyman
  7. Roy Evans [50 + 19] -- CyberCoders
  8. Danielle Lief [45 + 8] -- InnoTECH Staffing
  9. Bill Sullivan [43 + 6] -- The Tyche Project
  10. Albert De La Vega [42 + 0] -- Strategic Employment Partners (SEP, Inc.)

Top 10 in Assists


Some players are valuable because they score a lot of points.  Others pass the ball effectively.  This second list ranks "assists."  It answers the following question:

"Of the recruiters listed in the Top 100, who are the most generous in offering recommendations to others?"
The Top 10 most generous Boston Rockstar Recruiters for the fourth quarter [number of LinkedIn recommendations given + received] are as follows:
  1. David Perlman [59 + 19] -- Grenadier Search Group
  2. Scott Ragusa [38 + 25] -- WinterWyman
  3. Tim Halloran [34 + 10] -- JVT Advisors
  4. Marsh Sutherland [31 + 12] -- Walden Recruiting
  5. Carol Taylor [30 + 18] -- Private Clients
  6. Andrea Williams [25 + 28] -- Career Minded Recruiting, LLC
  7. Brendan Anderson [20 + 76] -- CyberCoders
  8. Roy Evans [19 + 50] -- CyberCoders
  9. Phil Hurd [17 + 34] -- Oculus Search Partners, LLC
  10. Sean Dowling [17 + 23] -- WinterWyman
Congratulations to both Brendan Anderson and Roy Evans for attaining Top 10 status on both the receiving and giving lists!

Team Scores


Now, for the team scores.  The following teams placed the most recruiters (at least three) in the Top 100 [number of recruiters in the Top 100]:

Gold Category:

Silver Category:
Bronze Category:

Suggested Strategy


There are no live broadcasts on ESPN that document technical recruiting excellence.  In fact, there is no single measure we can all agree on to decide which recruiter or recruiting firm might work best for you as a candidate or as a hiring manager.

However, there is one place to start your search.  It is the same place many of us start when buying a car, or looking for a plumber or finding a dentist.  That place is personal recommendations.  LinkedIn provides personal recommendations.

If you have technical skills and believe you offer above average value in the marketplace, then consider working with recruiters who have consistently demonstrated above average customer service in the form of personal recommendations.

The List of Boston's Rockstar Recruiters is made available exclusively to the 400+ Web Design and Web Development alumni of CDIA, some of the most talented designers and developers I have had the pleasure to teach, mentor and collaborate with.  You will hear more about the CDIA Alumni in the very near future.  Until then, r
ock on!

[ NOTE: You can follow Beantown Web on Twitter @webapprentices and become a Fan of Beantown Web on Facebook. ]

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Boston's Rockstar Recruiters | Q3 2015




~ Aretha Franklin -- won eight Grammy Awards in a row (1968 to 1975)
~ Michael Jackson -- won eight Grammy Awards in one night (1984)
~ Metallica -- won eight Grammy Awards over their career

These are indicators of high standards of performance in the music industry.

In the recruiting industry eight remains the current standard for performance.  Technical recruiters need eight to make The List.  They need eight LinkedIn recommendations to make The List of Boston's most-recommended recruiters -- Boston's Rockstar Recruiters.
 
Boston's Top 100 Technology Recruiters

In the fall of 2012 Beantown Web asked the question, "Who are Boston's Rockstar Recruiters?"
  Welcome to the 12th installment of The List.


To begin the quest, Beantown Web identified more than 400 technology recruiters via LinkedIn.  Most are located in the Boston area.  Some are located in New Hampshire and Rhode Island and conduct a significant amount of business in the Boston area.

Beantown Web then turned to LinkedIn to identify customer satisfaction scores.  In particular, how many people were willing to provide a public recommendation for each recruiter?

Musical performers have Grammy Awards.  For those of us who perform on different career stages, we have LinkedIn recommendations to recognize our performance.  Only 100 out of 400 technology recruiters in the Boston metro area has earned Boston Rockstar Recruiter status with at least eight LinkedIn recommendations received.

Boston's Top 10 Technology Recruiters


Boston's Top 10 Rockstar Recruiters perform to a higher standard.  The best in the recruiting business have received at least 40 LinkedIn recommendations each.


Here are the Top 10 Boston Rockstar Recruiters for the third quarter of 2015 [number of LinkedIn recommendations received + given]:
  1. Chris Fountas [102 + 9] -- The Ceres Group
  2. Scott Dunlop [95 + 6] -- The Bivium Group
  3. Brendan Andersen [76 + 20] -- CyberCoders
  4. Doug Schade [76 + 11] -- WinterWyman
  5. Jamie LeBlanc [75 + 2] -- The Bivium Group
  6. John VanderSande [65 +2] -- WinterWyman
  7. Roy Evans [48 + 19] -- CyberCoders
  8. Danielle Lief [45 + 8] -- InnoTECH Staffing
  9. Chris Mitchell [41 + 4] --  WinterWyman
  10. Bill Sullivan [40 + 6] -- The Tyche Project

Top 10 in Assists


Some players are valuable because they score a lot of points.  Others pass the ball effectively.  This second list ranks "assists."  It answers the following question:

"Of the recruiters listed in the Top 100, who are the most generous in offering recommendations to others?"
The Top 10 most generous Boston Rockstar Recruiters for the second quarter [number of LinkedIn recommendations given + received] are as follows:
  1. David Perlman [59 + 19] -- Grenadier Search Group
  2. Scott Ragusa [38 + 25] -- WinterWyman
  3. Marsh Sutherland [32 + 12] -- Walden Recruiting
  4. Carol Taylor [29 + 17] -- Private Clients
  5. Andrea Williams [25 + 28] -- Career Minded Recruiting, LLC
  6. Brendan Anderson [20 + 76] -- CyberCoders
  7. Roy Evans [19 + 48] -- CyberCoders
  8. Phil Hurd [17 + 34] -- Oculus Search Partners, LLC
  9. Sean Dowling [17 + 23] -- WinterWyman 
  10. Nagesh Kumar Gona [16 + 29] -- XpertTech, Inc. 
  11. Jeff Sweet [16 + 21] -- VLink, Inc.
Congratulations to both Brendan Anderson and Roy Evans for attaining Top 10 status on both the receiving and the giving lists!

Team Scores


Now, for the team scores.  The following teams placed the most recruiters (at least three) in the Top 100 [number of recruiters in the Top 100]:

Gold Category:

Silver Category:
Bronze Category:
Honorable Mention:

Suggested Strategy


There are no televised awards ceremonies for technical recruiting performance.  There is no single measure we can all agree on to decide which recruiter or recruiting firm might work best for you as a candidate or as a hiring manager.

However, there is one place to start your search.  It is the same place many of us start when buying a car, or looking for a plumber or finding a dentist.  That place is personal recommendations.  LinkedIn provides personal recommendations.

If you have technical skills and believe you offer above average value in the marketplace, then consider working with recruiters who have consistently demonstrated above average customer service in the form of personal recommendations.

The List of Boston's Rockstar Recruiters is made available exclusively to the 400+ Web Design and Web Development alumni of CDIA, some of the most talented designers and developers I have had the pleasure to teach, mentor and collaborate with.  You will hear more about the CDIA Alumni in the very near future.  Until then, r
ock on!

[ NOTE: You can follow Beantown Web on Twitter @webapprentices and become a Fan of Beantown Web on Facebook. ]

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Boston Web Tech Job Market | Q3 2015


Of the more than 11,000 U.S. employers surveyed, 24 percent anticipate increasing staff levels in the third quarter of 2015, the highest percentage of employers adding staff since the third quarter of 2008!  Beantown Web's Boston Web Tech Job Market analysis for the third quarter confirms the results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Boston Web Tech Job Market


The list of Top 25 Web Technologies in Boston has been updated for the third quarter. It appears in the right-hand column and below.  This list is based on keyword searches in job postings at Indeed.com. The most in-demand keywords are listed more frequently than less in-demand keywords.

Indeed.com is a meta-search engine that offers a maximum number of search possibilities.  All searches encompass a 25-mile radius of Boston.  Search parameters can be adjusted to fit your personal needs.

Top 25 Web Technologies in Boston


Here is an abbreviated list of the 25 most in-demand web technologies in Boston.  or  from early April ] listed by number of job postings at Indeed.com:

July, 2015
  1. SQL | 6,566 3%
  2. Java | 4,080 3%
  3. agile *** | 3,538 8%
  4. Oracle | 2,967 2%
  5. JavaScript | 2,944 0%
  6. Python | 2,280 6%
  7. social media | 2,086  14%
  8. Web Services | 1,634 7%
  9. SaaS | 1,560 5%
  10. C# | 1,534 9%
  11. SQL Server | 1,396 3%
  12. HTML + CSS | 1,322 7%
  13. UI | 1,314  11%
  14. XML | 1,281 6%
  15. scrum *** | 1,159 8%
  16. iOS | 1,114 53%
  17. jQuery | 1,079 7%
  18. Ruby | 1,054  12%
  19. Perl | 1,047 4%
  20. MySQL | 1,039 0%
  21. PHP | 923  3%
  22. AWS | 882 35%
  23. UX | 863 7%
  24. SharePoint | 825  2%
  25. Photoshop | 814 5%
*** Note: While "agile" and "scrum" are not technologies, they are methodologies used in technology development.  These two  keywords appear in many web development job descriptions.  Experience with "agile" and "scrum" is often preferred, if not required, in many web development jobs.

Recommended Strategy


Select five technical skills in the Top 25 and focus on becoming proficient -- if not expert -- in each technology.  What are your top five technology skills?  What projects can you link to that demonstrate expertise in these technologies?  For example, you can view a Smarterer Scorecard of my top technical and business skills.  You can also access information about the projects I am currently working on at Web Apprentices.

Guard against being distracted by "shiny new object" skills that are not listed in the Top 25.  Without having solid core skills in high-demand technologies, you may not experience an optimum return-on-investment in terms of time and energy invested in becoming proficient at lower-demand technical skills.

Boston's Top 100 Web Technologies


An expanded version of this list -- Boston's Top 100 Web Technologies -- is being counted down for the next three months @webapprentices.

[ NOTE: Follow Beantown Web on Twitter @webapprentices and become a Fan of Beantown Web on Facebook today. ]