IT Labor Hard to Find

Two new job market studies confirm the conclusions from Boston Market - 4th Quarter. A brief summary of the Boston area Web technology job market:

• High demand -- database skills (SQL)
• Moderate demand -- programming skills (ASP, JavaScript & ASP.NET)
  
• Low demand -- design skills (XHTML, CSS & Flash)
  

The first finding confirms the high demand for database skills. More than 70 percent of CIOs state that the technical skill set most in demand is database management (Oracle, SQL Server, DB2). In addition, 30 percent of CIOs now claim that "IT labor is hard to find and keep." For details access Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report and the CIO Magazine Tech Poll (pdf).

The second finding confirms the moderate demand for programming skills. MonsterTRAK, the student division of Monster.com, announced the five hottest occupations for recent graduates based on entry level job postings. The fifth hottest job market is for entry-level programmers. A complete list can be accessed from a Monster.com press release.

If you are new to databases, the Microsoft Office suite of productivity tools offers desktop software to help you get started. Microsoft Access is one of those programs that is installed on most computers, but few people ever receive training on how to use it. The HP Training Center offers Microsoft Access 2003: Introduction, a FREE online course that begins Thursday, October 12. If you do not own Office, you can download a FREE trial version.

Once you are familiar with the Access interface you can practice writing Structure Query Language (SQL) statements. The ability to understand and implement SQL statements is a core skill required for transforming a static website into a data-driven website. W3Schools offers FREE SQL Tutorial.

Boston Market -- 4th Quarter, 2006

"Online Job Demand" in Boston rose to its highest level in August following two months of seasonally reduced activity according to the Monster Local Employment Index (pdf). "Double-digit year-over-year growth rates in online job activity for management, business and financial operations, creative, IT and science occupations suggest that the Boston metropolitan area remains a hot market for professional jobseekers," according to a company press release.

An analysis of the Boston area Web technology job market reveals the following:

• High demand -- database skills (SQL)
• Moderate demand -- programming skills (ASP, JavaScript & ASP.NET)
  
• Low demand -- design skills (XHTML, CSS & Flash)

Let me explain how I arrived at this conclusion:

Beantown Web monitors IT jobs (Web-related jobs to be specific) on a monthly basis via the "Boston Market" series of postings. At the beginning of every quarter Beantown Web conducts a more thorough TACK analysis. TACK stands for Tools, Acronyms, Containers, and Knowledge:

• Tools -- software programs used in Web design and development
• Acronyms -- languages used in Web design and development
• Containers -- database programs used to store information
• Knowledge -- certifications that indicate proficiency in a specific technology area

One way to gauge the current job demand is through a keyword search on specific technology skills at selective online job sites. Beantown Web monitors two sites: BostonWorks and Monster. Keywords are then grouped into one of the four TACK categories.

A few of the common keywords associated with Web design and Web development jobs are included in the listings below. The numbers in parentheses indicate the number of job postings that list that keyword in the job description. [ First number: BostonWorks.com ][ Second number: Monster.com ]:

Tools (software)

• Photoshop [ 76 ][ 236 ]
• Flash [ 55 ][ 54 ]
• Dreamweaver [ 49 ][ 75 ]
• Visual Studio [ 39 ][ 95 ]

Acronyms (languages)

• SQL [ 607 ][ 1000 ]
• HTML [ 429 ][ 648 ]
• XML [ 257 ][ 570 ]
• ASP [ 336 ] [ 416 ]
• JavaScript [ 173 ][ 304 ]
• ASP.NET [ 153 ][ 184 ]
• JSP [ 111 ] [ 201 ]
• CSS [ 75 ][ 175 ]
• PHP [ 45 ][ 86 ]
• Ajax [ 36 ][ 77 ]
• XHTML [ 20 ][ 36 ]
  

Containers (databases)

• Oracle [ 586 ][ 1000 ]
• SQL Server [ 250 ][ 491 ]
• MS Access [ 72 ][ 111 ]
• MySQL [ 39 ][ 84 ]
• DB2 [ 46 ][ 111 ]
  

Knowledge (certifications)

• The demand for certified professionals varies by discipline. All things being equal certification helps to distinguish you from your competition. Microsoft Salary Survey reveals that a certification can help get your foot in the door, but advancement depends on experience. An appropriate certification entry point for Web design and Web development professionals is Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW).
  

Here are a few additional observations from this quarter's analysis:

• HTML listings are 20 times more prevalent than XHTML listings
• XML listings are 10 times more prevalent that XHTML listings
• Closed-source database listings (Oracle & SQL Server) are at least five times more prevalent than open-source database listings (MySQL)
  

To maneuver your career for future success (TACK through the winds of constant technology change) consider the following four suggestions:

• HTML -- list HTML on your resume, as well as, XHTML
  
• XML -- upgrade your skill set to include XML (XHTML's parent language)
  
• SQL -- develop a solid understanding how to access data from a database
  
• JavaScript -- develop a solid understanding of basic programming skills
  

Here are two recommended training courses for October:

• XML: Introduction
• JavaScript: Web Programming Basics

Both courses are available for FREE compliments of the HP Learning Center. Classes begin Thursday, October 12.

New England Technology Fast 50

The annual New England Technology Fast 50 ranks technology, media, telecommunications and life sciences companies located in New England by revenue growth over five years.

This year's Fast 50 marks the program's 10th anniversary -- a period that corresponds to the Tech Bubble, Bust and Recovery. Several companies on this year's list are notable for their stellar repeat performances.

Seven consecutive appearances:

• Unica Corporation (Waltham)

Six consecutive appearances:

• eCopy, Inc. (Nashua, NH)
• iBasis, Inc. (Burlington)
• Network Engines, Inc. (Canton)

A special category called "Rising Star" recognizes the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications and life sciences company based on revenue growth over three years (2003 - 2005). This year's "Rising Star":

• Sepaton, Inc. (Marlboro)
  

If you are in the job market and have solid technology skills and experience, then the Fast 50 is a good place to focus your search. Fast growing technology companies generally need fast moving technology professionals to help them grow.

The complete New England Technology Fast 50 company ranking follows:

1. Litle & Co. (Lowell)
2. Arbor Networks, Inc. (Lexington)
3. Compete, Inc. (Boston)
4. Idenix Pharmaceuticals (Cambridge)
5. Data Intensity, Inc. (Waltham)
6. Constant Contact (Waltham)
7. Agiltron, Inc. (Woburn)
8. Evergreen Solar, Inc. (Marlboro)
9. Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. (Wellesley)
10. Picis Inc. (Wakefield)
11. athenahealth, Inc. (Watertown)
12. Salary.com, Inc. (Waltham)
13. Vistaprint (Lexington)
14. CardioTech International, Inc. (Wilmington)
15. Jets International (Quincy)
16. iRobot Corporation (Burlington)
17. NeuroMetrix, Inc. (Waltham)
18. Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. (Waltham)
19. Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Lexington)
20. ImmunoGen, Inc. (Cambridge)
21. OpenPages, Inc. (Waltham)
22. Click Tactics, Inc. (Waltham)
23. Network Engines, Inc. (Canton)
24. Infoscitex Corporation (Waltham)
25. Buyerzone.com, Inc. (Watertown)
26. Smarter Living, Inc. (Charlestown)
27. ITA Software, Inc. (Cambridge)
28. ViaCell, Inc. (Cambridge)
29. BridgeLine Software, Inc. (Woburn)
30. Double-Take Software (Southborough)
31. Curis, Inc. (Cambridge)
32. Sentillion, Inc. (Andover)
33. Sepracor Inc. (Marlborough)
34. Deploy Solutions, Inc. (Auburndale)
35. Outcome Sciences, Inc. (Cambridge)
36. InteQ Corporation (Bedford)
37. Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. (Burlington)
38. Virtusa Corporation (Westborough)
39. Matritech, Inc. (Newton)
40. Clinical Data, Inc. (Newton)
41. Repligen Corporation (Waltham)
42. iCAD, Inc. (Nashua, NH)
43. Eze Castle Software (Boston)
44. Unica Corporation (Waltham)
45. Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Wakefield)
46. Nuance Communications, Inc. (Burlington)
47. Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Exeter, NH)
48. IPG Photonics Corporation (Oxford)
49. eCopy, Inc. (Nashua, NH)
50. iBasis, Inc. (Burlington)
    

The Technology Fast 50 program is presented by Deloitte & Touche, Mass High Tech, and others.

OneWebDay

Friday September 22 marks the inaugural OneWebDay. According to the event organizer, "If you can't imagine life without the Web, you should celebrate OneWebDay, because it really has changed everything."

Susan Crawford, OneWebDay organizer, envisions holding worldwide celebrations similar to Earth Day events. This year's events will be concentrated in Boston and New York and in other cities across the United States and around the world.

The Boston event will feature the inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee. The New York City event will feature Craig's List founder, Craig Newmark.

Organizers are encouraging people to do the following:

• upload videos for viewing on Dabble.com
• post photos to Flickr for a giant online collage (see FAQ for details)
• blog about what they are doing to mark the occasion and explain how the Web has changed their lives (see FAQ for details)
  

If you live in the greater Boston area and want to have lunch in Cambridge with the man who made the Web possible, then access the OneWebDay wiki for details. Lunch includes free pizza and beer.

Update from the Boston event coordinator:

PLEASE NOTE: Tim Berners-Lee will NOT be in attendance; we'll be recording a short video with our thanks to share with him online.

Note: Access a review of the day's activities at TechWeb.

Economic Outlook -- Cloudy Skies

Three surveys released in the past week reveal a slowing in the U.S. economy.

CEO Economic Outlook Survey

This survey reveals that the pace of growth in the U.S. economy is slowing, but is still positive. The survey's key findings for the next six months include the following question of Chief Executive Officers:

"How do you expect your company's U.S. employment to change in the next six months?"

• increase -- 32%
• no change -- 39%
• decrease -- 29%

Basically, just as many companies will be hiring as will be firing workers over the next six months.

The CEO Economic Outlook Survey is conducted by the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading corporations with a combined workforce of more than 10 million employees.

Vistage Confidence Index

This survey reveals the least favorable outlook recorded in the three years of the Index.

"CEOs are already beginning to modestly scale back their plans for future growth of their businesses, as they expect to reduce the pace of investment spending and add slightly fewer new employees during the year ahead."

The Vistage Confidence Index is a compilation of responses from nearly 2,000 CEOs of small- to mid-sized companies. This sector creates 75 percent of all new jobs and generates 50 percent of all national revenue.

Manpower Employment Outlook Survey

This survey is the least pessimistic of the three. It reveals that for the remainder of the year 28% of 14,000 U.S. employers expect to add to their payrolls, while 8% expect to reduce staff levels.

"Employers in most major labor markets expect to hire in the fourth quarter at a pace equal to, or stronger than, the same period last year, casting a bit of doubt on popular public sentiment of gloomy days ahead."

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers' intentions to increase or decrease the number of employees in their workforce during the next quarter.

Your Strategy

While not a time for panic, it may be a time for prudence.

If you are happy where you are, do your best to make sure you are adding genuine value to your organization and pay close attention to your organization's sales performance and growth prospects.

If you see storm clouds on the horizon at your current employer or are actively seeking employment (or employment elsewhere), then now may be the time to step up the pace and focus your energies on creating a new future.

Microsoft Salary Survey

The average salary in the greater Boston area for information technology (IT) professionals skilled in the implementation of Microsoft technologies exceeds $71,000, slightly above the national average. The average IT worker has 12 years experience. Where does your salary fit into the range? [see Chart 2]

These are just two of the findings released this month in Redmond magazine's 11th annual survey of compensation for Microsoft IT professionals. Nearly 1,300 tech workers responded to the survey. A summary of the results is available online. A FREE comprehensive report is also available.

Experience is one of many factors determining salary as the following list indicates:

• 1 to 2 years ($47,000)
• 3 to 5 years ($56,000)
• 6 to 9 years ($66,000)
• 10+ year ($81,000)

Job title is another factor determining salary. For example, here are a few job titles along with average base salary:

• Webmaster/developer/producer ($69,000)
• Programmer/analyst ($75,000)
• Database administrator/developer ($80,000)

Expertise in a specific Microsoft skill is also a factor as indicated below:

• SQL Server ($75,000)
• Visual Studio ($78,000)

Certification is less of a factor. Obtaining a Microsoft certification can help you gain or maintain expertise, which in turn can get you hired. Once your foot is in the door, experience appears to carry more weight than certification. None-the-less, compensation for individuals with selected Microsoft-specific, web-related certifications were reported as follows:

• MCP+Internet ($74,000)
• MCTS: SQL Server ($92,000)
• MCITP: SQL Server ($125,000)

Of those who held non-Microsoft certifications the compensation results are still quite respectable:

• Macromedia ($64,000)
• Apple ($67,000)

Lastly, the survey reveals that traditional education plays a small factor in compensation. Only slightly more than one-third of those surveyed obtained a four-year degree, but at least half said they attended some college.

Conclusion: Web designers and developers can increase their earning potential by developing expertise in Microsoft-centric technologies to complement their design skills. The following two web-related areas offer the most promise:

• programming (ASP.NET 2.0)
• database (SQL Server)

The Boston Market -- May article provides guidance on getting started with these technologies.

IT Job Search Survey

Nearly 60 percent of all information technology (IT) workers are currently looking for a new job. Four out of five of these workers say that their campaign is somewhat or very active.

Here are the top reasons for this high percentage of job search activity (percentage of respondents):

• higher pay (73%)
• no current advancement opportunity (66%)
• looking for a new challenge (58%)

This survey of nearly 1,000 IT workers was conducted by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). A press release is available summarizing the findings.

These survey results reveal a double-edged opportunity/challenge for active job seekers. The opportunity lies in the fact that job turnover is likely to increase leading to increased availability of positions. The challenge lies in the fact that you will likely be competing with many more highly qualified candidates.

Finding a new job can be simple -- but not easy. The best advice is to consistently implement proven job search strategies. The Boston College Career Center offers the following three solutions as a starting point in structuring your career advancement campaign:

1. Know what you want
2. Use a variety of job search strategies
3. Have as much personal contact with real people as possible

If you are currently in the job market (nearly 60% of you are), then rate yourself on a scale from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) on the following three questions:

1. Can you articulate the work you are looking for in an "elevator speech?" (1-2-3-4-5)
2. How many job search strategies are you currently using? (1-2-3-4-5)
3. How many personal contacts have you scheduled a meeting with this week? (1-2-3-4-5)

Setting aside one hour today to formulate a career advancement strategy based on answers to these three questions can help give you an edge against your competition and move your career one step forward.

Boston Market -- September

The Monster Local Employment Index for Boston declined for the second month in a row in July. However, it is likely that the Boston area slide is seasonal and temporary. Next month's Boston Market analysis will provide a clearer picture.

However, the Monster National Employment Index for August rebounded sharply and stands 22 percent higher than this time last year.

"After dipping in July, demand for management workers rebounded strongly while online recruitment activity for workers in business and financial operations and IT-related occupations continued trending upwards, suggesting a solid hiring environment for white-collar professionals," according to a Monster press release.

This month's market analysis focuses on the area of "content management." According to Wikipedia content management is "a set of processes and technologies that support the evolutionary life cycle of digital information." Content management is a collaborative process and often consists of the following basic roles and responsibilities:

• author
• editor
• publisher
• administrator
• consumer, viewer or guest

A content management system (CMS) is "a computer software system for organizing and facilitating collaborative creation of documents and other content." The system can be a web application used for managing websites and web content. A comparison of content management systems is available from Wikipedia. This comparison provides links to technology options in three categories:

• free & open source software
• commercial medium (under $15,000)
• commercial expensive (over $15,000)

As you will see from the listing of well over 100 vendors, many of which are open source, knowledge of scripting languages (PHP, ASP.NET, etc.) and database management systems (MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server, etc.) is helpful in customizing the content management system.

With so many options how does one decide which CMS to use. The first place to start is by reviewing a survey of five open-source CMS applications and then downloading and installing one of your choice.

Because of the abundance of options available in the marketplace, the number of jobs that list a specific content management system is minimal. However, a general search on "content management" reveals the following listings [ BostonWorks.com ][ Monster.com ]:

• content management [ 40 ] [ 143 ]

The best training option for September is to focus on developing skills in the underlying technologies that comprise many open-source content management systems: PHP and MySQL. Check out PHP and MySQL: Building Web Applications available from the HP Learning Center. The six-lesson class is FREE and begins Thursday, September 14.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Online sales are growing five times faster than store sales according to a benchmark study that reveals new trends in online shopping sites. As more companies turn to the Web to generate revenue, web designers and developers should review this study and develop skills to help organizations generate revenue.

"Leading retailers understand that 'customer experience' is the next competitive battleground," according to the study's author. "Ultimately, a company fosters a more loyal customer base, and customers are inclined to spend more." A press release is available from the Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group. A more detailed analysis entitled Enhanced Customer Experience: A Benchmark Study (pdf) is also available for review.

The study concludes with four suggestions to help internet marketing executives stay ahead of the curve in the battle for the future. These recommendations offer sound advice for any Web professional regardless of whether or not the website currently offers products and services for sale:

• Keep a vigilant eye on what competitors are offering
• Stay close to customers to understand their unique needs and preferences
• Constantly look for better ways to improve the site's ease of use while providing deeper, richer multimedia content
• Create meaningful ways for shoppers to interact with the company and each other when on the site
  

Twenty websites were evaluated in the benchmark study including the Top 10 U.S. Web retailers by revenue. Links to each site along with an analysis of the Web technology used at each website are listed below:

• Amazon.com (?)
• Best Buy (jsp)
• Blue Nile (asp)
• Cabela's (jsp)
• CDW (asp.net)
• Costco (asp.net)
• Dell (asp.net)
• JCPenney (asp.net)
• HP Shopping (Java)
• Home Depot (jsp)
• Netflix (?)
• Newegg (asp)
• Office Depot (Java)
• QVC (asp.net)
• Sears (Java)
• Sony Style (?)
• Staples (Java)
• Target (?)
• REI (?)
• Wal-Mart (Java)

In summary the majority of the largest online retailers utilize one of two competing technology clusters as follows:

• JSP/Java (8)
• ASP/ASP.NET (7)
• unknown (5)

[Note: Many technologies are easy to detect by their file extension (for example, .jsp, .asp. aspx, etc.) The five sites marked "unknown" may use Java or some other technology I am not familiar with.]

Web designers and developers who wish to position themselves for career opportunities as online retailing continues to expand at a rate of 20 percent per year would do well to learn one of the four technologies listed above. Access Boston Market -- July for links to job opportunities for Web professionals with knowledge and experience using these skills.

Oracle & Open Source

A survey of more than 250 companies using Oracle's proprietary database reveals that open source software is being used at 60% these companies. The most popular open source database software at these locations is MySQL. A press release (pdf) and a detailed survey results document (pdf) are available for review at the Independent Oracle Users Group (IOUG) website.

While MySQL is gaining ground Oracle remains king of the database world. According to an analysis of the database market released by IDC, the Big Three database vendors are as follows (percentage of worldwide market):

• Oracle (45%)
• IBM (DB2) (21%)
• Microsoft (SQL Server) (17%)

The study finds that Microsoft is the big mover in this market and is gaining momentum with the release late last year of SQL Server 2005. "Microsoft is not the only vendor that the two giants -- Oracle and IBM -- are worried about," according to the study's author. "Alternatives such as the open source RDBMS [relational database management system] vendor MySQL are also attracting a good deal of attention and loyalty from a new generation of database developers."

As we saw in the Boston Market -- July TACK analysis, listing database knowledge and experience on your resume can open the door to more than ten times as many opportunities as listing design skills such as Dreamweaver and Flash. So, how can you learn about Oracle's proprietary database software when this software can cost tens of thousands of dollars (pdf) to purchase and install?

Here's the inside scoop: Oracle supports the open source community. In particular, Oracle and PHP are two compatible technologies. While PHP is free to download and use, Oracle is not -- at least not until recently. Oracle has followed the lead of Microsoft in developing an Express (FREE) version of its popular database software. An now, like Microsoft's SQL Server 2005 Express Edition before it, books are starting to appear on how to use the Oracle Database 10g Express Edition.

Strategy #1: If you are new to databases and PHP programming, then start by downloading PHP, MySQL and Apache, all FREE open-source software. Quite a few books are available to help get you started, including Sams Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL and Apache All in One, 3rd Edition.

Strategy #2: If you want to upgrade your skills (and your market potential) into the Big Leagues, consider an investment in Oracle Database 10g Express Edition PHP Web Programming. This book will be available on September 8.

More than 500 Oracle jobs are currently available in the greater Boston area. Can you afford not to add Oracle database knowledge to your resume?

Emerging Technologies

An analysis of 36 key technologies has been released evaluating their potential impact on business over the next ten years. The technologies were classified into three major themes as follows:

• Web 2.0
• Real World Web
• Applications Architecture

The technologies in each category were given one of three "impact" ratings: transformational, high or moderate.

Key technologies in the Web 2.0 category along with their impact rating are listed below. Each of these technologies are expected to hit mainstream adoption in less than two years:

• Social Network Analysis (high)
• Ajax (high)
• Mashup (moderate)

The evaluation was conducted by Gartner, Inc. and is part of a series of studies called 2006 Emerging Technologies Hype Cycle. The analysis is an attempt to determine if a technology is a wave of the future or simply hype.

A press release offers details including the following definitions of key terms in the Web 2.0 category:

• Social Network Analysis (SNA) is the use of information and knowledge from many people and their personal networks. [LinkedIn is an example of a social network for professionals.] SNA involves collecting massive amounts of data from multiple sources, analyzing the data to identify relationships and mining it for new information.
• Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a collection of techniques that Web developers use to deliver an enhanced, more-responsive user experience in the confines of a modern browser.
• A "mashup" is a lightweight tactical integration of multi-sourced applications or content into a single offering.

So, what are the implications for web designers and developers? The time is now to begin developing solid skills in the technologies that underlie these emerging trends. In the area of Social Network Analysis, the key skill is database knowledge and expertise focusing particularly on Structured Query Language (SQL), the language used to move information into and out of databases. Ajax, of course, requires knowledge and expertise in JavaScript and XML.

SQL, JavaScript and XML. These skills are in high demand today as evident by the Boston Market -- July TACK analysis. Web professionals with expertise in implementing these technologies in a web environment will be in demand as the web continues to evolve and Web 2.0 goes mainstream.

Boston Market -- August

The summer ushered in a minor slowdown on the employment front in the greater Boston area. The Monster Local Employment Index (pdf) for June dropped slightly. This decrease appears to reflect a seasonal slowdown that Monster.com has experienced each of the last three summers. However, online demand for computer and mathematical (IT) positions reached a new high "suggesting an upbeat third-quarter hiring outlook for local technology professionals," according to the company's press release.

This continuing demand for IT workers is also reflected in the IT Employment Index (pdf) for July calculated by National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB).

This month's market analysis explores the demand for professionals with the title of webmaster. According to Wikipedia, "a webmaster (some women prefer webmistress) is a person responsible for designing, developing, marketing, or maintaining website(s). A broader definition of webmaster is a businessperson who uses online media to sell products and/or services. This broader definition of webmaster covers not just the technical aspects of overseeing website construction and maintenance but also management of content, advertising, marketing, and order fulfillment for the website."

So, a webmaster needs not only technical skills, but also, analytical and marketing skills. A search on keywords at job posting sites reveals that as the role of a web designer/developer expands from the expense side of the company's ledger (How much money will this website cost?") to the revenue side ("How much money will this website generate?") the number of job opportunities also expands.

Here is a listing of keywords commonly associated with "webmaster" along with the number of job listings posted for that keyword at two popular job search sites [ BostonWorks ] [ Monster ]:

• webmaster [ 9 ] [ 14 ]
• SEO (search engine optimization) [ 6 ] [ 19 ]
• web analytics [ 9 ] [ 22 ]
• e-marketing [ 5 ] [ 29 ]
• e-mail campaigns [ 24 ] [ 37 ]
• e-commerce [ 84 ] [ 268 ]

The bottom line is that web designers and developers who position themselves as valued members of the revenue-generation (e-commerce) team will experience more and better job prospects in today's marketplace.

The first step in positioning your skills for e-commerce opportunities is to demonstrate the basic ability to measure website traffic, referred to as web analytics. For an overview of web analytics, access a 13-minute podcast entitled Startup Guide to Website Analytics.

The market leading software company in this space is WebTrends. A basic open-source version of this software is available for FREE from Google. Google Analytics is offered by invitation only; however, you can request an invitation. My experience is that you'll only have to wait a few days to receive instructions for getting started.

Adding "web analytics" to your tool kit is an easy first step in developing the analytical skills necessary to position yourself on the revenue side of any company's balance sheet. And once you can demonstrate that your expertise pays for itself, what company wouldn't hire you?

The 90 / 90 Rule

Over the next five years state and local governments will lead the push toward open source software, according to an analysis conducted by market research firm Government Insight. The report estimates a 30% compound annual growth rate in open source software spending through 2009.

Combine this trend with the shift toward Internet-based software (Software as a Service) in the form of Web applications and the future looks bright for Web designers with "back-end" programming and database skills.

Let's look at the data. According to Netcraft's July 2006 Web Server Survey, Open-source Apache Web server hosts approximately 60% of the world's web sites. Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) hosts approximately 30%. And Microsoft has experienced a resurgence in the past six months capturing market share from Apache. This growth spurt corresponds to Microsoft's release of Visual Studio 2005, SQL Server 2005 and ASP.NET 2.0.

The practical implications are the following:

• Web developers in the government, not-for-profit and small business sectors should position themselves for future growth by investing training time in learning "LAMP stack" technologies (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)
• Web developers in the large-company, for-profit world should consider developing Microsoft-specific Web application technology skills centered on ASP.NET and SQL Server

Here's the 90 / 90 Rule:

"Ninety percent of the world's 90 million websites are hosted on two technology platforms: Apache and Microsoft."

Implication:

Web developers proficient in open source (PHP & MySQL) and proprietary (ASP.NET and SQL Server) technologies will be best positioned for career security for the remainder of the decade.

Time for a Redesign?

How big is the Internet? According to Metamend, a search engine optimization (SEO) firm, when Bill Clinton was first inaugurated as President in January 1993 there were 200 hostnames in use and only eight of them ended in .com or .net! According to the Netcraft July 2006 Web Server Survey, during the first six months of 2006 an estimated two million hostnames have been added to the Internet -- that's 2,000,000 per month!

So, there is plenty of new work out there for web designers and developers. What about old work -- reworking sites that are already up and running?

According to Best Website Services, a Chicago-based consulting firm, here is the one question you can use to initiate a dialogue with a client about the potential for a site redesign:

"Is the basic design of your Web site more than two years old?"

If so, the potential client should consider a redesign. Here are seven follow-up questions you can use in your discussion with that client that will help clarify the need for a redesign:

1. Was the site built on a tight budget?
2. Does the site look dated?
3. Has the client's business changed?
4. Has the competition gotten ahead of the client?
5. Has the client gained a better understanding of its customers?
6. Is the content difficult or costly to keep fresh?
7. Does the client need to increase the site's visibility?

For a detailed explanation of each talking point access "Seven Signs You Need a Web Site Redesign."

Ajax Workshop

As we read in last week's post, Web 2.0 means different things to different people. But the one Web 2.0 buzzword that may add value to your resume right now is Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML).

A FREE AJAX Workshop is now available online. The first class starts Friday, August 4. One new class session will be posted each week for a total of ten weeks.

The workshop is offered by a technology architect at Sun Microsystems. While the course is designed as an overview there are prerequisites as follows:

• Some HTML experience helpful but not required
• Some JavaScript experience helpful but not required
• 1 month Java programming experience
• 1 month web application programming experience

The course creator offers links to tutorials to help you gain experience with technologies you may not feel comfortable with. In addition, several software packages and components need to be downloaded and installed in order to participate fully. Check out the Course FAQ for details to help you decide if the training is right for you at this time -- the workshop will be offered several times throughout the year.

To register simply join the Ajax Workshop Yahoo! Group or send an e-mail to ajaxworkshop-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

If you decide to make a commitment to Ajax training, additional materials are available to assist with your development. In particular, check out the following books available from Sams Publishing:

• Sams Teach Yourself Ajax in 10 Minutes
• Sams Teach Yourself XML in 10 Minutes

If you have more than ten minutes to devote to your career development, then check out the following:

• Sams Teach Yourself JavaScript in 24 Hours, 4th Edition

The "10 Minute" books will set you back $15 each. The "24 Hour" book costs $25. When you become a Sams Publishing member -- which is FREE -- you'll receive a 30% discount on your first order.

So, for a maximum investment of only $40, plus a consistent time commitment over a ten-week period, you could become one of the first kids on your block to put Ajax to use. Wouldn't that make your mom proud?

Dale Carnegie Skills

"The only way candidates can win that next coveted job is to distinguish themselves from the other hundreds of job seekers vying for the role," according to Gary Lust, a senior technology recruiter. "Everyone . . . can do the tech stuff. To get to that next level you have to provide both the tech and the business skills necessary today," continues Lust in an interview in Information Week.

Lust suggests technology professionals should consider developing "Dale Carnegie" skills to help distinguish themselves from their equally qualified peers. The most valuable non-technical skill for technology professionals to develop may well be sales skills.

No matter where you are in the life cycle of your career, sales skills can make a difference when attempting to . . .

• land that first job
• land a better job
• land a consulting assignment
• convince a client they should use your services over your competition's

One of the best ways to learn about sales skills, and begin practicing proven sales techniques, is to follow the lead of business executives who are constantly looking for that competitive advantage. BusinessWeek magazine offers insight each month with the publication of The BusinessWeek Best-Seller List (pdf). Sitting in the four and five positions are the following:

• The Little Red Book of Selling
• The Little Red Book of Sales Answers

In an earlier blog article I reviewed The World is Flat, the long-standing #1 on this popular list of business books. I outlined why technology professionals should read this book to help understand how to position themselves in today's global economy.

In these companion books sales expert Jeffrey Gitomer provides insight into the sales process. Like many technology professionals I find myself a bit uncomfortable in my current roll as "salesman" as I attempt to advance my career by landing a new job. What I found most refreshing about Gitomer's approach is that many of the manipulative sales techniques we've all been exposed to from time to time (think: used car salesman) are actually counterproductive. Successful long-term sales is more about relationship-building and adding value up front before the sale is made.

If you are looking to land that first job, make more money, or otherwise advance your technology career, then The Little Red Book of Selling and The Little Red Book of Sales Answers might be more valuable than any technology book on your shelf today. Buy them, read them, study them, master them -- profit from them!

Web 2.0 Update

According to one viewpoint, Web 2.0 is a vague buzzword with no fixed meaning that incorporates whatever is new and popular on the Web (blogs, podcasts, social networks, etc.).

According to Wikipedia, "Web 2.0 refers to a second generation of services available on the World Wide Web that lets people collaborate and share information online."

According to the majority of Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Web 2.0 is a combination of promise and hype. The results of a recent poll of 184 CIOs reveals how they view Web 2.0:

• a promising new business model (9%)
• marketing hype (20%)
• a combination of promise and hype (56%)
• unsure (15%)

An analysis of the current job market confirms the viewpoint of the majority of CIOs. Listed below are a few of the buzzwords commonly associated with "Web 2.0" along with the number of job listings mentioning that keyword [BostonWorks.com, Monster.com]:

• Ajax [ 22 ][ 68 ]
• RSS [ 1 ][ 17 ]
• blog [ 4 ][ 1 ]
• wiki [ 3 ][ 2 ]
• mashup [ 0 ][ 0 ]
• podcast [ 2 ][ 0 ]

Clearly, Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is the one Web 2.0 technique that has value in today's marketplace. However, knowledge of the technologies that are used in the Ajax technique (JavaScript and XML) carry even greater market weight as follows:

• XML [ 212 ][ 618 ]
• JavaScript [ 140 ][ 314 ]
• Ajax [ 22 ][ 68 ]

By this measure XML is a full order of magnitude (10 times) more valuable in the marketplace than Ajax. If you want to place a bet on Web 2.0, it makes sense to place it on XML.

To learn more about XML, sign up for XML: Introduction, a FREE course offered at the HP Learning Center. Class begins Thursday, July 13.