Most Admired Employees

FORTUNE magazine's Most Admired Companies list is the definitive report card on corporate reputations. The 2006 ranking has been released. The 1,000 largest U.S. companies, ranked by revenue, were included in the evaluation process. The Top 20 were determined by surveying 10,000 executives, directors and securities analysts.

The seven Most Admired Companies in Massachusetts were as follows (including location and ranking within their industry):

• Analog Devices (Norwood : 5)
• Boston Properties (Boston : 2)
• EMC (Hopkinton : 1)
• Iron Mountain (Boston : 3)
• Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (Springfield : 4)
• Staples (Framingham : 6)
• State Street Corporation (Boston : 3)

Rankings were based on the following criteria:

• Innovation
• People management
• Use of corporate assets
• Social responsibility
• Quality of management
• Financial soundness
• Long-term investment
• Quality of products/services

Wouldn't it be interesting if we had access to a Most Admired Employees list! Workers who made the list would be prize candidates for the best assignments. Job satisfaction would improve. Recruiters would call. Compensation would skyrocket.

While no such list exists, Ajilon Professional Staffing offers these five tips to elevate your admiration ranking in your current position:

• Manage up. The ability to communicate with your manager in his or her own terms is essential to help you reach your career goals. Be aware of your boss’ management style and goals and communicate your ideas or plans in a similar manner.
• Make your boss your #1 fan. Your boss’ success is tied to your success, so work with your manager to better understand his/her goals – and help achieve them!
• Work even harder when the boss is away. Complete jobs they assigned before they return and make sure other projects did not slip through the cracks. Stay organized and pay attention to details. Before they return to the office, send them an e-mail update on the status of projects. They will appreciate this report waiting for them in their inbox.
• Track your accomplishments. Although sometimes it’s difficult to toot your own horn, make sure your boss is aware of your accomplishments and the times you go above and beyond the call of duty so he/she knows about your successes to reward you with time off, bonuses or a raise.
• Be a team player. Every boss likes to have his team on his side. Demonstrate that you're committed to the company, not just to your own personal goals.

Set a goal this week to improve in one of these five areas, then chart your progress. By striving to become a Most Admired Employee in your current position your reputation will grow and Most Admired Companies will seek you out for more satisfying and better paying opportunities.

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

It's Tuesday morning, the day after a three-day holiday. You are sitting at your computer reviewing your e-mail and maybe wishing you were somewhere else.

It's not that you hate your job; it's just that you don't feel appreciated and don't feel your talents are being put to the best use by your current employer. If fact, according to Marcus Buckingham, half of all workers will spend half of their workday doing things they are not particularly interested in doing.

So, you might spend part of your workday going online and casually searching for another job, being careful to pull up some "real work" should your boss stop by for a visit.

Why not consider a different strategy? Why not spend part of your day -- your lunch break perhaps -- developing your network of contacts? In this third installment of a series on Internet Recruiting we will explore the concept of social networking.

Fully 60% of 200 employers surveyed say they plan to invest in social networking technology to generate referrals to fill vacant positions. Social networking Websites have been in the news lately. If you have teenage child chances are you are aware of a Website called MySpace. A similar Website called Facebook is popular with college kids. Dozens of business networking sites have sprung up over the past year of so.

All of these Websites are based on the concept that by developing a network of like-minded peers who have their own network of contacts, you can expand your network exponentially. The concept has been made popular by the trivia game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Let's pick one business-related social network -- LinkedIn -- and explore it. Why LinkedIn? Because it's been written up in the popular press and it's the only career network I've been invited to join! Since this is a "club" you do have to be a "member" to see what goes on behind the scenes. Currently, I have one "connection" in my network -- the person who invited me. This "sponsor" is connected to three other people. These three other people have connections. All told, I am just two connections away from being in touch with 137 business professionals, all from one connection!

So, you can see that "working your network" can lead to introductions that you didn't think were possible. Even Kevin Bacon, Independent Motion Pictures and Film Professional, from Los Angeles is LinkedIn! Alas, none of my current contacts has a connection to Kevin, not yet anyway.

Two features of LinkedIn that I find particularly interesting:

• job openings that are listed exclusively to network members, thus reducing competition and unnecessary weeding out of resumes from unqualified candidates
• job openings that give preference to applicants with endorsements -- kind of an eBay system of obtaining references for a job well done from someone in your network, perhaps a previous boss or coworker, or a satisfied client

An increasing number of employers will use social networks to fill job vacancies. The time to start building your network is today, while the economy is good and jobs are plentiful. If you feel I am a trusted contact that you would like to continue doing business with, then by all means, visit my LinkedIn page and join my network today. It's free, it's easy, and it could lead to your next job, or better yet, an introduction to Kevin Bacon!

Who's Zoomin' Who?

As discussed in the previous blog, Internet Recruiting, companies looking for talent in today's marketplace are finding that employee referrals deliver the best results. In addition, recruiters are investing in social networking technologies to build their referral base.

Today's issue focuses on how you can create a Web presence, and begin establishing a referral network, even if you do not have your own Website. (Of course, if your career involves Internet technology, you should have your own Website!)

To begin, have you ever "Googled yourself?" That is, gone to a search engine like Google and typed in your own name. Some interesting results can occur, like links to documents you never knew existed or links to people with your same name who are definitely NOT YOU!

Now, have you ever "Zoomed yourself?" That is, visited a Website called ZoomInfo and typed in your name? ZoomInfo is "the search engine for discovering people, companies and relationships." Go there now, type in your first and last name, and see what you find.

Even if you have never used this Website before, it's quite possible others have, looking for information about you, and perhaps finding mixed results. The difference between ZoomInfo and Google is that you get to control your Web presence at ZoomInfo. And if you want people to find you, you want to be in control of what's being said about you.

Setting up a ZoomInfo Web summary is FREE and easy to do. To join "the largest index of people in business in the world," you can start with a basic profile in just a few minutes. Over time you can add additional information such as education, past work experience and important Website links. You don't have to add sensitive information, like your date of birth or marital status. This is a business profile and should be treated as such.

Once you are registered here's how you can use ZoomInfo to position yourself in the marketplace:

• When sending out an e-mail use a link to your ZoomInfo Profile as part of your signature
• Research people and companies prior to an interview or sales call
• Use the "Connect With . . ." feature to contact a former business associate or introduce yourself to a new one
• Use the "Add to Colleagues" feature to begin building a referral network of colleagues and associates

Recruiters are using search tools like ZoomInfo and you should be too to give yourself a competitive advantage. Little did Aretha Franklin know when she recorded Who's Zoomin' Who? (.asx file) in 1985 that her song would take on a whole new meaning in the 21st Century.

Internet Recruiting

The score at halftime: Internet 51 Newspaper 5

Internet sources produced 51% of all hires last year, while newspaper classified ads generated just 5% of the new hires, according to a newly released study. The most popular Internet sources for new hires at leading U.S. companies were the following:

• Corporate Employment Web Sites (21%)
• General Job Boards (15%)
• Niche Job Boards: (6%)
• Social Network Web Sites (5%)
• Commercial Resume Databases (4%)

Employers reported that they find the highest quality candidates and receive the greatest return on their investment from the following two sources:

• their own corporate web sites
• employee referrals

Most notably, employers report they will significantly increase employment related spending in the following key areas:

• Corporate Employment Web Sites (74%)
• Employee Referrals (68%)
• Social Networking Technology (60%)

The trends are clear. If you are looking to upgrade your current job this year and do not have a presence on the Internet and do not have a network of professionals who can help refer you to opportunities, then you are at a competitive disadvantage.

The next several issues of Beantown Web will focus exclusively on this emerging trend of social networking and how you can utilize today's technology to maximize your potential for uncovering the business opportunities of tomorrow.

A press release of this report is available from DirectEmployers Association, a non-profit consortium of over 200 leading U.S. employers and operator of JobCentral.com. A more detailed summary, 2006 DirectEmployers Association Recruiting Trends, is also available in pdf format.

Databases: What to Know

Three truths about databases:

• every organization has them
• no organization can thrive without them
• the more you know about them, the more valuable you become to the organization

The Big Three of databases are as follows:

• Oracle
• IBM (DB2)
• Microsoft (SQL Server)

These three competitors combined control 85% of the $15 billion database market [1]. The marketplace provides a snapshot of their relative value. The number of job listings for each of The Big Three when searching by keyword are as follows [Monster.com listings]:

• Oracle [ 995 ]
• Microsoft (SQL Server) [ 506 ]
• IBM (DB2) [ 93 ]

The common language of all databases is Structured Query Language (SQL). So, the more you know about SQL the more you'll be able to manage data regardless of which relational database management system (RDBMS) is being used.

According to a recent BusinessWeek article, Taking On the Database Giants, open-source database products are gaining ground. Of these MySQL appears to have the most momentum.

So, how does one get experience using these products? Here's a two-step plan:

Step #1: Learn SQL

• Download a copy of MySQL 5.0 Community Edition (FREE)
• Complete a SQL Tutorial (FREE)

Step #2: Learn one of The Big Three (SQL Server)

• Download SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (FREE)
• Complete one of nine Microsoft E-Learning courses (FREE) [2]

Why select SQL Server? Quite simply, I have not been able to identify any low-cost alternatives to learning Oracle or IBM DB2. Both products are expensive and so is the training. Microsoft, on the other hand, wants technology professionals to learn its new SQL Server 2005 product so that it can capture market share from its competitors.

[1] reference: Taking On the Database Giants
[2] note: The courses are designed for SQL Server 2005, not the Express Edition, so there my be some aspects of the course that may not apply to the 'lite' version of the product.

SeaMonkey Internet Suite

August 9, 1995 is considered by many historians to mark the birth of the Internet Era. On that day Netscape Communications went public and countless Internet millionaires would be minted over the next five years.

Most early Internet users experienced the World Wide Web for the first time using Netscape's Navigator software. In short order Microsoft launched Internet Explorer and today maintains a commanding lead in Web browser utilization.

Netscape's original concept was to bundle the Navigator browser with other software including Web developer tools. This design package has been resurrected by The Mozilla Foundation and has been renamed SeaMonkey Internet Suite. (Mozilla was Netscape's early mascot and the organization is also the keeper of the open-source Firefox Web browser.)

SeaMonkey 1.0 is now available for FREE public download. It's Web developer tool is called Composer, which is primarily an HTML text editor with support for JavaScript debugging. SeaMonkey is ideal for students and other budget-conscious designers and developers who want to learn the basics of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS and are not in position to purchase industry standard tollkits such as Dreamweaver, which retails for $399.

I used the SeaMonkey Composer tool to edit and upload my Recent Training section of the Web Apprentices Website and it works quite nicely for simple edits.

Designers and developers in training can download SeaMonkey and start practicing with the following FREE tutorials available from WebDevelopersNotes.com:

• Basic HTML Tutorial
• Advanced HTML Tutorial
• JavaScript Tutorial

By the way, Netscape hasn't gone away. Netscape 8.1 is available for download and there are rumors of a Netscape 9.0 version in development.

Open Ajax Project

Ajax is an evolving set of tools and standards for creating interactive Web applications. The Open Ajax Project is a collaborative of organizations that has been formed to focus on establishing universal compatibility for Ajax among computer hardware, operating systems, and other software programs. A few of the companies that have lent their support to the project include the following:

• IBM
• Google
• Yahoo!
• Oracle

Ajax is an acronym for "Asynchronous JavaScript and XML." It is a technique used to create a "rich internet application." Web design innovations that can be incorporated into a website using Ajax include the following:

• updating portions of a Web page automatically
• checking information submitted (order form information, for example)
• dragging-and-dropping objects inside a Web browser

Web designers and developers are invited to attend a FREE Ajax seminar hosted by IBM at their Cambridge office. The seminar is Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 pm. To attend you must register at the PHP Boston Chapter Website.

Since JavaScript and XML are languages used to create this technique, they should also be in the toolkit of every Web designer and developer who wants to stay current on emerging design and development trends. To get started with XML, you can sign up for Introduction to XML, a FREE online course conducted via the HP Learning Center. The eight-lesson course begins Thursday, February 16.

Big Demand, Big Pay

Which job-hunting workers are in a solid position to negotiate better pay in 2006? According to CNNMoney.com, in coordination with Spherion, a national staffing and recruiting firm, the most in-demand workers are concentrated in five arenas as follows:

• Accounting
• Sales and marketing
• Legal
• Technology
• Manufacturing and engineering

So, what is the one skill that is most in-demand in the technology arena? "Developers who are expert users of Microsoft's software programming language .NET can make between $75,000 and $85,000 a year in major cities when they're starting out," according to the author of this staffing analysis.

Here is a six-step, zero-cost plan to introduce yourself to Microsoft .NET:

1. Review What is .NET? [FREE]
2. Complete the Microsoft .NET Tutorial [FREE]
3. Review Why ASP.NET? [FREE]
4. Download ASP.NET Web Matrix [FREE]
5. Take the Web Matrix Guided Tour [FREE]
6. Complete the ASP.NET Tutorial [FREE]

The average IT worker spends $2,200 on training and education annually and invests approximately 11 hours a week to learn new skills and technologies, according to a recent survey by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). The 12 hours a week you invest (you are better than average) developing your .NET skills will be handsomely rewarded.

Boston Market -- February

The Monster Employment Index hit another all-time high in January -- its ninth new high in the last 13 months -- indicating strong job demand. "Online opportunities for white-collar workers in accounting, IT and legal professions surge, demonstrating broad strength in business services," according to a Monster press release.

Businesses are actively acquiring technology talent, but only professionals with the right skill sets and requisite experience. One way to gauge the current demand is through a keyword search on specific technology skills at selective online job sites. Beantown Web monitors two sites: BostonWorks and Monster.

Skills sets are grouped into four categories: Tools, Acronyms, Containers, and Knowledge (TACK). A few of the common keywords associated with Web design and Web development jobs include the following:

Note: 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 [ 77 ][184]
• Flash [ 48 ][ 36 ]
• Dreamweaver [ 31 ][ 57 ]
• Visual Studio [ 25 ][ 70 ]

Acronyms (languages)

• SQL [ 527 ][ 1000 ]
• HTML [ 224 ][ 519 ]
• XML [ 200 ][ 498 ]
• ASP.NET [ 93 ][ 154 ]
• CSS [ 52 ][ 136 ]
• PHP [ 43 ][ 61 ]

Containers (databases)

• Oracle [ 422 ][ 965 ]
• MS Access [ 205 ][ 346 ]
• SQL Server [ 190 ][ 446 ]
• MySQL [ 34 ][ 68 ]

Knowledge (certifications)

• The demand for certified professionals varies by discipline. All things being equal certification helps to distinguish you from your competition. An appropriate certification entry point for Web design and Web development professionals is Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW). For a complete listing of all technology certifications, along with links to the appropriate certification Website, be sure to check out the Web Apprentices Career Center.

A few quick observations:

• Monster.com consistently lists twice as many opportunities as BostonWorks.com
• Acronym (language) skills are in greater demand than Tool (software) skills
• Container (database) skills are in greater demand than Tool (software) skills

Web designers and Web developers who want to advance their careers should focus on one Acronym (language) and one Container (database) and set a near-term goal to obtain additional training and experience. Feel free to check out my "Tour Dates" (right-hand column) for training opportunities in the coming months. You have a choice of attending a traditional "classroom" workshop or beaming me directly into your PC for a "virtual" training session!

The X Factor

Microsoft is planning a 2006 upgrade to its two flagship products. Windows XP will evolve into Windows Vista and Office 2003 will morph into Office 12. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a Microsoft special preview of both products. My conclusion: there is one open-source skill that all Web developers should add to their resume this year based on Microsoft's migration strategy.

Both products have changed in substantial ways. However, the most significant change affecting data that begins life as an Office document (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and migrates to the Web will be evident to end users only by the file extensions as follows:

• Word (.doc becomes .docx)
• Excel (.xls becomes .xlsx)
• PowerPoint (.ppt becomes .pptx)

This X factor file format notation is consistent with the recent upgrade of ASP classic (.asp) to ASP.NET (.aspx).

So, why the "x"? Quite simply, all Office documents in the future will be stored as XML files!

If Bill Gates has decided to bet the future of his cash cow Office franchise on Open XML Formats, then it would make sense for developers to learn more about XML data. If HTML represents a core technology during the first decade of Web design and development, then XML appears to be staking its claim to being a core technology for the second decade. Whether you are a Microsoft zealot or detractor, every designer and developer should consider adding XML to their skill set as the Web matures from infancy to adolescence.

To learn more about Microsoft's commitment to XML, access the Office 12 Website and a Microsoft product manager's blog that focuses on Office and XML. You can continue your quest for knowledge at Microsoft's XML Developer Center to learn more about "the language of information interchange."

Boston Wi-Fi Initiative

Global Wi-Fi hotspots have surpassed the 100,000 mark according to a press release issued by JiWire. Many of these hotspots are independent, proprietary and uncoordinated.

Meanwhile, cities around the United States are fashioning a coordinated effort to help its citizens become more productive in our increasingly mobile society. A few major cities that have recently announced plans for citywide Internet access include San Francisco and Philadelphia.

These plans center around providing free or low-cost Internet access via Wi-Fi. Citizens with a wireless-enabled computer can access the Internet via a hotspot.

What about Beantown? Well, the little-advertised Boston Main Streets Wi-Fi Initiative is up and running and delivering FREE Wi-Fi Internet access to the following four communities:

• Hyde Park
• Roslindale
• Washington Gateway
• West Roxbury

The Boston Main Street Wi-Fi Initiative website explains how to access FREE Internet in these communities.

Unfortunately, no information is available detailing the scope of the rollout to other communities or the timeframe for completion. Hopefully, it won't take as long as The Big Dig.

In the meantime several search engines are available to help you find a hotspot in a specific location. A few of these services include the following:

• Boston Hotspot Directory
• JiWire Hotspot Directory
• The Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory
• Wi-Fi ZONE Finder
• Hotspot-Locations.com
• The HotSpot Haven

In addition, eating establishments such as Panera Bread (30 locations in Massachusetts) offers FREE Wi-Fi access. So, now there is no excuse for not being productive on your lunch hour!

Web Applications for Dummies

As discussed in the November 10 issue, Microsoft "Sea Change", the shift to Internet-based software and services has begun and Web developers with the right skills should benefit from this "sea change."

Enter a new competitor: Salesforce.com. This company created one of the most successful Web applications -- software programs that are not installed on your desktop, but rather, are available for use on the Internet. Their customer relationship management (CRM) Web application competes with software products at a fraction of the cost. Typically Web applications like these are rented for a monthly fee, as opposed to purchased for a one-time price.

SalesForce.com has officially launched AppExchange, its Website for providing a common access point and development platform for many different kinds of Web applications. The company's goal is to become an on-demand business application development platform -- one that developers think of first for building applications.

One popular software program has already been transformed into a Web application -- Adobe's Acrobat for creating pdf files. While this application requires a subscription fee to use, here are four promising applications that can be used for FREE:

• Services Project Manager
• Project and Issue Management
• Time Tracking
• Pollzter

You can give these and many other Web applications a "test drive" at the AppExchange Website before deciding to activate the application.

Want to learn more about Web applications? Simply download a white paper (pdf). Better yet, Salesforce.com would love to have you develop your own Web applications and make them available on AppExchange. They have even created Salesforce.com's AppExchange for Dummies to guide you through the process. A FREE copy will be mailed to you! All you have do is register and in no time you can enter the world of Web application development.

Best Companies to Work For

FORTUNE is out with its annual list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. Six of those companies are either headquartered in Massachusetts or have a large office in the state. They are as follows:

• Bingham McCutchen
• Boston Consulting Group
• Bright Horizons
• Genzyme
• MITRE
• Nixon Peabody

If your goal in 2006 is to change employers, why not work for the best? A more comprehensive listing of Best Places to Work is available from the Boston Business Journal. Three of the employers -- Brigham McCutchen, Bright Horizons, and Genzyme -- appear on both lists.

A few of the benefits that elevate an employer to Best Company status include the following:

• Health care
• Child care
• Work-life balance
• Telecommuting
• Sabbaticals
• Unusual perks

The best way for worker to be attractive to a Best Company is to set goals to become a Best Worker at your current company. Here are three things you can do to improve your employment prospects in 2006:

• Identify one way in which you add value for your current company -- either by generating revenue or reducing expenses -- and then document your performance.
• Issue a press release about a recent award you've won for your superior performance -- every one of the six Best Companies have posted press releases about their FORTUNE award.
• If you don't have a personal Website to post your press release, build one!

When you are ready to begin contacting companies, the Web Apprentices Career Center stands ready to help with your efforts.

Microsoft's Major Competitor

Bill Gates went on record this week when asked which competitor he is most concerned about. His response:

"The biggest company in the computer industry, by far, is IBM. They have the (sic) four times the employees that I have, way more revenues than I have. IBM has always been our biggest competitor. The press just doesn't like to write about IBM."

What are the implications of a Microsoft vs. IBM battle for 2006 and beyond? And what does this mean for Web developers?

The Web continues to expand and the tool kit that Web developers need to be proficient in keeps growing with it. Case in point, e-commerce continues to outpace economic growth in the United States. This Holiday season witnessed a 25% increase in Internet sales vs. the previous year. And the Top 400 Retail Websites are not the only beneficiaries of this Web development trend. As we saw in Outlook 2006, Part 2, small and medium-size business (SMB) leaders want to use their Website to market their products, paying particular attention to sales leads and online sales.

Web developers who can help SMB leaders grow their revenues should do well in 2006. Both Microsoft and IBM have tools available to help these businesses. We've read about Microsoft .NET tools for Web developers. But what does IBM offer Web developers in terms of tools and training?

IBM has made a major commitment to open source standards and supports PHP as their primary Web development language. Here are just two FREE online tutorials available at the IBM Website:

• Create an Amazon storefront using PHP
• Create a Web storefront using PHP and PayPal

In addition, as the Web development arms race between Microsoft and IBM continues we will begin to hear more about emerging techniques such as Ajax & Atlas. If you'd like to position your skill set near the front of this digital arms race you might want to consider learning more about these techniques. And IBM wants to help you. On Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 pm IBM's Cambridge office will host a seminar with the following somewhat cryptic title:

• AJAX: thick client feel in a thin client wrapper

The seminar is FREE and is being coordinated by the Boston PHP Users Group. Registration is required.

IT Recession -- 2007

The next IT recession is scheduled to begin in 2007. Over the following three years the job market for IT specialists will shrink by 40 percent.

Forrester Research and the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) announced its inaugural US Tech Sector Index in December. The new quarterly benchmark is based on 11 measures of IT demand, supply, and the strength of US-based IT providers. Findings reveal both moderate increases and declines in various indicators over the coming year. A mild downturn is expected in 2007 followed by the next wave of tech innovation and heavy IT investment starting in 2008.

According to separate research conducted by Gartner, Inc., the job market for IT specialists will shrink 40 percent by 2010.

This does not mean the demand for tech skills will decline. It simply means the nature of tech work will change. IT "versatilists" will emerge replacing IT "specialists." An IT "versatilist" will be charged with fueling business value and will gain experience through multidisciplinary assignments.

"Today's IT specialists must focus on a rapid and intentional expansion from technical specialization to business competence in order to position themselves as tomorrow's business contributors," according to a Gartner representative.

This shift in work competencies is just one of six trends presented as part of a Gartner Special Report entitled "Gartner's Top Predictions for 2006 and Beyond."

According to Gartner the IT profession will split into four domains of expertise over the remainder of this decade:

• technology infrastructure and services
• information design and management
• process design and management
• relationship and sourcing management

For a complete description of these four areas of practice access a recent Gartner press release.

Web developers should set specific goals in the first half of 2006 to improve in the following three areas:

• upgrading technical skills
• expending contacts within the industry
• seeking out opportunities to develop business-specific skills that affect the bottom line

The downturn is a year away. Plan now for next year's recession and position yourself for the opportunities that await beyond.

Outlook 2006, Part 2

Four out of five small and mid-size business (SMB) leaders expect an improvement in business over the next six months. This same percentage plan to invest in technology for their business. These businesses provide approximately 75% of the new jobs added to the U.S. economy.

Here are a few findings from a survey of more than 1,000 SMB leaders:

• 83% strongly agree that the Internet helps them run their companies
• 22% currently make use of the Web as a marketing tool
• 43% of non-Internet marketers plan to begin using the Web as a marketing tool over the next six months

"SMB leaders planning decreases in online activity are virtually non-existent," according to a representative of AllBusiness.com who commissioned the study. A press release of the first SMB State of the Union study is available for review.

In another study released earlier this year SMB owners were asked how they measured the success of their Website. Here are the responses:

• customer and prospect comments (54%)
• site activity, traffic and number of visitors (48%)
• sales leads (36%)
• online sales (24%)
• efficiencies of internal processes, such as faster payment processing or fewer phone calls (21%)

A press release of Interland's Summer 2005 Small and Medium-sized Business Barometer is available for review.

Opportunities abound for Web developers to help SMB leaders grow their business. The results of these two studies indicate that business leaders are not looking for Web designers, they are looking for problem solvers who can help them market their business through the innovative use of Web-based technology. Here's a three-step strategy to consider:

• download a graphical presentation (pdf) of the SMB State of the Union study
• share this information with any current or prospective clients
• open a dialogue to discuss how you can help the business owner measure the success of their Web efforts using the five criteria listed above

Small and mid-sized businesses have moved beyond "brochureware." Make a New Year's Resolution to continue to develop skills that will position you as a business partner who can help solve problems with the creative use of technology.

Outlook 2006, Part 1

Corporate IT hiring continues at its strongest pace in the last three and a half years. Overall, 13 percent of Chief Information Officers (CIOs) at large companies plan to hire staff during the first quarter, compared to just one percent who plan to decrease staff. This net 12 percent gain matches last quarter and is 33 percent higher than a year ago at this time.

Survey results are part of a quarterly national poll of more than 1,400 CIOs at U.S. companies with more than 100 employees. Details are available from Robert Half Technology.

Microsoft Windows (NT/2000/XP) administration expertise and SQL Server management continue to be the technical skills that show the strongest demand.

In addition, CIO magazine's fourth annual State of the CIO survey finds that one trend that continues is the pressure on IT executives to drive business innovation with technology. CIOs say the skill sets needed are less technical (i.e. programmers) and more analytical and managerial (i.e. strategists and project managers). In fact, project management is at the top of the skills that CIOs value most.

Based on these two surveys Web developers can get the attention of large company CIOs by focusing on three areas in 2006:

• Upgrade your database skills by adding SQL Server to your technical skill set
• Develop one new project where you can document helping solve a business need though the innovative use of technology
• Document your project management skills by delivering this new project on time and under budget by working as part of (or ideally by leading) a team

Fortunately, developing technical expertise need not be expensive. Microsoft offers a SQL Server 2005 Express Edition available for FREE download. In addition, Microsoft also offers nine FREE online courses to help you develop SQL Server 2005 skills!

With a working knowledge of SQL Server and ASP.NET you can develop and manage a Web project that is database-driven and demonstrates the innovative use of technology designed to help solve a pressing business need.

Once complete, CIOs would love to hear about your solution. To help put you in touch with technology officers, Beantown Web has introduced a new service called Web Apprentices Career Center. In particular, check out one-click access to the largest 25 publicly-held technology companies in Massachusetts which are listed in the Boston Globe as the High Tech 25.

Java -- What Happened?

Java is a Web programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in the mid-1990s as a potential antidote to Microsoft's operating system domination. However, today's Web landscape appears to be shifting in ways that disadvantage Java.

An article in BusinessWeek reveals that the next generation of Web application developers are leaning toward open-source tools featuring LAMP (Linux~Apache~MySQL~PHP) and Microsoft's .NET technologies.

According to a Sun executive Java remains a mainstay of large, complex corporate applications. For example, IBM's WebSphere technology is based on Java. The technology also has a strong presence in cell phone and mobile game programming.

So where should a Web developer focus his/her energies in 2006? Java? LAMP? .NET? At least one of these three competing skill sets needs to part of your Web development toolkit. And LAMP and .NET appear to be the rising stars.

Full disclosure: Last Thursday I attended the Boston leg of Microsoft's worldwide Launch Tour 2005 along with 2,000 other (mostly) middle aged white guys. The day-long geekfest featured marketing presentations, a box lunch and product givaways, all FREE! Not aware that Microsoft was on tour? Check out a Special Edition of the READY Launch Tour 2005.

Can walking away with fully functional copies of Microsoft's Visual Studio 2005 and SQL Server 2005, as well as training vouchers, influence my view of the future of Web development? Most likely. That demonstrates the power of Microsoft's marketing muscle. But, facts are facts; and Beantown Web will continue to present a fair and balanced view of training and career opportunities for Web Developers in the greater Boston area.

Predictions 2006

Disruptive technology shifts will shape the IT industry in 2006, according to a report released by IDC. The company's annual predictions are designed to identify and highlight key trends and pivotal choices facing the IT industry in the year ahead.

Two of these disruptions are as follows:

• The Open Source Effect - 'open innovation' in IT product and service development
• The Google Effect - online delivery of IT as a service

Web developers should position themselves now to capitalize on these disruptive effects. Both of these trends involve Web development technologies.

The Open Source Effect refers to the increased use of open-source (free) Web technologies, standards and techniques such as PHP, XML and Ajax. IBM is one vendor that has embraced the use of open-source standards. The company demonstrates its commitment to PHP, for example, by posting a free online tutorial for developers to access, along with a list of links to additional open-source resources.

The Google Effect refers to the development of Web-based applications that go beyond static, HTML-based Web pages. Microsoft is one vendor that has acknowledged this "sea change" and has upped the ante with the release of its Web application technology, ASP.NET 2.0 and development tool sets, Visual Studio 2005 and Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition.

Which ever direction you choose -- open source (PHP) or vendor-specific (ASP.NET) -- now is the time to position your Web development career for anticipated growth opportunities in the New Year.

A press release detailing additional IT trends is available at the IDC Website. A detailed report is also available (registration required). The report is entitled IDC Predictions 2006: It's Gut-Check Time, As Disruptive Business Models Gain Traction. IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology and telecommunications industries.

Boston Market -- December

The Monster Employment Index for the month of November jumped to an all-time high indicating broad growth in online recruitment activity. One sector that registered a significant increase in online job availability during the month was "computer and mathematical" which saw a significant spike in growth indicating higher demand for IT professionals, according to the report.

December is an excellent time to begin planning for 2006. If you want your career to take a different TACK (a change in one's course of action), then December's Boston Market analysis can help.

This month we'll explore four segments of the Web technology marketplace -- Tools, Acronyms, Containers, and Knowledge. If you are considering a career upgrade in 2006 you should improve your technology skills in the following four areas:

• Tools (software)
• Acronyms (languages)
• Containers (databases)
• Knowledge (certifications)

A keyword search of job openings posted at BostonWorks.com indicates the following (number of job posting in parentheses):

Tools (software):

• Photoshop (89)
• Flash (45)
• Illustrator (45)
• Dreamweaver (32)
• Visual Studio (19)
• InDesign (17)
• FrontPage (15)
• Fireworks (8)
• GoLive (1)

Acronyms (languages):

• SQL (480)
• .NET (382)
• HTML (223)
• XML (200)
• ASP (166)

Containers (databases):

• database (1104)
• Oracle (417)
• SQL Server (169)

Knowledge (certifications):

• review the July 24, 2005 issue of Beantown Web for detailed analysis of technology certifications

As you can see, knowledge of Tools (software) can only offer double-digit job opportunities. However, expertise in certain key technology Acronyms (languages), such as SQL and .NET, can expand your opportunity base to triple-digit possibilities. And Container (database) expertise can offer the greatest returns of all.

If you want your career to take a different TACK in 2006, focus on the AC part of the opportunity market by developing your language and database skills. AC will provide the electricity to light up your career opportunities in The New Year.