Technology Fast 500 | 2008

There are more fast growing technology companies in Massachusetts than in any other state, except California.

The Deloitte Technology Fast 500 List for 2008 has been announced and Massachusetts boasts 46 companies.

The Fast 500 ranks the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications and life sciences companies in North America. Companies are selected based on percentage revenue growth from 2003 to 2007.

Technology Fast 500: Highlights & Trends provides a detailed summary of the 2008 results. A 2008 Technology Fast 500 document (pdf) offers a listing of all 500 companies.

Technology Fast 500

Here are the 46 Massachusetts companies that made this year's Technology Fast 500 list [NOTE: Sign in to your LinkedIn account on a separate tab, then click the "in" icon to reveal your connections at that company.]:

1. Starent Networks Corp. | Tewksbury
2. NxStage Medical, Inc. | Lawrence
3. Interleukin Genetics, Inc. | Waltham
4. Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Lexington
5. Airvana, Inc. | Chelmsford
6. Wave Systems Corp. | Lee
7. DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Wilmington
8. LogMeIn, Inc. | Woburn
9. mValent | Waltham
10. Grandstream Networks, Inc. | Brookline
11. SiGe Semiconductor, Inc. | Andover
12. AgencyPort Insurance Services, Inc. | Boston
13. IneoQuest Technologies, Inc. | Mansfield
14. Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Cambridge
15. Indevus Pharmaceuticals | Lexington
16. SoundBite Communications, Inc. | Bedford
17. Vertical Communications, Inc. | Cambridge
18. Oscient Pharmaceuticals Corporation | Waltham
19. Constant Contact, Inc. | Waltham
20. Bullhorn, Inc. | Boston
21. Evergreen Solar, Inc. | Marlboro
22. Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Cambridge
23. CharterAuction.com, Inc. (DBA Jets.com) | Quincy
24. Altus Pharmaceuticals | Cambridge
25. Salary.com, Inc. | Waltham
26. BirdDog Solutions, Inc. | Andover
27. IPG Photonics Corporation | Oxford
28. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. | Waltham
29. Alkermes, Inc. | Cambridge
30. ImmunoGen, Inc. | Cambridge
31. Clinical Data, Inc. | Newton
32. NeuroMetrix, Inc. | Waltham
33. Biogen Idec, Inc. | Cambridge
34. iRobot Corporation | Burlington
35. Cynosure, Inc. | Westford
36. Nuance Communications, Inc. | Burlington
37. athenahealth, Inc. | Watertown
38. Sycamore Networks, Inc. | Chelmsford
39. Akamai Technologies, Inc. | Cambridge
40. Averion International Corp. | Southborough
41. Hittite Microwave Corporation | Chelmsford
42. Sepracor, Inc. | Marlborough
43. Hologic, Inc. | Bedford
44. Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. | Burlington
45. Sonus Networks, Inc. | Westford
46. Double-Take Software, Inc. | Southborough

The Next Step

According to one conclusion from the 7th Annual Sources of Hire Study:

"Good or bad, we advise job seekers to never apply to a company without first networking to an employee in that firm for a referral. The difference in probability of getting 'up to bat' is too large to ignore."

If you believe you can excel in a fast growing organization, then tap into your LinkedIn network to gain an introduction into that organization and explore ways in which you can add your unique value to their operation.

RHT IT Hiring Index | Q1 2009

Interviews were conducted with 200 chief information officers (CIOs) from companies in the Boston area with 100 or more employees. These discussions shine a light on their company's hiring plans for the first quarter of 2009.

In the Boston metro area, information technology (IT) hiring projections for the first quarter are as follows:

• add staff | 15 percent
• reduce staff | 3 percent

Nationally, the ratio is as follows:

• add staff | 12 percent
• reduce staff | 4 percent

So, IT hiring looks promising in the New Year, especially in the Boston metro area.

IT Skills in Demand

According to the Executive Director of Robert Half Technology,

“Investments in Web 2.0 initiatives continue to generate demand in areas such as web development..."

Web development & website design was cited by 42% of CIOs nationally as being most in-demand in their organization. Here are the skills CIOs will be looking for in early 2009:

A national press release about the quarterly Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report is available from the company's website. PR Newswire provides a press release that breaks out the metro Boston survey results.

Boston Market | December 2008

Pessimism about the U.S. economy abounds. Here are just two examples.

AIGA’s Design Leaders Confidence Index

A quarterly survey of nearly 300 leaders in the graphic & Web design community reveals that only one in eight is likely to increase staff during the next six months. The survey generated the lowest readings since its creation in 2005. Details can be found by accessing a press release from AIGA | the professional association for design.

The Business Roundtable CEO Economic Outlook Index

A quarterly survey of chief executive officers (CEOs) of leading corporations were asked the following question (responses included):

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

• Increase | 9%
• No Change | 32%
• Decrease | 60%

Companies that belong to the Business Roundtable comprise nearly a third of the total value of the U.S. stock markets and represent a combined workforce of nearly 10 million employees. Access a press release (pdf version) for details.

Boston Market

A close look at the job market for Web technology professionals reveals a steep contraction in opportunities available online at Boston.com. The Top 20 Web Technologies in Boston have been updated and are posted in the right-hand column.

Job opportunities have evaporated by approximately 28% since early November. Interestingly, the four technologies that experienced the gentlest declines were Microsoft related:

• Web Services | 9%
• ASP.NET | 18%
• C# | 20%
• SQL Server | 21%

Training Opportunity

In a challenging job market productive workers with a collection of in-demand skills are valued above others. If you are in job transition, consider expanding your skillset with FREE training.

On Monday, December 15, Microsoft will offer a day-long series of seminars at their Waltham office to help inform development professionals about their latest Web-related technologies that include the following:

• Ajax
• jQuery
• ASP.NET
• Visual Studio 2008
• Silverlight
• and more!

Simply access The Winter Northeast MSDN Roadshow for details and registration information about additional New England training sessions.

FREE training to upgrade your skills at a networking event including Boston-area Web professionals! Santa arrives early.

Boston Tech Layoff Tracker

Doom

New England is headed for a "significant recession," according to the Wall Street Journal. Unemployment, currently 5.5% in Massachusetts, is projected to peak at 8.3% in mid-2010. These projections were released by The New England Economic Partnership (NEEP).

Gloom

More than two dozen technology-related companies in the metro Boston area have announced layoffs totaling more than 3,000 jobs. Xconomy, "the authoritative voice on the exponential economy", has begun tracking job losses via its Boston Tech Layoff Tracker.

Hope

Despite the doom and gloom, work is reasonably plentiful for technology workers with the right skills. According to a monthly report from Dice.com, demand in the Boston area remains reasonably strong for technology professionals with the following skills and experience:

• .NET
• Java
• PHP
• Web developer

The Top 10 Skill Sets most in-demand at Dice.com are listed here.

Project management experience is valued more than any other skill except for Java. According to a survey published in The Dice Report (pdf) here are the three best ways to demonstrate project management skills in your job hunt:

• Organizing and tracking all steps of the job search process
• Thinking strategically before creating my tactical to-do list
• Communicating to the employer your ROI

Access Boston Still Presents Niche Opportunities at Dice.com for details.

2008 State New Economy Index

Despite gloomy economic headlines, the long-term future for technology workers in Massachusetts looks bright, according to two new reports.

2008 State New Economy Index

Massachusetts not only boasts championship sports teams, the state tops the standings in the 50-state New Economy league, according to 2008 State New Economy Index. Massachusetts finished in first place in 1999, 2002, and 2007, as well.

The State New Economy Index focuses on answering one single question: To what degree does the structure of state economies match the ideal structure of the New Economy?

The principal driver of the New Economy is the information technology revolution.

"This 'IT engine' is unlikely to slow down anytime soon. For the foreseeable future, the most promising New Economy advances will relate to a state’s ability to use information more effectively."

A press release is available from the Kauffman Foundation. A more detailed 88-page report (pdf) is available for free download.

Beacon Hill Institute’s Competitiveness Report

A second report reveals that Massachusetts continues to outperform all other states in technology, and ranks first in venture capital per capita, making it the most attractive state for startups. According to this report:

“A state is competitive if it has in place the policies and conditions that ensure and sustain a high level of per capita income and continued growth.”

The report reveals that Massachusetts ranks first among all 50 states in terms of its economic competitiveness, "its ability to attract and retain business and to provide a high standard of living for its residents over the long run."

A press release about Beacon Hill Institute’s Eighth Annual Competitiveness Report is available for review along with a detailed 68-page report (pdf).

Conclusion

Despite the near-term challenges in our economy, long-term prospects look bright for knowledge workers with technical skills that are valued in the marketplace.

One strategy for surviving an economic downturn is to focus on upgrading technical skills that help organizations deliver superior service to their customers. A list of the Top 20 Web-related skills that offer the greatest potential appears in the right-hand column.

Computerworld | Salary Survey 2008

Computerworld released the results of its 22nd annual survey this week. More than 7,000 information technology (IT) workers participated in this year's survey.

The results identify three job categories that received higher-than-average pay hikes over the past year. According to the survey's authors these three types of positions will continue to be in high demand -- even in a down economy:

• Web developers
• network administrators
• information security managers

Skills that are expected to grow in importance in the coming years include the following Web-based technologies:

• Web 2.0
• Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Software as a Service (SaaS)
• Rich Internet Applications (RIA)
• Ajax

Staff and Entry-level Positions

Here are the average compensation figures for Web-related positions identified as either staff or entry level [salary + bonus = total compensation]:

• Web developer | $65,070 + $1,307 = $66,377
• Webmaster | $65,801 + $1,324 = $67,125
• E-commerce specialist | $74,378 + $1,144 = $75,522

A chart of other staff and entry-level positions is available for review along with charts for Mid-Level Salaries and Senior-Level Salaries. In addition a Smart Salary Tool is available to help you pinpoint compensation by job title, industry and location.

Check out the Computerworld 2008 Salary Survey to access an interactive map allowing you to View Salaries by Region. Additional articles include "Twelve Ways to Pump Up Your Paycheck" and "Satisfaction, Security & Stress."

Boston Market | November 2008

The crisis in the financial markets continues. This uncertainty has now spilled over into the technology job markets.

The list of Top 20 Web Technologies in Boston has been updated for November and the sea of red down arrows appears in the right-hand column.

Growth of Knowledge Workers Low, Job Vacancies High

While it would be easy to focus on doom and gloom, our challenge is to set our sights on a future of opportunity. For example, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce released a report last week that points to opportunities for those who develop technology skills.

"The data reveals a worrisome trend: Greater Boston is not growing its skilled workforce fast enough to meet employers’ needs, and is unable to fill more than 90,000 job vacancies that exist each year in the region."

The report reveals that knowledge workers are the key to future growth and that many companies are finding it increasingly difficult to attract knowledge workers with the right collection of skills.

"Although staffing difficulties were unique to each firm, it was clear that for many businesses, technical and financial skills are highly valued."

So, developing technical skills offers long-term career opportunities in today's market place. These skills will become increasingly valued as society advances and an aging workforce contemplates retirement.

A press release summarizing Greater Boston’s Challenge: Sustaining the Talent Advantage is available for review along with a link to a more detailed report in pdf format.

Yes We Can

If you are anxious about the future, take time out -- 17 minutes -- and reflect on a better tomorrow.

"This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."

President-Elect, Barack Obama, November 4, 2008

2009 Salary Guide | Robert Half Technology

Robert Half Technology provides resources for those hiring in the information technology field. The just-released Salary Guide for 2009 features projected starting salary ranges for 65 information technology (IT) positions, as well as an overview of current hiring trends.

Two in-demand IT positions related to the Web include the following:

Web Developers

Web developers are needed as a result of the expansion of Web 2.0 initiatives and interactive web functionality. This expansion has sparked demand for Web professionals experienced in the latest Internet technologies.

Starting salaries: $60,000 to $89,750

Programmer Analysts

Programmer analysts are needed to write code, test and debug software applications, and analyze business application requirements.

Skills required: .NET, SharePoint, Java and PHP

Salary range: $60,000 to $100,750

Complimentary Resources

Web technology professionals can request a free copy of the Robert Half Technology® 2009 Salary Guide by completing an online request form.

Creative professionals can also request a free copy of The Creative Group® 2009 Salary Guide which provides starting salaries for approximately 100 creative, advertising, marketing, web and public relations positions. This Guide also includes information on major hiring trends and localized salary levels for major markets. A phone call is required to obtain a copy of this guide for creative professionals.

Both Robert Half Technology and The Creative Group are Robert Half International Companies.

A press release summarizes the findings from its work in placing accounting, finance, technology, and administrative professionals and identifies job market bright spots for 2009.

Boston Market | 4th Quarter, 2008

Panic in the financial markets on Wall Street.

Stability in the technology job market on Beacon Street.

Top 20 Web Technologies

There are more job listings this month than last month for nine of the top 10 technologies.

The list of the most in-demand Web-related technologies has been updated and appears in the right-hand column along with links to job postings for that technology at Boston.com.

This quarterly report of the job market goes deeper than the monthly Boston Market updates. In particular, let's explore the remaining technologies that comprise the Top 50 most in-demand Web-related skills in Boston.

The Top 30

Rounding out the Top 30 are the following 10 technologies:

21. Apache [ 110 ]
22. VB.NET [ 108 ]
23. Visual Studio [ 106 ]
24. Tomcat [ 84 ]
25. API [ 81 ]
26. Dreamweaver [ 70 ]
27. Web 2.0 [ 69 ]
28. SOAP [ 67 ]
29. SEO [ 66 ]
30. InDesign [ 71 ]

Of these technologies the most valuable might be Visual Studio (#23) because it is the centerpiece tool for developing Microsoft-centric Web applications that incorporate the following technologies:

• SQL Server (#4)
• C# (#6)
• Web Services (#9)
• ASP.NET (#11)
• Ajax (#13)

Each of these technologies has increased in value in the Boston marketplace since the last quarterly report, having moved up in the charts by at least one position in each case. ASP.NET climbed four positions.

The Top 40

Rounding out the Top 40 are the following 10 technologies:

31. SaaS [ 70 ]
32. DB2 [ 67 ]
33. Acrobat [ 62 ]
34. "Content Management System" [ 60 ]
35. DHTML [ 57 ]
36. Ruby [ 57 ]
37. XHTML [ 52 ]
38. Struts [ 47 ]
39. ActionScript [ 30 ]
40. social networking [ 30 ]

The Top 50

Rounding out the Top 50 are the following 10 technologies:

41. VBScript [ 44 ]
42. Quark [ 33 ]
43. Rails [ 29 ]
44. blog [ 24 ]
45. ColdFusion [ 22 ]
46. DOM [ 18 ]
47. Fireworks [ 17 ]
48. CS3 [ 17 ]
49. RSS [ 16 ]
50. QuarkXPress [ 16 ]

Out of World Series Contention

Popular Web-related technologies that don't make the Top 50 include the following:

• Adobe + Flex [ 15 ]
• "Web standards" [ 14 ]
• Drupal [ 8 ]
  
• jQuery [ 7 ]
• Silverlight [ 7 ]
• WordPress [ 4 ]
• Joomla [ 3 ]
• Adobe AIR [ 2 ]

These technologies offer value. However, relative to other technologies, there is little market demand for Web professionals with expertise in these skills compared to the Top 20 Web Technologies.

Of these technologies that are currently out of playoff contention, consider looking at jQuery, a popular JavaScript library used in Ajax development. The reason this technology will likely grow in popularity is that Microsoft has agreed to incorporate jQuery into its ASP.NET Ajax Framework.

Biggest Trend

So, let's conclude by taking a look at the Top 20 Skills in the right-hand column. Three technologies are bunched together as follows:

11. ASP.NET [ 191 ]
12. HTML + CSS [ 187 ]
13. Ajax [ 175 ]

HTML & CSS are both foundational skills. ASP.NET and Ajax add a layer of value to these core skills.

Here is a trend chart of the absolute demand for these four technologies over the past several years:

When viewed on a relative scale, however, no other technology is growing in demand faster than Ajax, as evident by the chart below.

Check out Indeed's Job Trends to compare the absolute and relative values of your current skill set.

Best Training Option

The one technology that will add the most value to a Web professional's skill set over the next three months is likely to be Ajax.

The best training value in the marketplace today is Head First Ajax by O'Reilly Media. Barnes & Noble is currently offering Head First Ajax at 40% off.

For under $30 -- and an hour a day of study and practice over the next 90 days -- you can buff up your resume with Ajax and add sparkle to your career.

Microsoft Salary Survey | 2008

The results are in and it pays to develop skills implementing Microsoft's technology solutions.

The 13th annual Redmond Salary Survey has been released. The survey was a joint effort by Redmondmag.com and mcpmag.com, two publications dedicated to serving the Microsoft technology community. Results were compiled from the returns of nearly 1,500 e-mail responses to technology professionals who implement solutions using Microsoft technologies.

Survey Highlights

• The average base salary among survey respondents was $78,100.

• The average bonus was $6,400.

[Click image for larger view]

• More than one in five (21%) earn a six figure salary.

• Managers and those with project management expertise make up more than a quarter of respondents.

• Longevity counts as the average career experience was listed as nearly 14 years.

[Click image for larger view]

• If you hold the job title "Webmaster/Developer/Producer" you can expect to earn, on average, $78,400.

[Click image for larger view]

• If your expertise is "Web Site Development/Management" you can expect to earn, on average, $80,900.

[Click image for larger view]

The Next Step

Web developers who are open to learning Microsoft technologies can focus first on developing generic skills such as the following:

• SQL | #1
• Ajax | #15

Then, attention can be focused on gaining experience implementing these skills using Microsoft's technologies including the following:

• SQL Server | #4
• C# | #7
• ASP.NET | #12

NOTE: The number represents the relative value in the Boston marketplace with links to job listings in the right-hand column.

WebAwards | 2008

The Web Marketing Association announced the winners of its twelfth annual WebAward Competition for Web site development.

A snapshot of the competition:

• 2,400 website entries
• 45 countries
• 96 industry categories

Entries were judged on the following criteria:

• design
• copy writing
• innovation
• content
• interactivity
• navigation
• use of technology

Web designers and developers can review these award-winning sites to stimulate creativity and benchmark Web creation standards.

The Best of The Web

The Best of Show Winner was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Here are the Best of Industry award winning websites for 2008:

• Advertising | Burns Group
• Advocacy | Are You Ok With That?
• Airline | emirates.com
• Application Service Provider | VerticalResponse
• Architecture | The Michelle Kaufmann Blog
• Arts | Connect: The Dot Project
• Associations | DiscoverBoating.com
• Auction | Government Liquidation, LLC
• Automobile | Inspired by nature
• B2B | The Occasions Group – Stratford Hall division
• Bank | Standard Chartered Bank
• Beverage | Carte Noire
• Biotechnology | Gene.com (Beantown Web's personal favorite)
• Blog | SiteLA
• Broadcasting | USANetwork.com
• Catalog | SeaBear Smokehouse
• Computer: Hardware | Microsoft Hardware Sidewinder Mouse
• Computer: Retailer | The HP Home & Home Office Store
• Computer: Software | Norton Today
• Construction | Johns Manville Building Materials
• Consulting | Exponent
• Consumer Goods | Ban
• Credit Union | Delta Community Credit Union
• Design | Justyna Collections Catalog
• Directory or Search Engine | SearchMedica
• Diversified Business, Investor Relations, Public Relations | GE Corporate
• Education | Philips - A Simple Switch
• Electronics | Casio Exilim YouTube Capture Mode
• Email | MailerMailer Email Marketing
• Employment | Microsoft Diversity
• Energy | DuPont in Energy
• Entertainment | Alliance Theatre
• Events | Lock 3 Live
• E-Zine | Envisage
• Faith-based | Park West Church
• Family | Bee Movie Official Movie Website
• Fashion | Dolce&Gabbana
• Financial Services | Bank of America Fees & Processes
• Food Industry | Jack Link's Beef Jerky
• Game Site | www.onlinerealgames.com
• General Interest | Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy
• Government | City of Frisco Texas
• Health Care | Terrence Higgins Trust (THT)
• Healthcare Provider | Washington Hospital Center
• Home Building | Armstrong Residential Ceilings
• Hotel & Lodging | Hotel Terra Jackson Hole
• Information Services, Technology | One EMC
• Institutional Services | Preparedness and Catastrophe Event Response
• Insurance | Blue Shield of California -- Chat Box
• Interactive Services | adidas miCoach
• International Business | FedEx -- Behind the Scenes
• Internet Service Provider | SSI Micro
• Intranet | Jet Blue - Blue Tube
• Investment | John Hancock Annuities
• Legal | Get Legal
• Leisure | Nautiques.com
• Magazine | Saudi Aramco World
• Manufacturing | BFGoodrich LTT Tire
• Marketing | Ensemble HD Home Cinema System
• Media | Newseum -- World's Most Interactive Museum
• Medical Equipment | Guardian REAL-Time Glucose Monitor Tutorial
• Medical | MerckMedicus
• Military | NAVYForMoms.com
• Music | Philips - Aurea Flat TV
• Mutual Fund | John Hancock Funds
• News | iCue
• Newspaper | Variety.com
• Non-Profit | Leading to Reading
• Movie | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Online Community | Toys Revolution
• Other | FedEx -- Launch a Package
• Pharmaceuticals | RA Advisor Program
• Photography | Picnik
• Political | Hope. Act. Change.
• Portal | Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Professional Services | BGT Partners
• Publishing | My1Stop.com
• Radio | KCRW Media Player
• Real Estate | Elizabeth Lofts
• Regional | Billburg.com -- Williamsburg, Brooklyn
• Restaurant | Four
• Retail | Hallmark Journeys
• School | Vail Mountain School
• Shopping | Cooking.com
• Small Business | Hong Kong Trade Development Council
• Sports | RBK DGK 2007
• Telecommunication | Nokia Jealous Computers
• Toy & Hobby | Activision
• Transportation | HondaJet
• Travel | AirMiles Make Like Miles
• TV | Psych
• University | Murdoch University Switching Campaign

Additional award-winning categories can be searched at the WebAward site.

Manpower Employment Outlook | Q4 2008

Manpower's latest employment projections suggest "continuing softness in hiring activity" during the fourth quarter of 2008. Overall, Manpower expects a Net Employment Outlook of +9%, meaning more hiring is expected than layoffs. In particular,

• 22% of employers expect staffing increases
• 13% of employers expect staffing reductions

Approximately 14,000 employers across the United States participated in this survey. Details of the survey can be found in a Manpower press release.

Massachusetts Employment Outlook

A closer looks at the data for Massachusetts suggests that not all regions of the state can expect to participate in this "continuing softness" equally. If fact, much of the Boston metro area can expect hiring rates better than the national average. With the exception of Boston proper, employers north and west of the city, as well as, along the South Shore, will be looking to add new employees at rates up to 10 times more frequently than those anticipating layoffs.

For example, employers along the 128 Corridor (Burlington to Waltham) report the following:

• 37% of employers expect staffing increases
• 3% of employers expect staffing reductions

This net change of +34% reveals that companies in this part of the Boston metro area will be most aggressive in their hiring plans.

Here is a chart of hiring expectations throughout Massachusetts for the 4th quarter of 2008:

Manpower provides a snapshot of Massachusetts' companies hiring plans (pdf) for the fourth quarter.

New England's Digital Industry

Workers looking for opportunities will likely improve their chances of success by targeting companies along the Route 128 Corridor. It is likely not a coincidence that many of the employees that make up New England's Digital Industry work at companies that have offices along Route 128.

Technology opportunities continue to lead employment growth. Workers with solid technology skills and a professional network that extends into technology companies should fair better than average in an economy that exhibits "continuing softness."

Web Innovators Group | WebInno19

If you are interested in previewing the latest innovations on the Internet and mobile devices, check out the next gathering of the Web Innovators Group.

This 19th installment (WebInno19) will feature the following presentations (sign in to your LinkedIn account on a separate tab, then click the "in" icon below to reveal your LinkedIn contacts at each company):

Main Dishes

• Givvy | the first comprehensive charitable giving management solution; track both online and offline donations; compare how you donate to others in your network; receive systematic recommendations based on your giving behavior.
  


• Brring | develops services and technologies allowing you to customize your communications: customize your ringback tones; form and join calling groups; connect with friends through social networking applications such as Facebook.


• Pixily | a simple, intuitive and one of a kind service that helps you aggregate, organize, find and share your paper and digital documents online.
  

Side Dishes

• Tune Rooms | record your music, upload and collaborate
  


• Peopleahead | a career advancement website
  


• JobVent | inside information about the jobs and employers we love and hate


• VendorCity | connects your company with the best vendors that service your area


• Openvote | a Facebook application designed to find out what your campus is thinking


• RunKeeper | allows you to track your runs and map and view progress in your running history

Details

Monday, September 15, 2008, 6:30 pm

Royal Sonesta Cambridge

Registration is FREE and the networking could prove invaluable! Check out the Attendee List of several hundred pre-registrants to determine if this networking event is right for you.

Registrants are encouraged to join the Boston Web Innovators Group on LinkedIn and connect with more than 700 members.

IT Hiring Index & Skills Report | Q4 2008

"Organizations are directing recruitment efforts toward professionals who can . . . support the launch of Web 2.0 based functionality."

This is one conclusion reached as a result of a quarterly survey of Chief Information Officers (CIOs).

Robert Half Technology

According to a quarterly hiring index compiled by Robert Half Technology there will be a net increase in hiring in the greater Boston area during the fourth quarter. Here are the hiring plans for Boston Metro area technology executives according to The Boston Globe:

• 13 percent plan to add staff
• 5 percent anticipate personnel reductions

Skills in Demand

While Web professionals are not the top hiring priority for CIOs, Web development / website design skills are valued by 42% of those surveyed.

The Skills Behind Web 2.0

Earlier this year PC World published an article by Katherine Spencer Lee, the same Robert Half Technology executive who announces the quarterly skills report. In the article entitled Web 2.0: The Skills Behind the Buzzword she outlined many of the skills that she feels comprise a Web 2.0 skillset including the following:

• Microsoft .NET
• Ajax
• JavaScript
• (X)HTML
• CSS

Boston Market

All of the skills mentioned above are in the Top 20 listed in the right-hand column. The September Boston Market Report reveals that "Web 2.0" is in 24th position on the skills-in-demand list ahead of the following popular design-oriented skills:

• Dreamweaver | #25
• InDesign | #34
• Fireworks | #46

Adding Web 2.0 skills and experience to your resume will not only help open up doors with technology executives, they may even make you the coolest kid on your block!

Boston Market | September 2008

An annual survey on employment and compensation trends released last week reveals that employers are just as anxious about the current job market as those looking for work.

Both employers and employees were asked to rate the current job market on a scale of one to five (five being the most challenging). Here are the ratings:

• rating given by job seekers in finding a job: 3.56
• rating given by employers in finding qualified candidates: 3.47

On average it takes between four to 14 weeks to fill an open position. The more senior-level positions require the most time.

Companies continue to face a shortage of highly skilled professionals in certain fields. Two professions, in particular, were singled out:

• technology
• accounting

A press release of The Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations (EDGE) Report summarizes the responses from more than 500 hiring managers and 500 workers and is available from both Robert Half Technology and CareerBuilder.com.

Boston Market

Not all technology skills are equally valued in the marketplace, however. This monthly Boston Market analysis of the technology skills most in-demand reveals a general move to the downside since early August. This in not unexpected since August is a traditionally slow hiring month.

The Top 20 Web Technologies in Boston has been updated and appears in the right-hand column. The three technology skills (followed by the number of job postings) that bucked the seasonal downward trend were as follows:

• ASP.NET | 191
  
• MySQL | 153
  
• PHP | 145
  

All three technologies are core Web development skills and posted slight increases from early August.

A quick look at the marketplace using a different set of keywords (followed by the number of job postings) reveals the following:

• Web Developer | 88
  
• Web Designer | 30
  
• Graphic Designer | 26
  

By this rough measure the demand for Web Developers outpaces the demand for both Web Designers and Graphic Designers combined by more than 50%.

Useful Technology Career Websites

As we enter what should be a promising two month hiring window (September and October), Web technology professionals who are looking to maximize their employment prospects should consider expanding their use of career websites targeting technology professionals.

According to a recent Network World article entitled Looking for IT Work in all the Right Places, technology professionals should consider expanding their search to include the following technology-friendly resources:

1. Dice
2. RealMatch!
3. Smuz
4. Jobfox
5. Doostang
6. The Laddders
7. Jobs in Pods
8. Thingamajob
9. Computerwork.com
10. CareerOneStop
11. Glassdoor.com
12. Vault.com
13. Job.com
14. JobSniper
15. Blue Chip Expert
16. JobWarehouse.com
17. Careerjet.com
18. Indeed
19. Simply Hired
20. Beyond.com

Final Thoughts

While job boards are one source of information, keep in mind that according to the 7th Annual Sources of Hire Study, employee referrals (28%) outpace job boards (26%) as a more efficient tool for hiring new staff from outside an organization.

According to Network World, "Recruiters would rather search LinkedIn or Facebook than go out to Monster because they find more active candidates and less stale information."

So, get out from behind the monitor, meet with people face to face and keep your LinkedIn profile and connections up to date.

Fastest Growing Private Companies | 2008

Inc. magazine has revealed its 27th annual ranking of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in America.

The second annual Inc 5000 provides an expanded version of this analysis.

Only Utah exceeded Massachusetts in terms of the number of companies making the expanded list when compared to state population.

Boston Area Map

The most popular cities in the Boston metro area for fast growing companies were the following:

• Boston | 17
• Waltham | 10
• Burlington | 5
• Dover, NH | 5
• Cambridge | 4
• Framingham | 4
• Wakefield | 4
• Woburn | 4

Fastest Growing Metro Boston Companies

Fast growing companies need qualified employees to help the organization maintain its growth trajectory. Here are the 100 fastest growing private companies in the Boston metro area:

[ Note: Log in to your LinkedIn account in a separate tab, then click the "in" icon below to reveal your LinkedIn contacts at that company. ]

1. Senior Whole Health | Cambridge
2. Nantero | Woburn
3. Innovative Foods | Wilmington
4. Ahura Scientific | Wilmington
5. Smart Destinations | Boston
6. Hillery Holding | Boston
7. DestinationWeddings.com | Framingham
8. SANBlaze Technology | Maynard
9. Infoscitex | Waltham
10. eIQnetworks | Acton
11. Avention | Lawrence
12. Planet Shoes | Waltham
13. MindLeaf Technologies | Bedford
14. TalentBurst | Natick
15. Acronis | Burlington
16. Zipcar | Cambridge
17. S4 | Burlington
18. SOURCEntra | Framingham
19. CSN Stores | Boston
20. 21st Century Biochemicals | Marlborough
21. Sell My Timeshare Now | Dover, NH
22. Everon Technology Services | Boston
23. Treeline | Wakefield
24. AccountAbility Outsourcing | Newton Lower Falls
25. K Logix | Brookline
26. Planet Fitness | Dover, NH
27. The Brookeside Group | Acton
28. Plenus Group | Lowell
29. Syrinx Consulting | Waltham
30. Comfortsource.com | Waltham
31. Bullhorn | Boston
32. KaZaK Composites | Woburn
33. NitroSecurity, Inc. | Portsmouth, NH
34. Incendia Partners | Framingham
35. Overdrive Interactive | Boston
36. AgencyPort Insurance Services | Boston
37. Communispace | Watertown
38. Litle & Co. | Lowell
39. Astaro | Burlington
40. Observant | Waltham
41. Compete | Boston
42. WorldAPP | Braintree
43. Accounting Management Solutions | Waltham
44. NameMedia | Waltham
45. Wellesley Hills Group | Framingham
46. Integrated Process Technologies | Devens
47. Isis Maternity | Needham
48. DB Healthcare | Burlington
49. Beacon Hill Staffing Group | Boston
50. Veroxity Technology Partners | Bedford
51. PepperDash Technology | Allston
52. Recycline, Inc. | Waltham
53. Granite Telecommunications | Quincy
54. BioTrove | Woburn
55. Synergic Solutions | Chelmsford
56. Moonrock Paper Company | Burlington
57. PeopleServe | Chestnut Hill
58. Satuit Technologies | Norwell
59. Sagent Healthstaff | Wellesley
60. Salient Surgical Technologies | Dover, NH
61. Resourcesoft | Marlborough
62. OpenAir | Boston
63. Commonwealth Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation | Boston
64. PHT Corporation | Boston
65. Gomez | Lexington
66. FlyPrivate | Hingham
67. Grandstream Networks | Brookline
68. Agility Manufacturing | Dover, NH
69. J. Calnan & Associates | Quincy
70. ZoomInfo | Waltham
71. Jets.com | Quincy
72. Liquid Advertising | Boston
73. Turbine | Westwood
74. Beacon Partners | Weymouth
75. IntrinsiQ | Waltham
76. Tri Wire Engineering Solutions | Tewksbury
77. ITA Software | Cambridge
78. SmartPak Equine | Plymouth
79. Commodore Builders | Newton
80. Agiltron | Woburn
81. Oasis Systems | Lexington
82. PENSCO Trust Company | Portsmouth, NH
83. Picis | Wakefield
84. Lawrence Pumps | Lawrence
85. Xfact | North Andover
86. RewardsNOW | Dover, NH
87. Ambient Devices | Cambridge
88. Roxbury Technology | Jamaica Plain
89. Merchant Warehouse | Boston
90. Collegeboxes | Boston
91. M.J. Scully & Co. | Wilmington
92. Verndale | Boston
93. Display Solutions | Hudson
94. Fulgent Media Group | Boston
95. Iatric Systems | Boxford
96. iMarc | Newburyport
97. Odyssey Systems Consulting Group | Wakefield
98. Glance Networks | Arlington
99. Eliassen Group | Wakefield
100. Leader Bank | Arlington

The Next Step

According to one conclusion from the 7th Annual Sources of Hire Study:

"Good or bad, we advise job seekers to never apply to a company without first networking to an employee in that firm for a referral. The difference in probability of getting 'up to bat' is too large to ignore."

If you believe you can excel in a fast growing organization, then tap into your LinkedIn network to gain an introduction into that organization and explore ways in which you can add your unique value to their operation.

Boston Market | August 2008

News Flash #1

In July the unemployment rate in the United States rose to its highest level (5.7%) in more than four years. There has been a net loss of more than 460,000 jobs in the U.S. since the beginning of 2008 according to Bloomberg.com. In general, Massachusetts is fairing better than the national economy. The statewide unemployment rate stands at 5.2% according to the Boston Business Journal.

News Flash #2

In July employment in the information technology (IT) professions reached an all-time high. The report by the National Association of Computer Consultant Businesses (NACCB) covers the most recent data from June and a press release is available from Reuters. NACCB issues its IT Employment Index (pdf) monthly.

While the roof appears to be collapsing in the overall economy, workers in Massachusetts are fairing better than most and workers with information technology skills remain a valuable commodity.

Boston Market

The Boston Web technology marketplace continues its cautious rebound from two dramatically down months in April and May. The Top 20 Web Technologies in Boston has been updated for August and appears in the right-hand column.

Five of the top six technologies have demonstrated an increase in job postings for the second month in a row. The six most in-demand technologies are as follows:

1. SQL
2. Oracle
3. Java
4. XML
5. SQL Server
6. JavaScript
   

Only Java opportunities are down this month, and only by six job postings. Of the remaining 14 technologies, two technologies posted increases for the second month in a row. These technologies are as follows:

• Web Services | #9
  
• PHP | #18
  

These trends are quite remarkable given that June and July are traditionally slow hiring months -- even in a strong economy!

Implications

One conclusion that can be inferred from the data might be that Web 2.0 skills are in demand. Web 1.0 websites are static. Web 2.0 websites are interactive. While (X)HTML and CSS skills are required to build a Web 1.0 site, two additional skills are required to transform that site into an interactive site that engages viewers and prompts potential customers to take action. Those skill categories are as follows:

• programming > Java, JavaScript, Web Services, PHP
  
• databases > SQL, Oracle, XML, SQL Server

August Opportunities

The best training opportunity for August is the following:

• XML: Introduction

This FREE online course is brought to you by the HP Learning Center. Registration has begun and the first of six lessons has been posted.

The best networking opportunities for August are the following:

• SocialMediaCampBoston | Tuesday, August 5, 11:00 am
• SummerMash Boston | Tuesday, August 5, 7:00 pm