With experienced IT professionals still in high demand, here's a look at the top job titles this fall
By Alice LaPlante
It's difficult to keep reporting this as news, but here goes: The demand for skilled information technology workers continues to far outpace supply.
The latest Computerworld employment survey shows that the IT head count during the next three months will increase by nearly 2%. And during the next 12 months, the average IT shop will increase its IT staff by almost 8% of current totals.
Following are profiles of the high-demand IT jobs, along with desired qualifications, salary ranges and advice to hiring managers on how to snag the best of the most wanted. And as a tip to job candidates, all of the jobs require a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree and insist on excellent oral and written communications skills and team skills.
POSITION:
PC TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALISTS
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Supports desktop applications used by employees, both technical and nontechnical. Provides training for existing and new staff. Keeps client desktop software up-to-date. Manages budgets for supporting end users. Evaluates user needs. Monitors equipment purchases for PCs, hardware and software tools. Manages license agreements.
- $25,000
to $45,000
- At least four years of IT experience.
- Stellar understanding of PC hardware and software, including a thorough familiarity with Intel/Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office or Lotus Notes.
- Basic understanding of computer networks (LAN, WAN and intranets).
- Internet job posting sites are becoming an invaluable resource for IT job candidates, says Sashi Parthasarathi, vice president of administrative services at Quodata Corp. in Hartford, Conn., a developer of administrative software for colleges and universities. Approximately half of the hires that Parthasarathi has made this year came from Internet postings.
POSITION: NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Monitors and adjusts performance of existing networks and continually surveys current infrastructure to determine future network needs. Troubleshoots problems as reported by users and automated network monitoring systems and makes recommendations for enhancements to design group.
- $55,000
to $80,000
- Three years of experience in a corporate IT environment.
- Strong experience in hubs, cabling, network devices and network protocols.
- Pay a sizable referral bonus to employees who bring in a qualified candidate, says Robert Libertor, manager of systems services at Security First Group in Los Angeles. Libertor just brought a senior network engineer onboard after a six-week search. The real challenge is a skills shortage, Libertor says. "It takes quite a while to get the word out, and of course, you'll interview anyone who's breathing," he says. "But it took weeks of going through all the candidates before we found someone who fit our needs."
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Interacts with systems development teams and related business areas to devise systems that achieve business objectives. Provides team leadership and coordinates projects, tasks and initiatives. Manages staffing and status for duration of project. Selects, deploys and configures technologies to meet business requirements. Promotes standard processes and procedures across different locations and functions.
- $80,000
to $130,000
-
At least six years of experience managing at least 15 people; demonstrated leadership skills.
"The real challenge is finding the right skills, says Security First's"
-Robert Libertor. - Experience in specific methodologies and with project life cycles and technologies.
- Experience in all phases of systems development process, including analysis, design, construction and unit and systems testing activities.
- Traditional classified advertising alone doesn't cut it anymore, says Mike O'Connor, a human resource specialist at U.S. Tsubaki, Inc., a manufacturer of motion control products in Wheeling, Ill. His advice: Also go with one of the Internet's many job posting services. "Increasingly, we depended on recruiters," he says. But the price is staggeringly high. Technical recruiters currently charge as much as 25% of a candidate's first year's salary.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Performs software design, development and implementation. Formulates support plans for various business functions. Participates in installation of software, tailoring each implementation and support plan for individual user populations. Provides postinstallation training and technical guidance to users and departmental support teams.
SALARY:
- $45,000
to $60,000
-
At least two years of experience, usually in Windows, Windows NT, Visual Basic, C++, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Microsoft Office, Oracle and/or SQL technologies.
- Prior completion of two major IT projects.
- Strong customer focus and ability to meet business needs with end-user systems.
- "Attitude is key," says Gary Gavrash, manager of programming at AllTel Information Services, Inc., a subsidiary of AllTel Corp. in Dallas, Pa. "Depending on the position, we'll accept people who perhaps have less experience than we'd like or who are looking to make a career change. If they have the right attitude and the ability to learn quickly, that's attractive."
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- responsibilities: Assists with designing and developing World Wide Web sites, technologies and processes. Builds and modifies sites to work with current versions of major Internet search engines. Seeks out relevant portals and manages the process of making sure all posted corporate information is accurate and up-to-date. Coordinates technical development staff with content providers in other areas of the business.
- $45,000
and up
-
Strong understanding of Web technologies, particularly HTML. Web/SQL database expertise desirable.
- Ability to manage cross-functional teams that can include technologists, business managers and users.
Basic knowledge of PCs and Macintoshes, as well as Unix, Common Gateway Interface, Perl, Java, JavaScript and Photoshop.
- "Be willing to consider alternatives," says Bob Weaver, director of applications services at Southwest Gas Corp. in Las Vegas. With stiff competition for recent IT graduates and experienced workers, he's turning to the local community college, sponsoring internships and hiring full-time workers when they earn their associate's degrees.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- responsibilities: Manages the team that provides computer hardware and software support to desktop users throughout the organization. Areas of responsibility include hardware, software, communications and Internet/intranet technologies. Manages interface between technologists and end users, measures and improves response time and feedback to user requests and problems.
- $55,000
and up
- Experience with software upgrade management and version control.
- Proven expertise with Windows and Microsoft Office environments.
- Never underestimate the power of your staff. "We've had best luck recruiting through our employee referral program," says Mark Jeske, an associate in charge of technical recruiting at May & Speh, Inc., a Downers Grove, Ill., provider of direct marketing database services. Any employee who makes a referral that results in a hire gets a $3,000 bonus. "More than 50% of our hires happen that way," he says.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Manages team that develops new applications for the Web and the corporate intranet. Fixes and enhances existing programs, gathers user requirements for emerging technology areas and manages a team that writes code and tests applications. Ensures data integrity and manages supplier relationships.
- $80,000
to $120,000
- Two to four years of Internet/intranet programming and development experience.
- Specific hands-on experience with HTML, Java, JavaScript, Unix and Visual Basic.
- "What's more important to today's IT professional are the educational opportunities and keeping their skills current. And a comprehensive benefits package can tip the scales," says Todd Nilson, an IT recruiter at Osten Professional Staffing Services in Milwaukee.P.
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