TECHNOLOGY CAREERS

Are Employers Looking for You?

There’s good news for those searching for jobs in the technology field now and in the year ahead. Business expansion and increasing investments in technology are driving demand for skilled information technology (IT) professionals across North America. In fact, the Robert Half Technology 2007 Salary Guide projects that IT professionals, on average, can expect a 2.8 percent increase in starting salaries for 2007. High-demand positions should see even bigger increases in base compensation, in some cases, up to 5 percent. Furthermore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that between 2004 and 2014, 1.49 million new computer and IT-related jobs will be created.

To fill these roles – and replace baby boom-age staff preparing to retire – companies are taking steps to enhance their recruiting and retention efforts. Increased base pay, signing and performance bonuses, and other perks are becoming more common for candidates with the hottest tech skills.  According to the Robert Half Technology Salary Guide, here are some of the positions in greatest demand:

Software Developers
A shortage of experienced software developers means companies are willing to pay top dollar to recruit and retain these professionals. As a result, they will see the greatest starting salary gains of any job classification in 2007. Those in this role can expect salaries to rise 5.1 percent in 2007, to between $60,250 to $94,750 a year. This is partly due to the explosion of software content used by mobile and other device manufacturers.  In particular, employers seek candidates with ActiveX, C#, Visual Basic, .NET and Java skills.

Web Developers
Web developers are in high demand as web-based tools, services and applications – collectively referred to as Web 2.0 (think blogs, wikis, podcasts, social networking sites and browser-based operating systems) – gain popularity among companies of all sizes and industries. They are discovering the value of these innovations to drive business, and seek professionals who can develop specifications for web-based applications. Web developers also are needed to provide technical assistance to web administrators, integrate websites with back-end systems, and write test plans and results. Consequently, those in this job classification will see starting salaries increase 4.3 percent, to between $54,750 and $81,500 annually. Those with .NET, AJAX and Java skills will be most highly sought by employers.

Data Warehouse Managers
Starting salaries for data warehouse managers will increase 4.2 percent as well, to the range of $85,500 to $113,500 annually. They are needed to design, develop and maintain data warehouses and data mart systems; as well as work with database developers, administrators and managers to ensure that data systems conform to enterprise data architecture and strategy. Candidates with experience developing and implementing strategies for gathering data from operational databases and third-party vendors, and managing technical resources and staff, are most marketable.

Project Managers
Many companies these days are placing a great deal of value on non-tech skills like planning, budgeting and scheduling. These competencies are increasingly important as technology is integrated into all aspects of business, requiring collaboration between IT staff and employees in other departments within an organization. It’s no surprise, then, that project managers are projected to see an increase in base compensation of 4.1 percent in 2007, to between $72,750 and $106,250 per year. Companies seek experienced project managers to supervise overall coordination of IT applications development projects, from planning though implementation, as well as set project scope, priorities, deadlines and deliverable schedules.

Application Architects
These professionals are needed to design major aspects of the architecture of an application, including such components as user interface, middleware and infrastructure. Employers seek candidates with experience providing technical leadership to the applications development team, performing design and code reviews, and ensuring that uniform enterprisewide application design standards are maintained. Professionals in this role can expect to earn between $80,000 and $112,750, an increase of 4 percent over 2006 levels.

The Bottom Line

This is an exciting time for IT professionals as new career opportunities emerge due to such factors as corporate expansion and shifting workforce demographics. Throughout the coming year, job candidates with exceptional technological and soft skills, business acumen and industry experience can expect to receive the most rewarding offers and opportunities for advancement.

Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of IT professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. The company has more than 100 locations worldwide. Search for jobs now or learn more at www.rht.com.