This article was featured in the July, 2005 issue of the Technology First Magazine.

Dayton, OH
June 5, 2005 -

By Jena Roytman, Director of Business Development, Roytman Information Services, Inc.

One of my family members was recently recommended to visit an ophthalmologist. With no one in a close circle having a history of eye problems, we did not have a good starting point and finding a good doctor interested in seeing new patients can sometimes be a challenging proposition. Here comes the Internet! After “googling” for all but 60 seconds, a list of potential eye specialists has materialized.

As soon as the appointment was scheduled, I was off to see a client, for whom we are developing a large-scale intranet MRP application to incorporate most complex needs of an automotive manufacturing business.

From small websites to comprehensive search engines to gigantic enterprise wide solutions, the browser-based applications have quickly become the standard for the software development efforts. For a couple of years now, the intranet/internet developers represent the most demanding profession in the IT industry. Even organizations, which managed to “restrain” themselves from new technologies, are finally jumping on the bandwagon simply to stay competitive. New software systems allowing users to connect with customers and vendors, bridge over the internal lines of communication, and produce user-friendly, industrious and dynamic solutions became a goal for business leaders across all industries.

I digressed…

Actually, it wasn’t in my plans to highlight the advantages of intranet, extranet and corporate websites, but rather to explore the demands for web skill set in today’s job market. As all companies - big and small, global and local - seeking opportunities for a competitive edge, the resources are becoming in short supply once again. The rapidly improving economic indicators have accelerated the process of salary growth, requests for better benefits and renewed talks about visa issues for foreign professionals.

Most enterprise solution providers have already added new browser environments to enhance old green screen applications, and now their clients are catching up. So what is in demand in the web of all webs – the Employment Classified? The employment opportunities related to browser-based applications can be separated into several categories. Here are a few most popular job classes:
- Application architecture/design
- Coding
- Web design / graphical interface
- Database administration
- Content management
- Security

Application Architecture and Design

Most hiring managers are pretty crafty – they are seeking leaders, who truly understand the structure and the flow of web applications and themselves come from programming background. At this point it is fairly easy to recruit a Project Manager, however the truly good ones are those, who have been in the trenches themselves and know the intricacies of the design from the developer’s perspective. The challenge is that this technology has not been available long enough for many people to offer 5-10 years of web programming experience compiled with 5-10 years of system architecture / management expertise. It does not mean that people with, for example, Mainframe programming background can’t make a successful transition. A common shortfall among experienced System Architects is the self-perception that they have already know it all. As Oprah Winfrey once said: “Where there is no struggle, there is no strength”.

Coding

Good Programmers are always needed! People, who are interested, enthusiastic and proactive about staying with up-to-date rapidly evolving technologies, are forever desirable commodity. A typical IT Department is currently either searching for Java/J2EE or .NET framework expertise (specifically, VB.NET and C#.NET). A host of other important skills always accompany these job advertisements, such as CGI, HTML, XML, ASP or JSP, a scripting language or two (Perl, Python, JavaScript, etc.), maybe even ColdFusion, PHP or ActiveX. The key to success is thorough understanding of internet/intranet applications development cycle while the tools are interchangeable.

Web Design / Graphical Interfaces

Although not as highly compensated as other areas of web development, the graphical design and presentation layers are gaining in importance. I did not expect that other than marketing companies, many organizations would ever consider this aspect so important. Even though comparatively few professionals will make living exclusively by creating animations and video clips in the top general industries, in combination with other qualifications, this skill might be the edge for getting a coveted position.

Database Administration

The ophthalmologist’s website was pretty simple and served mostly as an infomercial, however most real-world applications require a strong database backbone. Therefore, a strong DBA is always vital for a success of most browser-based initiatives. Oracle and SQL Server are currently most often used for mid-to-large size software systems. Many smaller sites are driven by Access or even MySQL. Of course, there are many alternatives. Our business partner, Profound Logic Software, has created a development environment (RPGsp) to bring one of the most stable system (IBM’s iSeries) and its DB2/400 database to the web.

Content Management

The Content Management Systems (CMS) became an industry all by itself. The market is literally flooded with CMS products. At the very least, an above average system must allow an ability to manage enterprise content, ensure scalability to adjust to flexible business environment and provide tailored personalized content. Like with other qualifications, true CMS experts are highly thought off and looked-for. I am not going to list the names of CMS packages – although most hiring managers value the knowledge of a specific software more than understanding of principles and standards, which is very unfortunate.

Security

Every year, the industry forecasters predict a spam doom or a virus crash or some other hi-tech brouhaha. However, with a few exceptions, the industry is still kicking. Nobody underestimates the importance of security. Nothing makes us feel more vulnerable than outside intrusions: in real life or in our computers. While improving productivity, the web applications often open our systems to the outside world. Although I can’t see every company hiring a security software specialist, the current demand far exceeds the supply. To quote Lynne Greer Jolitz from January, 2005 issue of the BYTE.com magazine: “While we don’t see a lot of new work here, experienced security experts should see continued good employment in 2005.”

In conclusion

This was a pretty quick march through web technologies, when in reality each of these topics deserves an article of its own. As a consulting company, we have always placed experience and general subject matter competence above other skills as a viable long-term solution. Unfortunately, the recruiting side of our business proves that many hiring managers do not follow the same principles, and the knowledge of a specific language or a tool or a certification are often more valuable. The conclusion is the same either way: learn new skills or be left in the technological dust.

Jena Roytman is a Director, Buisiness Development of Roytman Information Services, Inc., a Dayton, Ohio-based provider of Career Placement and Consulting Solutions in Information Technology, Management and Engineering. Established in 1995 by Mikhail and Jena Roytman, the company has been growing consistently in a highly competitive industry. For additional information please visit http://www.roytmanIS.com