Five Tech Professionals Firms Want Now

Guest Authors — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:21:09 +0000

Demand for skilled professionals is strong in many areas of IT as companies seek to address new demands, such as the growing use of cloud computing and mobile devices, while keeping hardware and software systems up-to-date.

Companies seek professionals who have hands-on experience with new and evolving technologies such as Windows 7, cloud computing, .NET 4.0, VMware, and mobile application development.

Requirements for certain IT positions vary across industries and regions, but firms are seeking the following types of candidates:

Systems and Networking Engineers

Professionals who are experts in cloud computing, Software as a Service, or virtualization are in demand. Those with combined skills in server, software, and networking are most sought after.

Developers

Those skilled in .NET Java, PHP, Silverlight, Flex, MySQL, and portal technologies, such as SharePoint, are in demand.

Quality Assurance Professionals and Business Analysts

With more dollars available for IT projects, managers focus on quality control and assembling more accurate project requirements. Quality assurance professionals can relieve developers so they can focus on coding, while business analysts can help build trust among stakeholders and serve as go-betweens for technology and business.

Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence Professionals

Firms need immediate information that can help them move their business in the right direction. That’s why they seek business intelligence and data warehousing professionals who can gather increasing amounts of data from various streams.

Security Professionals

Data security and protection, especially in industries such as banking and healthcare, will continue to be an in-demand area within technology. In fact, 24 percent of ClOs polled by our firm cited security as their top professional concern.

In addition to specific job-related skills and capabilities, the following credentials are in demand:

Cisco certifications — Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
Linux certifications — Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)
Microsoft certifications — Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)
Project management certifications — Project Management Professional (PMP)
Security certifications — Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) and Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE)
VMware certification — VMware Certified Professional (VCP)