According to an article by Ruti Polachek the solution to unemployment is to code your way out. I was left a bit unconvinced that you can code your way out of a GFC, but this article did touch on some points that my colleagues and I have discussed. The premise of his argument is that there are jobs waiting to be filled in the IT sector and that if you trained more people these jobs would be easily filled.
“Technology will be advanced in 10, 20 or 100 years, in ways we cannot even imagine. We are not moving backward, so let’s move forward, faster. We are getting closer to the point where everyone will not only need to know how to use an iPad, but also how to write some of its programs”
I do agree that there are jobs waiting to be filled. Software companies/vendors are continuing to invest in their product despite difficult market conditions. Financial backers are spurred on by the Mark Zuckerberg’s who have proved that getting there first is everything in this sector and investing in a product you believe in has huge rewards.
However there is already a queue of highly qualified candidates applying for these roles. Pioneering companies aren’t looking for qualifications but for true technologist who can understand the underlying concepts and principles far beyond someone who is simply trained in a vocation. The days of a mid-level developer who sits, codes moves on to the next piece of work handed down to him are fast diminishing. IT roles are becoming more specialised. Simple processes are now automated and developers need to be able to add more value.
The key to filling these jobs is to identify and nurture top talent, not an IT development for all approach.
What are your thoughts on these arguments? How do you think employers can differentiate between ‘highly qualified candidates’ and ‘true technologists’?
You’ve decided you want to leave your current job and you’ve spent all weekend drafting and enhancing your CV. You’ve spoken to the relevant recruiters in your market, had your CV sent to 1-10 different clients and you may have interviewed and been tested as many as three times per week over a four week period. You’ve got the job offer you set out for with the pay increase and promotion you have wanted! In the last hour, seconds before putting pen to paper, you receive an even better offer from your current employer, what would you do next?
The obvious answer is to take the better offer and stay put. Why rock the boat when you can have everything you want right where you are? But what does a counter offer tell you about your current employer and why do some commentators consider taking a counter offer as career suicide?
I’ve personally worked with an IT Development Manager who learnt the hard way. Six months after accepting a counter offer he called me looking for a new job. He found the ‘promotion’ was more a change in title with a little more money, pretty much the same job and the same stress he was looking to avoid.
My thoughts on counter offers are;
- If your employer really valued you, why would they wait until you found a new job before offering you the promotion and pay rise?
- Do you see your career progressing further in this company?
- Do you think this company will support your long term goals?
Accepting a counter offer can also make you look like a time waster to companies who made you an offer and as a disloyal/unethical member of the team in your current company, neither factor will help you in your career.
I’d be keen to hear your thoughts and experiences with counter offers. Are they to be avoided at all costs? If not, how do you spot the good ones that will help your career from those that will hinder it?
Everybody knows that the future of IT development and business is only going to become more focussed on mobile applications. Everybody is trying to get involved from recruiters, blue chip corporates, hobbyist developers, budding entrepreneurs and SMEs. 20% of web traffic now comes from mobile phones and everybody I know has a phone where they can surf the net. However, is this growing market stuck in limbo?
Here are three trends that I have noted in the mobile/iPhone development space:
1. Every client wants a developer who has proven experience of delivering commercial applications, sometimes relevant applications in their field (e.g. banks want candidates who have delivered mobile banking apps before).
Read more…
In the past, a well-spoken candidate said to me that the IT industry had changed. He described the early IT industry as a safe haven for people who might not be described as good communicators, but were passionate about technology and who were happy to perform a ‘head down’ role that the rest of the business knew little about. Almost every advert on Seek today says ‘good communication skills required’ as if it’s an accredited skill, but what do recruiters and hiring managers mean by ‘good communication skills’?
I think most recruiters and hiring managers are referring to more than just the clarity of your spoken English when they refer to communication skills. I’ve conducted references in the past for candidates who are heavily accented and have been told that they were excellent communicators. Read more…
According to an article by Ruti Polachek the solution to unemployment is to code your way out. I was left a bit unconvinced that you can code your way out of a GFC, but this article did touch on some points that my colleagues and I have discussed. The premise of his argument is that there are jobs waiting to be filled in the IT sector and that if you trained more people these jobs would be easily filled.
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