Posted by Nathaniel Fleming on Friday, February 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment
In most fields the job market is saturated, for every 4 unemployed there is only one open position. But one well paying field that is currently short of qualified workers is the technology job market. The Wall Street Journal recently published a piece describing the shortage of technology workers in today’s market. Some companies are so desperate that they are outsourcing work as a last resort.
The article describes the trials of the Texas based social networking firm Gowalla in trying to find knowledgeable computer programmers. The companies’ CEO Josh Williams has not only started outsourcing but also hiring under-qualified workers and training them in house. Not only do these fields need workers but the pay is also pretty good,
A software engineer with no experience might start at $50,000, but after a few years of work and the right skills, talented engineers can easily make $150,000 or more, he [Williams] said.
One of the great things about computer programming is that, while it is difficult, it can be learned relatively quickly. Night classes that teach different programming languages are common. Each of these classes can show you the ropes in a certain programming language. Considering the work shortage, a college degree and some night classes in programming may be enough to land you a job.
Being employed by a technology company can also be great. Many of these firms are small start-ups founded by smart, creative, and enterprising individuals. Many of these companies are also relatively small, which encourages a personal and pleasant work environment. Look at Google. The search engine has become infamous as the best employer in the country. Google believes that the happiness of its employees will be reflected in their production. Google’s employees have access to massages, free hair cuts, a fitness center, a game room, a pool and free meals prepared by gourmet chefs. Now not every company is like Google, or even close. But Google’s theories on creativity and employee happiness are reoccurring themes within the IT field.
The Wall Street Journal also mentioned the accounting field in their article on emerging job markets in 2011. The article cites the firm Ernest & Young who are looking to hire 1,500 new employees this year. That represents a 70% increase from last year. Once again, E&Y are having trouble finding qualified employees. They say that they receive about 10 resumes a week and many of these don’t reach the basic requirements for employment.
So if you’re an unemployed accountant or programmer, jump on these opportunities! If not, don’t underestimate the value of further education. Get out there! Take some classes! The opportunities are literally sitting on the table waiting to be taken.
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