Technology s Fastest-growing Fields:

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1 Technology s Fastest-growing Fields: Finding Jobs In Today s Tough Tech Market This valuable industry white paper is provided to you free of charge as a subscriber to DiceReview the premium information resource on technology recruiting. DiceReview is a free information service from Dice the leading technology job board. If you'd like more information about Dice and our services, call or visit

2 Technology s Fastest-growing Fields: Finding Jobs In Today s Tough Tech Market For nearly 24 months, word on the street has indicated that technical sector employees were in the midst of a career slump. The field that once thrived due to soaring computer use (both at home and on the job), increased popularity of the Internet, and growing availability of technical education programs had finally reached the point of over-saturation. And as a result, the once abundant technology job market had dried up. Partially to blame was the well-documented failure of thousands of unsuccessful Internet startup companies during the late 1990s. That, combined with a general weakened economy plus the lingering effects of the nation s tragedy on September 11, 2001, was enough to temporarily dampen the job market for technical professionals. A New Marketplace The good news is, according to recent industry reports, a revival can be expected over the next two to ten years. A recent USA Today article quoted Gartner Dataquest researchers as stating that worldwide IT spending is expected to Tech professionals in climb 3.4% to $2.3 trillion in 2002, and then 7% to $2.5 today s market must trillion in Further, current statistics from the be able to both seal U.S. Department of Labor confirm industry speculation, the deal and write earning technology eight of ten positions on its the Java script to get publication titled Fastestgrowing Occupations for the job done Eight of the top 10 fastest growing occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics report 4 : Computer software engineers, applications (100% predicted increase in employment) Computer support specialists (97% predicted increase in employment) Computer software engineers, systems software (90% predicted increase in employment Network and computer systems administrators (82% predicted increase in employment Network systems and data communications analysts (77% predicted increase in employment) Desktop publishers (67% predicted increase in employment) Database administrators (66% predicted increase in employment) Computer systems analysts (60% predicted increase in employment) Employers Seek Additional Skills from Tech Workers Unlike the previous decade however, tech workers will be required to offer more than IT knowledge alone to compete. Rapidly changing technology will demand an increasing level of skill and education from employees. Though job numbers will increase, competition will be tough, and smart career-seekers will be required to grasp the big picture that involves more than technology experience alone.

3 Industry experts predict that the best candidates for today s technology positions will be both computer savvy and wellversed in business know-how, communications, marketing skills, and interpersonal abilities. Tech professionals in today s market must be able to both seal the deal and write the Java script to get the job done. These technical translators will be needed in every field to serve as an intermediary between the users and the engineers. They must understand the technical information, processes, and procedures and be able to present it to the co-workers, teammates, potential business partners, and executive staff members who use it. Technology Affects New Industries Perhaps the biggest surprise is the industries in which the jobs will be found. Technology opportunities are expected to present themselves in areas once considered unrelated to the field, as areas of consumer interest naturally evolve and diversions for competing dollars shift. In fact, a recent CNN/Money source reported that 55% of those who landed new jobs in the second quarter of the year moved to a different line of work, taking the skills they used in a downsized telecom firm, for example, to a growing industry like healthcare. 2 Job growth is indeed expected for technical workers in industries such as healthcare and biotech, as well as information security and other traditional technology industries. Bio-tech and Healthcare Technology Employment in this sector is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through The aging population and the nation s focus on health issues will increase the demand for better medical devices and systems designed by biomedical engineers. Specifically, computer-assisted surgery, cellular and tissue engineering, rehabilitation and orthopedic engineering specialties are expected to be hot, and demand for sophisticated medical equipment and procedures is expected to contribute to the growth for this category. There are a variety of biotech jobs available, ranging from building databases for information on drugs to bioinformatics, which is a form of biotech data mining. Workers in this field will assist in developing artificial organs, imaging systems and devices for automating insulin injections or controlling body functions. Most engineers in this specialty require a sound background in one of the more basic engineering specialties, such as mechanical or electronics engineering, in addition to specialized biomedical training. Specialties include biomaterials, biomechanics, medical imaging, rehabilitation, and orthopedic engineering. Information Security September 11 heightened interest in information security for the nation, as well as for job seekers. The industry needs advanced, senior-level workers to design, build and test security measures for businesses and consumers. According to Information Security magazine, the demand for information security professionals has never been higher and the most commonly requested certifications are the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and the Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP). Industries in need include IT consulting, e-commerce, financial services, insurance and manufacturing. The Department of Homeland Security itself will continue to provide opportunities for IT professionals in the areas of system modernizing and security (merging agency data into one secure computer language), communications linking, vertical and horizontal sharing of information, and research and development of cybersecurity initiatives. 6 The Department of Justice also continues to seek IT professionals for a number of agencies including the FBI, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administrations, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Current sought-after skills include 6 : Local area network (LAN) administration System management and administration

4 Network telecommunications Computer program and systems analysis Software training Technical writing Systems development Computer programming in Assembler, COBOL, Visual Basic, Visual Café, C++ and Java languages Database administration Mainframe system management Enterprise server management Software engineering Systems engineering Web technology Information security analysis Wireless technology design and engineering Computer engineering Computer science Data recovery and extraction Networking A 2001 survey of chief information officers found that networking is the fastest-growing IT specialty in the country. 3 Companies will continue to rely upon network experts to build and maintain the local area and wide area platforms that allow multiple users to share up-to-date information such as accounting records, sales figures, or budget projections internally and remotely. Additionally, growing interest in e-commerce will also improve opportunities for network specialists as companies look to strengthen existing networks or build new platforms that provide secure transactions. Computer Software Engineers Very rapid employment growth is expected in the computer and data processing services industry, an area that employs a large number of computer software engineers. This should result in favorable opportunities for college graduates with at least a bachelor's degree in computer engineering or computer science and practical experience working with computers. According to a CNN/Money report, graduate schools that train engineers be they mechanical, civil, chemical or computer are filled with international students, many of whom are not able to remain in the United States to work. Corporations have had to ask Congress to increase the number of work visas granted to engineers and employees with technical skills so that they can meet hiring demands. Additionally, various studies have indicated that mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering students are among the 10 majors most sought after by employers. 2 Data Warehousing The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook indicates that positions involved with database warehousing are expected to be among the fastest growing occupations through Companies that gather data via the Internet and electronically need database specialists who can design and implement systems that store, manage, and extract data securely and effectively. Specifically, opportunities are expected to arise in data processing firms, software houses and computer consulting businesses for technical professionals skilled in Oracle and Informatic software. Java Development Considered a foundation for Web and networked services, Java technology allows systems of multiple hardware or software platforms to communicate effectively and efficiently. As Internet bandwidth is expected to grow and more companies continue to expand their Internet resence, opportunities for Java skilled technical workers will continue to be plentiful. Web Programming The growth of the Internet and expansion of the World Wide Web have generated a variety of occupations

5 related to design, development, and maintenance of Web sites and their servers. Companies are expected to continue their interest in building and maintaining Web sites, increasing the need for Web masters. The ability to manage all technical aspects including speed of access, approval of content, and day-to-day tasks involved with site maintenance will be critical. 5 Although job growth is not occurring in all industries, there are areas where there is potential for growth and opportunity. Job opportunities do currently exist for IT professionals, and are expected to increase over the next five to ten years. Information security inside governmental agencies is just one niche that will continue to thrive, with healthcare and biotechnology not far behind. Technology professionals may be required to refocus their career search efforts into new industries. Also, a basic understanding of business and marketing practices, along with the most current technical skills and trends will be most beneficial for future employment. Additional Resources Dice Inc. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: This publication provides a general overview of the subjects covered and is not legal advice or other professional service. The law changes regularly and is different in each state, and you should contact an attorney when determining a course of action. 1. USA Today. Gartner: Technology spending lull expected to ease. October 8, CNN/Money. Where the jobs are. Forget stormy clouds. There are bright spots for job seekers. July 31, Yahoo! Finance. CIOs Report on Information Technology s Hottest Jobs, September 19, U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Fastest Growing Occupations, , November 2001 Monthly Labor Review. 5. U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Information Technology s Role in Homeland Security. Dice is the leading online job board dedicated to technology professionals. For over 12 years, our focus has been to provide companies a faster, smarter method of accessing the best-qualified technical candidates.