Thursday, June 28, 2007

IT Jobs Moving Mid-State?

In a document entitled the "2007 Renaissance Report" released Wednesday June 27 by the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania, evidence was provided that Technology is creating jobs and new opportunities for young people in central Pennsylvania. The report states that private corporations and government have combined to invest more than $400 million in ongoing efforts to build up the region's technology and telecommunications infrastructure. And, eight major employers, among them Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and GlaxoSmithKline in Marietta, have created 1,341 high-tech jobs in the last two years, yet the midstate still has a shortage of at least 300 to 500 information technology professionals.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Raytheon Hiring IT for State College Location

Wednesday June 27, 3-7pm at the Scanticon Valley Forge Hotel and Conference Center at 1210 First Avenue in King of Prussia (19406), Raytheon is hosting a Career Fair with a strong emphasis on filling IT positions for their State College location. Positions they'll be recruiting for include Software Engineers, Systems Engineers, Software and Systems Engineers Managers, Oracle Database Engineers, Capture Managers, and Configuration Managers.

There are 31 State College jobs listed on the Raytheon - State College Jobs page, with the overwhelming majority of them IT related.

Metrics - Philly IT Jobs

As of Sunday June 24, 2007, these major career websites had the following number of IT jobs posted:

Dice.com: Philadelphia Metro 3,204, +SAP 477, +Microsoft 503
CareerBuilder: Philadelphia Metro 1,880, +SAP 238, +Microsoft 525
Monster: Philadelphia Metro 1,557, +SAP 225, +Microsoft 383
HotJobs: Philadelphia Metro 1,310, +SAP 225, +Microsoft 175.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Shift Happens

I hereby reserve the right to occasionally digress on issues not DIRECTLY and IMMEDIATELY related to IT staffing in Philadelphia.

This is a fun one, and worth your attention. It was brought to my attention by an associate at ITAG (Innovative Technology Action Group) in Chester County, PA, which I have recently joined.

This video on YouTube.com is one that will re-boot, so to speak, your take on the new reality of our world, our role in it, the rising players and their impact, and what lays ahead. All from the perspective of the relentless exponentially increasing rate of technological advancement of which we are in the midst.

I happen to be just about to finish reading one of my favorite books "The Singularity is Near" by Ray Kurzweil and this video seems to have taken some of it's inspiration, and perhaps even some of it's information, directly from it. Anyone interested in how IT and the growing impact it is having on our lives ought to read it. For those in the business of IT, it ought to be required reading.

Monday, June 18, 2007

3 Philadelphia Companies Named to ComputerWorld Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT

All Mid-Atlantic companies in ComputerWorld's Top 100 can be seen here.

The three that are based in Philadelphia are:

#8.) The University of Pennsylvania (43 current openings in IT)

#67.) Temple University (14 current IT-related openings)

#90.) Aramark Corp (4 IT-related openings in PA)

Just outside Philadelphia, in Valley Forge, The Vanguard Group Inc. was listed at #60. There are more than 70 open positions on their Caree Search page with a handful of them being IT-related.

Consolidation in Solutions Providers Channel Coming to Philadelphia

Net@Work a leading provider of integrated business technology solutions based in New York, NY, today announced that it has acquired Werkflow, LLC, providers of network support services to small and midsize businesses across the greater New York City area.

Why do we care here in Philadelphia? Because soon, they are coming here. And hopefully, bringing jobs and continuing success with them. Stated at the bottom of this article in CRN online, according to Alex Solomon, Net@Work's co-president, their "strategy is to become branded as the best technology solution company in New York, New Jersey, Conecticut. And soon in Boston and Philadelphia."

On their Career Opportunities website, they have about 5 openings in IT.

Come on down! We look forward to your arrival.

Radnor Company Burning Up the Charts in BI

QlikTech, headquartered in Radnor PA, appears to be blazing it's own trail as the world’s leading provider of in-memory analysis and reporting solutions. Last month, it was identifed by Red Herring magazine as a top 100 winner for companies that are "promising startups that will lead the next wave of disruption and innovation". Prior winners include Google, Yahoo!, Skype, Netscape, Salesforce.com, and YouTube. This is on top of a whole slew of other awards it won recently including one as a “Fast Track” innovator at the annual Software 2007 event in Santa Clara, CA, where it was described as one of the "25 most innovative players in the software industry" according to the Sand Hill Group.

QlikTech also just appointed a new Executive Director of Sales for a newly-established Western region in the US and opened up a new office in San Mateo in addition to the offices it already has in Philadelphia, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, and Scandinavia.

On the company's website, there is currently an opening for a Technical Consultant in Radnor.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Metrics - Philly IT Jobs

As of Sunday June 17, 2007, these major career websites had the following number of IT jobs posted:

Dice.com: Philadelphia Metro 3,213, +SAP 496, +Microsoft 524
CareerBuilder: Philadelphia Metro 1,638, +SAP 222, +Microsoft 440
Monster: Philadelphia Metro 1,587, +SAP 215, +Microsoft 397
HotJobs: Philadelphia Metro 1,406, +SAP 231, +Microsoft 182.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

PA Career Guide for 2006-07 Shows IT Salaries Playing Catch-Up with National Averages

This is not breaking news, as the 2006-07 PA Career Guide was actually released this past December. However, its existance was just brought to my attention, and I think it might be useful for people in the IT community here to have a look. On page 35 of the Guide, you'll find results for the "Information and Communications Services" industry, which includes careers typically associated with IT. For example:

Systems Analysts: Expected Entry Level Wage=$45,460; PA Avg Wage=$66,580; US Avg Wage=$69,470; Openings Per Year=667

Computer Managers: Expected Entry Level Wage=$55,740; PA Avg Wage=$93,310; US Avg Wage=$100,110; Openings Per Year=558

Applications Engineers: Expected Entry Level Wage=$50,960; PA Avg Wage=$73,860; US Avg Wage=$78,570; Openings Per Year=484

Network Systems Administrators: Expected Entry Level Wage=$40,180; PA Avg Wage=$60,850; US Avg Wage=$62,300; Openings Per Year=380

Database Administrators: Expected Entry Level Wage=$36,880; PA Avg Wage=$60,130; US Avg Wage=$64,380; Openings Per Year=191

Other IT careers listed in the report include: Computer Support Specialists, Computer Programmers, Network Systems Analysts, Systems Engineers, Technical Writers, and Computer and Information Scientists.

The salaries in PA don't match up with the national averages, but according to commentary by Governor Rendell in today's Philadelphia Inquirer and the state unemployment figures released recently, unemployment is the lowest it's been in PA in 30 years, and more businesses are choosing to move here than ever before. This bodes well for salaries, and job openings, and hopefully, especially for those in IT.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Greater Philadelphia

At a special gala event to be held on Thursday night June 21, 2007 at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia, the 21st annual Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2007 Award in the Greater Philadelphia Area will be presented. President & CEO Tony Ibarguen of Alliance Consulting (Conshohocken, PA) is a finalist, selected from nearly 75 nominations by a panel of independent judges. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed for you!

The local office of Alliance Consulting has 95 IT jobs listed on Dice.com as of this moment.

Computerworld Achievement Award Finalist - Philadelphia Stock Exchange

At a gala last Monday night June 4th, the 19th annual Computerworld Honors Program announced the finalists and recipients of its 2007 21st Century Achievement Awards Program. In the category of Finance, Insurance & Real Estate, one of the 5 finalists was the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, identified as one of "...the most innovative organizations and people who use technology to promote positive social, economic and educational change," as described by Bob Carrigan, chairman of the Computerworld Honors Program Chairmen's Committee and president of IDG Communications.

As of this moment, the Philadelphia Stock Exchange has 10 open IT positions listed on it's Career Opportunities webpage, and 3 listed on it's CareerBuilder.com webpage.

Sounds like it might be a good place to work huh? And, maybe get some useful stock and options trading advice while you're at it too!

Monday, June 11, 2007

Best Places to Work: Mid-Atlantic

Today on Computerworld.com, free-lance writer Jennifer McAdams writes about 3 places to work in the Mid-Atlantic region that best exemplify the many reasons IT job hunters look for work here. Those sited in the article include The University of Pennsylvania with an IT head count of 281 people led by CIO Robin Beck, in addition to Burlington Coat Factory Direct Corp in Burlington, NJ and Ernst & Young presumably with multiple locations in the region. Some of the key descriptors of what makes these places special are their use of the most modern technologies, flexible work schedule, telecommuting, competitive salaries, rewarding project work, and quality-of-life with access to big city living and conveniences without the hassles of being in the thick of it.

3rd Quarter IT Hiring Survey Results

Robert Half Technology published it's 3rd quarter "IT Hiring Index and Skills Report" this week and in Philadelphia, we found good results, but not quite as good as a year ago. For the 3rd quarter of 2006, 16% of surveyed CIOs in the Philadelphia region planned to add IT staff, while 2% planned to cut IT staff. In this 3rd quarter survey for 2007, 18% planned to add IT staff, and 8% planned to cut IT staff. The difference being a net uptick of 14% in Q3 2006, with a slightly reduced 10% uptick forecasted for Q3 of 2007.

What has remained consistent though, is that the skillset most in demand is that of Windows Server Administrator, cited by 79% of executives polled for the Q3 survey in 2006, and the same percentage in Q3 in 2007.

Philadelphia lags the national numbers where 17% of CIOs foresee hiring IT staff and only 2% plan to cut back, for a net addition of 15%, compared to Philadelphia's net positive 10% for the quarter.

Despite the less than stellar increase, the bottom line is that Philadelphia is still hiring IT, aggressively.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Metrics - Philly IT Jobs

As of Sunday June 10, 2007, these major career websites had the following number of IT jobs posted:

Dice.com: Philadelphia Metro 3,100, +SAP 465, +Microsoft 513
CareerBuilder: Philadelphia Metro 1,654, +SAP 195, +Microsoft 463
Monster: Philadelphia Metro 1,498, +SAP 177, +Microsoft 395
HotJobs: Philadelphia Metro 1,451, +SAP 243, +Microsoft 198.

Monday, June 4, 2007

"...tremendous need for technical assistance among arts and nonprofits."

Great article in today's Philadelphia Inquirer entitled "Doing their part to help the arts". In it, Karen Davis, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Arts and Business Council President says of the Technology Connector program "There has been a tremendous need for technical assistance among arts and nonprofits." and goes on to say that the work the volunteers do creates "...a tremendous ripple effect.".

I can whole-heartedly endorse all the goodness expounded in this article, as I am an active volunteer with the Technology Connector program, and a recipient of the 2005 Volunteer of the Year Award.

For IT people in the Philadelphia region, I cannot imagine a more rewarding way of getting involved in the arts community, while building lasting business and personal relationships, and gaining invaluable technical and business experience and skills. It is a wonderful program that is one of those rare WIN-WIN-WIN scenarios for all involved.

For IT people who desire an enormously fulfilling way to apply their highly valuable, sought-after skills, outside the traditional 9-to-5 grind, the Arts and Business Council is a fantastic vehicle.

Friday, June 1, 2007

Metrics - Philly IT Jobs

As of Friday June 1, 2007, these major career websites had the following number of IT jobs posted:

Dice.com: Philadelphia Metro 3204, +SAP 516, +Microsoft 531
CareerBuilder: Philadelphia Metro 1639, +SAP 99, +Microsoft 468
Monster: Philadelphia Metro 1422, +SAP 98, +Microsoft 400
HotJobs: Philadelphia Metro 1491, +SAP 263, +Microsoft 201

I will be attempting to run these searches weekly, and develop a 4 week moving average for comparison.

First Entry - What to Expect Here

Today, the first day of June 2007, I've decided to test the waters of the blogosphere. As President of MyOwnITGuy, Inc. - "The IT Staffing Company", I'll be writing almost exclusively about IT staffing issues, trends, statistics, and tidbits impacting the Philadelphia region. My intended audience is made up of company executives, hiring managers, IT industry followers, regional planners, educators, staffing professionals and the almighty knowledge worker him/herself. Enjoy, and check back often! Best wishes, Cliff