Cheezhead Recruiting News and Opinion

On the heels of its Dice Learning site launch today, Dice.com has released a survey noting what skills for technology professions are in the highest demand.

The survey includes the positions and skills hiring managers told Dice they are having trouble finding. Many of these positions require skills related to security, efficiency and cost effectiveness of technology and enterprises. Companies are looking to fill talent voids in areas like networks and databases, and strategies like virtualization and collaboration. Workers with those skills are often rare.

As of July first, Dice.com found there were 48,993 available tech jobs, including 28,713 full-time positions, 1,095 part-time jobs and 22,986 contract positions.

Here are the top skills and positions in demand:

• Security – Technology professionals with security skills continue to have bright prospects. Employers frequently look for candidates who’ve earned the CISSP, or Certified Information Systems Security Professional. Candidates for the CISSP must have at least five years of experience in information security.
• Virtualization – Virtualization allows data centers to run multiple servers on a single physical machine, thus reducing hardware and operating costs as well as reducing energy consumption. VMware, the leading vendor in virtualization technology, offers the field’s most highly sought certification – the VCP, or VMware Certified Professional.
• Java/J2EE – Sun Microsystem’s Java and its enterprise edition, J2EE, are the industry standards for developing online applications. By earning Sun’s Certified Java Programmer, or SCJP, title, programmers demonstrate their proficiency in the Java programming language.
• SAP – SAP bills itself as the world’s largest business software company providing enterprise software to clients in every major industry and every major market. Tech professionals who want to work with SAP can take advantage of a variety of programs, but to many hiring managers, hands-on experience is more valuable than certification. However, having the right credentials can make even experienced candidates stand out.
• .NET – Microsoft has a variety of levels of certification, but the most bang-for-the-buck probably comes from the Microsoft Certified Professional Developer, or MCPD, which allows professionals to show their efficiency with Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET Framework. It requires at least two years of relevant experience.
• Database Administrators/Administration – Because a number of database solutions are on the market, hiring managers focus on the certifications that apply to their particular implementation. IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL and Oracle Database are among the most popular, and each offers companion certifications.
• Oracle – Focused on its database packages, the Oracle Certified Professional, or OCP, is probably the most popular of the company’s certifications. But it’s only one of many offered by the firm. JD Edwards, Siebel, BEA Systems and other stand alone brands owned by Oracle offer certifications designed to show mastery of their products. Sun Microsystems will soon join that group.
• Project Manager/Management – The Project Management Institute offers certifications for professionals with different levels of experience. Its Project Management Professional, or PMP, remains the gold standard for project management certification.
• Sharepoint – Microsoft’s server-based collaboration tools allow companies to share information through an environment that streamlines administration and growth. Earning the Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist, or MCTS, demonstrates a candidate’s knowledge of implementing, extending and troubleshooting Sharepoint’s components.

Dice.com further found the most popular metro area for technology professionals is Washington D.C. and Baltimore, followed by New York and New Jersey; Silicon Valley; Chicago; Los Angeles; Boston; Dallas; Philadelphia; Atlanta and Seattle.

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