CIO Jobs

Sought-after IT jobs — lawsuit-filing not among them

IT jobs are down this year. Mix that lack of employment opportunity with an exceptionally tough job market (the average national unemployment rate is up to 9.4% as of July 2009), and you get some pretty frustrated individuals. One such individual is taking her frustrations to the next level and suing her alma mater.

Trina Thompson graduated from New York’s Monroe College in April with a bachelor’s degree of business administration in information technology. As of July 24, the still-unemployed Thompson filed a lawsuit against the office of career advancement for not helping her find a job.

On top of full tuition reimbursement, Thompson is also suing for an additional $2,000, “for the stress I have been going through looking for a full-time job on my own,” she wrote in her lawsuit.

There are a lot of well-qualified professionals struggling to find a job, and if the IT business admin IT positions are few and far between (as in Thompson’s case) what are the positions IT managers are looking to fill? Continued »

IT job opportunities persist, even as recession deepens

As the national job market continues to founder, with total jobless claims reaching a record high of 5.5 million, IT professionals can take solace in a recent report from Forrester Research Inc. analyst Andrew Bartels. The report shows that there are IT job opportunities out there, with some skills more in demand than others. (CIO wasn’t on any of the lists.)

The Forrester report predicts that total jobs in IT will drop by only 1.2% this year. Indeed, compared with past recessions, the impact on IT “will be relatively mild” this time around. That’s largely due to the bloodletting IT has been going through since the 2001 tech recession. Most IT departments are already quite lean, Forrester notes.

After three consecutive years when IT jobs grew more than 2.5%, 2009 will be a down year. This is especially true for IT occupations at IT vendors, where jobs are expected to fall almost 3% in 2009. On the other hand, IT jobs in IT departments will decrease by only 0.7%. Still, both these numbers are substantially less than the 4+% job shrinkage after the dot-com bubble burst in 2001.

The good news is that a number of IT occupations will add jobs in 2009, according to the Forrester analysis of Labor Department figures. Some of the IT job opportunities are as follows:

• Systems analysts, the largest U.S. IT occupation, will grow from 580,000 jobs in 2008 to 600,000 in 2009.
• Network systems and data communications analyst jobs will increase from 230,000 in 2008 to 240,000 this year.
• Network and computer systems administrators, an occupation that has seen steady growth over the past decade (even during the tech bust) will increase “slightly” in 2009, due to continued growth in networks and systems that have to be managed.

Conversely, job opportunities in four areas will decline: software engineers for applications and for systems, computer research scientists, database administrators and help desks.

It’s the network, stupid

The job picture tells you a lot about what IT departments will look like in the future, according to Bartels.

The areas of growth and the areas of contraction reflect the changing face of IT. Network analysts are in high demand because of the rise in mobile technology and workers who are either based at home or on the road. Companies need IT experts who understand the security and communications requirements of a workforce that is becoming more and more extramural.

The part of IT that is contracting — computer programming, computer operations and research — tells you how much outside vendors (commercial software companies as well as outsourcing providers) have co-opted these responsibilities.

We are curious to know if your experience matches the job data described above. Is the recession hurting the IT job picture in your company? Have you been laid off?

Obama chooses a federal CIO: The next generation of CIOs?

President Obama selected Vivek Kundra as his first federal CIO. Kundra, formerly chief technology officer for the District of Columbia, has been recognized among the top 25 CTOs in the country and as the 2008 IT Executive of the Year.

Is he an example of the next generation of CIOs?

Kundra, who refers to citizens as “co-creators,” has received a lot of attention in his 19 months of service with D.C. mayor Adrian M. Fenty – adopting the latest computing trends and introducing popular social media tools into his bureaucratic processes.

Keeping up with the ever-changing beat of technology, engaging citizens, lowering the cost of government operations and spearheading innovative projects are some of the many things that make Kundra stand out.

Young and change-oriented, Kundra uses YouTube to post the bidding process for city contracts and Twitter in the office, and he wants to let drivers pay parking tickets on Facebook. Imagine that: Accept a new friend request and pay your fine, all in one login.

For midcareer CIOs who don’t use social media and may not be making innovation and big change a priority, especially in this economy, Kundra and others like him may feel like a threat. CIOs get replaced because they become too comfortable in the way things are and are unable to see new opportunities for change and transformation, or are unable to make it happen.

Granted, Kundra’s big ideas and plans may be so forward thinking as to be naive, given his resources and the potential four-year shelf life of his position as federal CIO. But there is something to be said about a big-dreamer with fresh ideas who is able look beyond the tried and true. Kundra launched a contest in October called Apps for Democracy and got developers to submit 47 Web applications to provide residents with city data. According to The Washington Post, Kundra said he spent $50,000 for the contest, including prize money, but he estimates saving $2.6 million by not hiring contract developers.

Willing to take risks and able to visualize new ideas and situations, Kundra was able to engage citizens, save money and come up with a series of applications for the people in his last job. As he demonstrates similar gusto as the federal CIO, do you applaud his youthful energy and ideas as a welcome reprieve from everyday government, or foresee him having to learn hard lessons about change, resources and the politics of IT, as many of you have in the trenches of corporate America?

Qualities of a good leader: Avoid layoffs at all cost?

An article on our sister site, SearchCIO.com, this week highlighted the qualities of a good leader during a recession, culling advice from leadership experts and CIOs. The list includes qualities such as utilizing the ability to inspire those around you, having communication (and listening) skills, proving you can perform and drive results, being able to prioritize, and then — BAM! Avoiding layoffs at all costs. Something that seems almost impossible, as daily news headlines remind us.

In the article, Jason Jennings, an author, speaker and consultant who has studied more than 100,000 companies, said the most productive companies are completely opposed to layoffs. Why? As soon as layoffs begin, employees start to worry about themselves and their futures as opposed to their work.

But with expectations that unemployment will top 9% in 2009 and budgets that are painfully tight, aren’t layoffs necessary?

Oftentimes, they are. When demand for new cars virtually stops, carmakers need to pare back production, and that means job cuts. But when it comes to IT, there are some ways to prove value and cut costs without resorting to the proverbial ax. For example, some companies are relying on their project management offices to steer them through the recession – time-tracking and tying resources to specific projects. Doing so prevents redundant work on projects, speeds project completion (freeing up the time and the budget for more projects) and justifies positions. One IT executive in our recent article specifically attributed job preservation to his PMO.

And most recently, technology giant HP announced pay cuts for the entire workforce as a way of avoiding layoffs after a disappointing first quarter. Rather than scaling back the 100,000-person workforce by 20,000, CEO Mark Hurd preferred the pay cuts to trim the budget.

Jennings notes that besides the morale issues that layoffs cause, job cuts can be a short-term fix. When business picks up again, the recruitment and training for renewed growth will be a setback. No argument there. But if your management is calling for a headcount reduction and you have already made all the efficiency moves you can – what then? Have you found other creative approaches to avoid pink slips?

IT budgets should include agility and innovation in light of recession

We’re almost at the end of 2008.

Finally.

It’s been a year of cutbacks, layoffs, crashes and downturns. We’ve started using the word recession and are planning 2009 budgets accordingly. So, what happens next year? Forrester Research recommends investing in agility and innovation to accelerate out of the downturn, in a recent CIO-geared webinar presented by Forrester principal analyst, Bobby Cameron.

While interacting with IT executives on budgets and planning, Forrester found that 21% expected their budgets to either grow or stay the same in 2009. But most are anticipating a stagnant or cut budget and have moved into one of three planning scenarios: cutting, anticipating cutting or keeping their options open.

Although Forrester found that most companies are focusing on traditional cost-cutting tactics (such as using low-cost resources, eliminating large-sized efforts and focusing on short-term returns), it has seen some firms choose an alternate path — investing what they can into agility and innovation.

Why? Agile companies (those that can rapidly shift suppliers, trading partners or markets) are more likely to navigate through failing firms and slow economies. Companies investing in innovation will look for new business models and product/service offerings (alongside operational improvements) instead of just hunkering down.

When investing in agility, Forrester says, companies should focus on flexibility. For IT, that means applying SOA and creating flexible external interfaces to data and systems so that companies can more easily shift or change contractors, suppliers or partners. Innovation investments, such as utilizing Web 2.0 technologies to establish and spread ideas, can positively affect core business strategies by engaging internal and external sources in meaningful dialogue – without over-extending budgets.

There is no all-encompassing recipe for success, and Forrester recommends addressing the downturn based on current situations and industry:

• Those already cutting budgets should execute on those plans to cut, while preparing to make deeper cuts if things don’t turn around. They should also consider investments in agility and innovation, but only if there is enough breathing room.
• Companies anticipating cuts should invest in agility and innovation, keeping the commitments small and the returns short-term.
• And those companies keeping their options open should pursue agility and innovation aggressively to maintain company health and leadership.

Keep your heads up – most pundits are expecting a leveling of the economy by the end of 2009. Are you ready for another 12 months?

Obama’s CTO of the USA

Barack Obama, if elected president, will be looking for a cabinet-level chief technology officer (CTO) – a first in the White House. Job responsibilities will include ensuring the U.S. is caught up with technologies, infrastructure and services for the 21^st century. A White House CTO would potentially help create broadband expansion with incentive programs (tax credits for smaller carriers, etc.) and oversee the proposed venture capital fund to develop more environmentally friendly technology.

Throughout his campaign, Obama has effectively used the Internet to raise funds and engage voters – utilizing everything from blogs to social networks. But the United States is ranked 15^th among industrial nations in broadband penetration, according to a report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The report showed only 23 out of 100 Americans have broadband access – with rural areas being the most affected.

According to barackobama.com’s technology page, if the U.S. is going to succeed in the global economy we need to get on the ball and online. Without renewed technology efforts, it stated, the U.S. will continue to lose leadership in science, technology and innovation – particularly information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology. It continued to cite recent international study statistics: U.S. students perform lower on scientific assessments than students in “16 other economically developed nations and lower than 20 economically developed nations in math performance.”

The overall aim of broadband penetration and associated technological advancements is increased communication and awareness. Who are some likely candidates for the job? BusinessWeek’s short list from Washington insiders of potential U.S. CTO candidates includes Google’s Vint Cerf, Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer, Amazon CEO Jeffrey Bezos and Ed Felten, a prominent professor of computer science and public affairs at Princeton University.

Obama’s proposed CTO may help turn the economy around and keep things on the up and up — developments of new technologies will lead to more jobs. Obama’s plan to invest in climate-friendly energy development and deployment would theoretically create 5 million new jobs alone.

And if that doesn’t work out? At least one new job would be created – a White House CTO.

Microsoft hosts midmarket CIOs – Vote for the biggest CIO challenge

A midmarket CIO’s challenges are many, and I’m always amazed by the stories I hear when I’m out on the road meeting many of you.

This week I touched down in Redmond for Microsoft’s US Midsize Business CIO Summit, an invitation-only event for about 400 midmarket CIOs. It’s a press-free conference, but I was privileged to be a speaker and thus join the technology glitterati on site.

My conversations covered a lot of topics, but what I’ll share with you here is a sampling of the folks I met. If you think your job is tough, consider those of these CIOs – then I’ll ask you to vote or share your story of trying circumstances.

- The CIO for a firm that conducts clinical trials. He has five staff in the U.S. and 25 in Europe. Based on the West Coast, he had just spent over a week on the road, first in London and then in Russia, then came directly to the conference. At home he’s on calls early in the morning and late in the evening, syncing up with staff around the world. Challenges? Language, culture. … He absolutely wasn’t griping about the travel or the hours (he didn’t even look tired!) and I know he’s hardly alone in living such a global lifestyle. But to me that seemed the most challenging part.

- The CIO who was hired to bring a food distributor into the 21st century. The company had all sorts of aging or aged systems – but the hard part was when this maverick CIO announced capabilities he wanted to roll out to the employee base. The CEO told him that sales reps were not going to use computers. Period.

- The CIO who had endured several offshoring contracts (some negotiated by his parent company), all with ill effects. In one case, employees at a provider hacked into his systems; in another, a key offshore contact left for another firm just after completing his Oracle training in the U.S. Meanwhile, he grappled with undeveloped infrastructure – he couldn’t get a switch for a new plant he was building — and bureaucrats who promised fixes and then didn’t deliver.

Do you relate to any of these experiences or have your own story of obstacles to share? Vote below for the one that seems most challenging and feel free to offer advice to the CIOs in question.