IT Skills & Jobs in Demand

2010 has ended and it is time to start thinking about 2011, especially if you are looking for a new job or will be asking for a raise. IT professionals are once again in the spotlight, with growth happening in 2010 and continuing into 2011.

Robert Half Technology (an IT / Management consulting company) predicts a 4.5 percentage increase to a maximum of 5.5 percent for increase in salaries. Those with skills working across Database, Data management, Systems Analysis and Business Analysis have potential for increases for next year. IT professionals with ERP and Security skills have also seen an increased demand for working with technologies such as Hyperion, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics and SAP.

Additionally, the rise in social media (Facebook and Twitter) and focus on customer-facing technologies, have given birth to a new generation of Web professionals and Application Developers.

IT skills in demand are:
- Programming  - .Net, Java, mySQL, PHP, Silverlight, SharePoint
- Business Analysis  – IT professionals with Business Analysis and Project Management skills, as well as the ability to understand how technology supports business objects and adds value
- ERP/EPM – Enterprise systems such as Oracle and SAP are once again taking a lead with new implementations and upgrades taking place. EPM (Enterprise Performance Management) is another area where a lot of companies are investing to produce Business Intelligence reports out of systems such as IBM Cognos, Oracle Hyperion, SAP BW
- Security – To prevent network breaches and comply with regulations, this is another area where a lot of companies are spending in training employees in Security and certifications such as CISA and CISM

- Infrastructure Support – As companies expand their servers, physical or virtual, there is a growing need of support staff to manage the data center. A good example is a company such as Q9 Networks, a leading Data Center provider who manages infrastructure and provides 24x7 support.

Industries that will benefit from an increased demand in IT are Business and Finance, Education, Healthcare and Media/Communications.
Predicted increased demand in specific skills is as follows;