News Roundup: Technical skills, Startups and the 2012 Job Outlook

3/20/2012

By Stephanie Santoso

Everyone says that the third time is a charm. So there must be something good about groups of threes, right? To get your week off to the right start, here are 3 articles which provide some insights into 3 trends that are happening in the job market at the moment. Whether you read one, two or all of them, I guarantee you will learn something new.

Trend #1: Programming skills for older and newer languages are a hot commodity.

Brain drain: Where Cobol systems go from here
COMPUTERWORLD
Published March 14, 2012
By Robert L. Mitchell

Excerpt:
More than 50 years after Cobol came on the scene, the language is alive and well in the world's largest corporations, where it excels at executing large-scale batch and transaction processing operations on mainframes. Cobol is known for its scalability, performance and mathematical accuracy. But as the boomer generation prepares to check out of the workforce, IT executives are taking a fresh look at their options.

Source: COMPUTERWORLD’s survey about Cobol use in business and government organizations. The survey ran online from February 16, 2012, to March 1, 2012.

What I learned:
Older, legacy programming languages like Cobol are still used to run many core business processes within a variety of large multi-national corporations. These languages are sometimes even being used to develop new business applications. There is an ongoing debate between those who view languages like Cobol to be less flexible than newer programming languages like JAVA and those who believe that Cobol is unique, relevant and necessary in today’s business environment. One thing is certain- Cobol will be sticking around for some time, especially since migrating a large Cobol-based system can be extremely expensive. These means that individuals with Cobol programming skills will be highly sought after.

Trend #2: Startups offer an interesting alternative to going corporate after graduation.

8 Reasons To Choose A Startup Over A Corporate Job
Fast Company
Published March 13, 2012
By Kerrin Sheldon

Excerpt:
You've graduated from college, diploma in hand (or in the mail), and you have a couple of job offers on the table. Other than being one of the lucky graduates in a weak economy, you have a choice to make. On one hand is a high-paying entry level position at a reputable brand in your field. On the other hand is a job offer from a small startup that is just kicking off. You've seen their product, believe in their mission, and like their approach, but aren't sure you want to take on the risk of working at a startup. You're leaning toward that corporate job and good pay with nice benefits. The smart choice. Or is it?

What I learned:
Working for a startup or perhaps being an entrepreneur yourself after graduation may provide you with more opportunities to exercise your leadership abilities, creativity and existing skills in ways that might not be as easily or readily available in a corporate environment. But working at a startup is no walk in the park- it can be challenging, frustrating and satisfying all at the same time. Being part of a startup may not be for everyone, but if you are the type of person who enjoys wearing many different hats (figuratively, not literally), likes to generate and execute new, out-of-the box ideas and is willing to take some risks, a startup may be the place for you.

Job Trend #3: Hiring will increase in 2012.

2012’s College Graduates Have More Job Prospects, Recruiters Say
L.A. Now
Published March 19, 2012
By Larry Gordon

Excerpt:
A recent survey by the National Assn. of Colleges and Employers found that businesses expect to hire 9.5% more college graduates this year than last, broadening a recovery since 2009 when such hiring plummeted 22%.
"Hiring projections by industry indicate positive movement nearly across the board," the report said, with the strongest demand for business, engineering and computer science majors.

What I learned:
Things are looking up for this year’s college graduates. Unemployment rates for existing college graduates are declining and hiring projections for new grads are set to increase this year. Despite the optimistic estimates for the job market in 2012, almost 22% of Americans 25-34 have had to move back home in order to minimize costs while trying to pay back student loans. The consistently rising cost of college tuition and debt which saddle students has made finding jobs upon graduation increasingly urgent.

What do you think about the points presented by the articles above? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section!

Stephanie Santoso is a 2nd year Masters student in the Information Management program at Syracuse University. She is interested in developing policies which will help maintain users’ privacy and data security while preserving the openness and innovation of the Internet. She received her B.S. in Marketing and Media Studies from the University of Virginia. Contact her at smsantos@syr.edu.