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Linux Jobs on the Rise
Jan Stafford writes "Looking for a job at LinuxWorld and everywhere else? IT recruiting expert Scot Melland says you have more grounds for optimism than in recent years. In this Q&A, he describes where the jobs are and how much they're paying."
to a page of adverts and 100 lines of content, when a site has more advertising on it than content it makes you wonder if i value their opinion on anything
The Text
inuxWorld preview: Linux jobs on the rise, so do your homework
By Jan Stafford
30 Jul 2004 | SearchEnterpriseLinux.com
IT pros heading to LinuxWorld next week with resumes in hand, or just looking for a job in their hometowns, have more grounds for optimism than in recent years, according to Scot Melland, CEO and president of Dice Inc., a New York City-based firm that provides online recruiting services for technology professionals. If you're doing some last minute homework before hitting the IT street, read on. Just before he headed out to LinuxWorld, Melland shared Dice's research on the current job market and advised how to stand out from the crowd.
Has the job market for IT pros, in general, improved in 2004? What's ahead for the next year?
Scot Melland: The improvement in the IT job market over the past year has been quite dramatic. On Dice.com alone, the number of job postings has more than doubled to approximately 50,000 positions. Hot areas include the defense and financial services industries, as well as the Washington D.C. and New York metropolitan areas. Given the increase in technology spending by corporations during 2004, we expect a steady improvement in the tech job market for at least the next 12-18 months.
Linux skills haven't been in great demand in corporate IT shops in the near past. Is that changing? If so, why?
Melland: It's definitely changing. The number of job postings on Dice.com that required some type of Linux expertise increased 190% over the past year to over 2,200 positions. That's a significant increase. With the support of IBM and Novell, Linux is becoming more mainstream, which is leading to increasing demand from the Fortune 1000.
Where are the hot spots for Linux jobs, in terms of business sectors and geographies?
Melland: From a geographic perspective, California is the clear leader based on our postings. Thirty-two percent of Linux jobs on Dice.com are located in California, followed by New York and New Jersey with 14% and 6%, respectively. The hot spot in terms of function is clearly programming. More than half of the Linux postings on Dice.com are for programming or developer positions.
How much clout does a Linux certification have? Do employers value certifications?
Melland: I wish that I could say that Linux certification carries a lot of clout, but so far it has not taken off the way people expected. Certification doesn't hurt, but what employers are really looking for today is experience. This is true across most technology disciplines. Candidates need to demonstrate that they have "been there, done that" rather than just proving their skills.
How much can IT pros expect to earn in various Linux IT positions?
Melland: So far in 2004, respondents to the Dice Salary Survey who have Linux skills reported earning an average salary of $67,000 (6% higher than the overall average). Contractors and consultants do even better, earning an average salary of $87,000.
Don't IT pros have to have experience in multiple operating systems to be marketable today?
Melland: Not necessarily. It really depends on the level of the job, industry and size of the company. However, the reality is that most companies, and certainly most consulting firms, will find you much more attractive if you have experience with multiple operating systems.
Could you offer some dos and don'ts for Linux experts seeking jobs today?
Melland: I would offer the same advice to Linux professionals as I would other candidates looking to land a great position:
* Make sure your resume demonstrates your experience -- experience sells.
* Be flexible with geography -- the opportunities are out there, but they might not be next door.
* Put as much energy into your job search as you do into your job. If you do, your professionalism will show.
Twice nothing is still nothing.
. Regards,
Trey
>Here's the macroeconomic point: This is not a
>zero-sum game. Switching to an OS with lower
>total cost of ownership makes things economically
>possible that were not possible before. In other
>words, the whole economy grows as people stop
>wasting so much money on OSes. That means a net
>increase in jobs.
That is actually contrary to economic theory. An increase the total dollars spent induces more pay, and stimulates more buying power. This in turn allows more of the "wasted money" transactions that you're talking about. You want the economy to spend as many dollars as possible; without going into an invective on gold standard and single-dollar analogies, the bottom line is to provide money to those companies that provide useful goods to you. Consider having Intel give away CPUs versus over-charging for them; the overcharging, however "evil" has encouraged the huge growth of the personal computer market throughout the 90s. Hardware manufacturers cannot sustain a model of giving them away. Software is slightly different, but the principles are the same. Capitalism is not based on reduction of spending, it is based on inflationary spending.
By the way, I have yet to see a valid "total cost of ownership" argument either way. A lot of it is based on assumptions that tend to be unproven.
You're dreaming. According to the article, $67,000 in California or NYC. You think that's a high-paying salary? If you work 2000 hours in a year, it's about $33/hour. A very junior lawyer from a second-rate school might start at a similar rate, but lawyer salaries go up with experience much faster than IT salaries.
And if you can find a plumber who'd be content with $33/hour, let me know, I've got work for him/her. I'll pay travel expenses on top.
In these days of outsourcing to Asia, an education in Computer Science probably has the worst return on investment of any work-related degree.