Careers inside the Channel

Will you see more money in your paycheck in 2012? Two new forecasts from analyst firms say yes. But just how much more can you expect? Here's the scoop.

Big companies such as Lenovo and IBM are looking at high schools to tap into the next generation of IT workers.

A recent survey conducted by the IT employment experts at Dice found that in 2011, IT wages increased by a little over 2 percent. However, that tepid growth wasn’t ironclad for everyone. Professionals with 11 years or more experience were able to get bigger raises and Dice found that knowledge and proficiency in the following eight technologies garnered six-figure incomes and higher-than average growth last year. According to Alice Hill, managing director of Dice.com, there are a number of factors that have pushed up demand for these skills. “This looks like a push towards enterprise java — with WebSphere, JBoss and WebLogic showing outsized gains,” Hill says. “Not to mention, a continuation of the trends we’ve seen toward tech professionals helping their companies gain more insight into their cost structures, customer behavior and emerging trends. If tech professionals spark companies to win by harnessing their data, that’s when the tech department is no longer seen as a cost center, but a strategic partner in meeting companies’ goals.” Here’s a look at the eight skills that will most likely provide job seekers with a six figure income.

Job hunting has become ever more complex in the age of social media. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and ever more ways to stay connected and show off the good (and the bad) of your personal and professional skills have changed the very nature of job hunting and recruitment. The changes aren’t over with, either, and according to one recruitment specialist, the best practices for using social media to further your career have evolved in the last six months. There have been dramatic changes in the social media world, and if job hunters want to get ahead, they have to understand how to take advantage of those changes, said David Perry, co-author of “Guerrilla Marketing For Job Hunters 3.0” and managing director of management consulting firm Perry-Martel International. With a little bit of effort and virtual elbow grease, digital dirt can be cleaned up and the best public image can be presented to recruiters, which Perry said is of utmost importance today since the best jobs don’t get advertised. “This is not hard stuff. It just requires some forethought,” Perry said. Here are Perry’s tips for thriving in today’s job market using social media.

It may only be the end of the first month of the year, but already channel executives are on the move. Whether they’re jumping ship from their current employers and heading off to new opportunities or moving up within their own organizations, January has already been an active month for promotions, lateral moves and new employment opportunities for channel executives.

In Silicon Valley, annual tech salaries topped six figures for the first time since the survey began about a decade ago.

Technology job cuts did surge in the second half of 2011, raising concerns about whether the upward trend will continue into 2012.

The NSF has launched initiatives designed to better position the United States globally and at home by enhancing international collaborations.

CompTIA is looking for a few good VARs in five locations across the United States to hire specially trained IT-Ready Apprentices. Apprentices will be trained and hold a CompTIA A+ certification.

If you are looking to augment your workforce with help for a special project or else add to your headcount, recruitment agencies that specialize in helping IT solution providers can help you find just the right fit.

The pendulum is swinging in favor of employees again, according to channel executives, who say the labor market has tightened and they have plans to hire. But they won't be looking to hire just anyone. Do you fit the bill?

So your VAR or MSP business doesn't have the resources to offer gourmet cafeteria food, free Coke and Mountain Dew or other Google/Facebook-style employee benefits? Here's a look at why employee benefits matter and how you can provide them even if your company bank account is tight.

Research firm Wanted Analytics reports that more than 2,400 companies posted ads seeking candidates with cloud computing skills during a 90-day period. Hiring demand grew 61 percent year-over-year for cloud IT professionals.

The Americas region will see the number of mobile workers grow from 182.5 million in 2010 to 212.1 million in 2015.

Employment, hours worked by non-salaried people and compensation all rose in December, the report finds.

Mobile has become ubiquitous and the number of qualified, experienced developers hasn t caught up with the market.

An analysis of the more than 650,000 jobs highlights skills in demand including online software development skills such as HTML5.

Small businesses, which account for the majority of job creation in the United States, are expected to show some improvement over last year.

IT certifications have lost their value as a major career booster. According to IT employment and consulting firm Foote Partners (www.footepartners.com) in its quarterly IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index, the premium that employers pay for those certified in certain skills versus those without the certifications narrowed nearly universally over the last quarter, and the pay premium for all IT certifications dropped by 4.8 percent within the last twelve months ending in October 2011. Channel Insider takes a look at some of the winners and losers in IT certifications by category. Check out whether your certification is holding its value.

While the overall employment picture in the United States remains tight, many IT pros can look forward to a more prosperous 2012.