Posted by Donald Sears on August 17, 2010 5:56 PM

By Don E. Sears on 2010-08-25

What are the “hot” certified and noncertified skills that IT professionals need? IT research analyst Foote Partners of Vero Beach, Fla., has some answers. Here, eWEEK parsed out the top 10 certified and top 10 noncertified skills from the report that are trending for the next three to six months from Foote Partners’ latest “Hot List” skills report. Foote Partners’ research emphasis on skills and certifications purports to capture “forward indicators of technology, business and even business investments,” as well as “insights into technology segmentation (commitments, purchase intentions).” In discussions with Chief Research Officer David Foote and his partner Bill Reynolds, the definition of “hot skills” is often too easily misinterpreted as those skills that will earn workers the highest salaries, but the goal of these reports is much broader than pay impact alone. They seek to show trending from a supply and demand perspective to help inform IT management on where skill trends are heading from where they have been. The latest report features a fair amount of software- and programming-based skills, as well as open-source skills—both Linux and securing Linux. Despite a continued presence of demand in security skills for more than three years, one beginner, entry-level certification cracked this quarter’s certification hot list for the first time, Foote told eWEEK.

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By Don. E. Sears
August 31, 2010

A fair amount of software- and programming-related skills, with specific mention of Linux and securing Linux, were included in a recent report outlining the skills IT professionals most need now. Here is a look at the current top 10 certified and top 10 noncertified skills from the report by Foote Partners.
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Contract IT job opportunities rose 44 percent in the second quarter, year over year, according to Elance’s online market report. We take a look at the skills that are most in demand. How do you measure up?
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By Ericka Chickowski on 2010-08-25

Job seekers with open minds can find considerable opportunities within the IT marketplace if they’re willing to forgo the traditional 9-to-5 office work arrangement. Freelance marketplace company Elance says that IT contract gigs continue to increase in the face of static full-time IT job growth. (Many experts believe that’s because companies are more willing to meet new demand with a contingent workforce rather than commit to a full-time employee as fears about economic uncertainty continue and the current economic recovery seems fragile.) But for those technology workers who are willing and able to work on a project basis, opportunity abounds. Elance reports that IT job opportunities were up 44 percent during the second quarter year-over-year and provider earnings per job jumped by 31 percent. The following skills are the most valued on the Elance marketplace according to the quarterly Elance Online Employment Report

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Bad Body Language Freaks Out Interviewers
If that dead-fish handshake doesn’t cost you a job, the eye-rolling might. Social anxiety holding you back at work? Get over it. How you relate to others makes a huge difference to your career, inside the IT shop and beyond.
Do You Have What It Takes to Excel Under Pressure?
As on the athletic field, enterprise legends are made by those who are able to step in when all seems lost and clinch the game. This “clutch” mindset is the difference between good players and great ones. If you don’t have these skills honed, it’s time to get your game on: One-third of IT leaders in a recent survey say they plan to hire staff before year-end. Check out which 11 IT skills are commanding a payday premium.

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