Stay Competitive in a tight job market
As you know, the world economy is tighting up. Already we're seeing companies going into cost saving mode and reacting to lowered consumer confidence. It doesn't mean you'll be left out, but it does mean that you need to be more competitive with your skill set whether you're looking for a job or trying to keep one.
The good news is that education is always a positive thing. In hard economic times the extra education might give you edge over your competion. In times of growth education gives you more options so you ride the economic wave. From time to time we'll be looking for signals in the marketplace and let you know what we see.
Job Market Snapshot for 2011
Great news in 2011: The jobs are coming back, and fast. In fact, according to a May 6th AP article by Jeannine Aversa, Businesses are now hiring at the fastest pace since 2006:
The job growth was better than economists expected and perhaps the strongest sign yet that what they call a "virtuous cycle" has taken hold: When people spend more, corporate earnings rise, leading to more hiring and then more spending.> read the IT job forecast for 2011
Need IT Career Advice? Ask Trish.
In her "Ask Trish" column, OST Guidance Counselor Trish Gray answers your questions about your IT career goals and how to reach them.
Today's column:
I Have a Degree -- But Not in I.T. >
Support Your Employees without Interfering with Their Jobs
As an IT manager, you need to maximize your employees' skills, while minimizing your time
and budget investment. Conference-style seminars can provide short-term training, but are
expensive and easily forgotten. Online courses can be inexpensive, yet restrictive - and
often are no more effective than books. Without real, ongoing practice and instructor feedback on the
actual technology being learned, employees find themselves starting at zero again when faced
with applying new technology skills in the workplace.
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