| November 2006 |
| Skills Are Key To Landing Java Jobs |
| By Megan Fleming |
Log on to Dice.com and search for “Java Developer” positions and you’ll find more than 8,600 postings and thousands more that require candidates to be familiar with the program. The jobs offer healthy salaries and many have excellent benefits and good growth potential. Understandably, there’s plenty of competition for the Java jobs, too. “Our candidate market for Java development jobs is fairly tight. There are not enough candidates for the jobs we have,” says Sarah Tyler, recruiting manager at Sapphire Technologies, an IT staffing company. Tyler, who recruits for the Minneapolis area, places between three and five Java candidates a month. Nationwide Sapphire places about 15 Java developers a week. A Matter of Skill So, how do you land one of those hot Java development jobs? Recruiters and currently employed Java developers say it boils down to one thing: skills. Jason Kreuser, corporate technical recruiter for Information Builders Inc. (IBI), hires Java developers to work on projects at IBI branch offices around the country. Because the company doesn’t train developers, Kreuser looks for candidates with a few years of experience working on software development as opposed to applications. “We really ‘tech’ people out to determine whether they have strong skills in the area,” says Kreuser. “The challenge is to find candidates who really know what they’re doing.” Tyler agrees. “It comes down to years of experience,” she says. “Our clients come to us for developers with niche skills. They’re looking for breadth of experience.” Tyler says that enterprise level experience is always a plus, and notes that JSF skills are hot right now. Ask a currently employed Java developer and you’ll get the same story. Anton Spektorov, is a senior web developer for Health Net, in California. One of his job responsibilities is conducting technical interviews on candidates. “We find that many Java developers are not trained in the skills they say they are,” he says. “They’re not professionally trained and do not follow best industry standards.” Spruce Up Your Skill Set So, whether you’re just starting out as a Java developer, or you have several years of experience under your belt, excellent training and continuous skills improvement are the keys to success. Chances are you’ll have to get those keys on your own says Kelly Schrock, senior Java developer at an insurance company in Kansas City, Missouri. “You can’t rely on employers to provide training or help keep you up to date on new trends. You have to do that on your own,” says Schrock. “This isn’t a 9 to 5 job and you can’t treat it that way or you’re going to fall behind.” Schrock stays current and keeps growing professionally by spending as much time writing code on his own as he does on the job. Spektorov echoes that thought. “The Java world is constantly changing, and personal continuous improvement and training is the only way to keep up.” Spektorov suggests Java developers work on earning their certifications not just for their own professional development, but as a way of setting themselves apart from other candidates. “Certifications help employers make sure that a candidate is qualified,” he says. Spektorov recommends four specific certifications from Sun Microsystems: Programmer, Developer, Web Component Developer, and Enterprise Architect. While having the right skills is crucial for aspiring Java developers, recruiters says there are other things you can do to improve your chances of landing a great job: Refine your resume – Make sure that your resume is as accurate, informative, and as easy to read as possible. Try to focus on details. “It’s hard to really articulate all of your experience on a resume,” says Tyler. “But it really does need to be more detailed because your depth of experience is so important to hiring managers.” Kreuser suggests candidates create two versions of their resume, a short one for hiring managers who don’t have time to wade through pages of information, and a long version for those hiring managers who want more detail. Submit them both with a brief explanation so that the recruiter or hiring manager has a choice. Be honest – Don’t say you have skills when you don’t. “People need to be honest about their skill set because technical questions will be asked in the interview,” says Spektorov. Be prepared for an interview – Before the interview, learn about the company, and brush up on the skills listed on your resume so you’re prepared for technical questions. Don’t be afraid to do a little interviewing yourself. “When you talk to an HR manager or recruiter, ask as many in-depth questions as you can before the interview so that you’re prepared,” suggests Kreuser. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially if you get a vague job description.” Check your salary expectations – It’s not the dot com boom of 1999, so adjust your salary expectations accordingly. “I think Java developers’ salary expectations tend to be high. I find people with two or three years of experience asking for $90,000. That’s too much,” comments Kreuser. “I would say $70--$85,000 for two to three years of experience is more in line. For three to five years of experience, $85 --$95,000 is reasonable. For five years of experience or more, $95,000 and above.” Check out the salary wizard on Dice.com to see if your salary expectations are in line. Megan Fleming is a freelance writer who lives in New Mexico.
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