Question: Anonymous wrote:

Very interesting article. So, would you be willing to advise me on how to maintain my “market value” in light of the prognosis made here? I am a  project manager who immigrated from outside the US. I learned the profession through practical experience, then enhanced it through internet documents and articles in recent years. I’ve worked in the IT industry for years, but never attended a formal project management class, and the only hard technical skill I ever acquired was programming in Basic about 20 years ago. Granted I haven’t used it in at least 15 years. I guess, I already know the answer. I need to acquire some “hot” technical skill pronto and also gain a PMP certificate. Would this be enough? Which technical skill should I aim for?

Answer from management consultant, David Foote:

Dear Anonymous

A PMP certification could get you not only attention but another 11 percent to 16 percent in pay, according to my firm’s latest certifications pay survey (see http://www.footepartners.com/htscpi_latest.htm [1]). It’s not certain from your question exactly what tech, ‘soft’, and business skills you have, so it is difficult to be more precise with advice. You should read the article in the current issue on hot skills [2]

According to my firm’s most recent research involving more than 1,800 employers, they are currently these:

Customer-facing skills:

• Applications Development/Database (MCSD, MCAD, SQL, Java, .Net, ASP, SQL Windows, Visual Basic, Oracle, Linux)
• RAD/Extreme Programming(XP)
• Web-enabled analytics, management apps (MAPICS)
• Database (SQL Server, Oracle)
• RFID/location-aware services

Infrastructure skills:

• Networking (Cisco, VoIP, wireless, net management)
• Wireless (WLAN, Cisco Wireless, Structured Wireless Aware Network)
• Security (Cisco, CISA, CISSP, CISM, SCNP, CCSP, CheckPoint)
• Systems (HP/Compaq SE, Citrix)
• Web services/SOA (WebSphere, .Net, MCSD/.Net, SOAP, JBoss)
• Storage/SAN (EMC, Veritas, IBM, CA)
• Messaging (MCSE and MCSA Messaging specialization)

Enabling skills:

• Project management (PMP)
• Business process design, management
• Open Source/Linux

Non-tech skills:

• Project management, esp. global
• Specific business practice and process knowledge Communication
• Leadership
• Enabling analytical skills (business technology)
• Industry knowledge
• Relevant customer knowledge
• Collaboration, team building

David Foote http://www.footepartners.com [3]

David Foote is co-founder, CEO and chief research officer of Foote Partners LLC, a general management consultancy and IT workforce research firm that helps companies increase performance and achieve business goals through collaboration of IT, HR, and business resources. The firm publishes the *IT Insider* research series, one of the industry's most comprehensive sources for IT organization, compensation and workforce trends. David's columns and articles appear regularly in leading newspapers and industry periodicals. He can be seen on network and cable television, and heard on National Public Radio, global webcasts and podcasts. Contact him at dfoote@footepartners.com.

A panel of experts will be answering readers' career questions through July 21. Post your questions in the comments area at the Career Forum's "Need an answer to a career question? [4]" [5]  And don't miss our special report, Careers: IT Profession 2010 [6]