Are you in school or want to grab a job in the tech field?

Here’s a short list of job positions companies are looking for right now.

Big Corporate

These are positions that usually command high dollars and are mostly available in large enterprise only.

Red Hat Linux Administrators

If you were wondering which Linux to choose for your study, Red Hat is what you want. Why? Because they have corporate support that corporations like. Whether it is or isn’t the best Linux for a server isn’t your concern. The "board room" people with the deep pockets like the way Red Hat looks on paper, therefore buy it and therefore need admins to run it. That could be you.

SAP Analysts

Never heard of SAP? Probably not. But Coca-Cola uses it as does Anheuser Busch, i.e. it’s used in large enterprise routinely and is the considered the lifeline for core operations in many environments.

If you were gunning for something to study that is more or less guaranteed to be around for a really long time, SAP is it.

Oracle Developers

What does SAP use as its database? It’s usually Oracle or Informix, but leans more towards Oracle. If database administration is more your thing, there is definitely a market for Oracle database administrators and developers.

J2EE, Java, Java Beans Developers

Lots of corporations really love Java, and I’m not talking about the coffee (although they consume that in mass quantities as well). Knowing how to develop and administer apps, databases and the like in J2EE, Java and so on is highly desirable in the white collar world.

Small-to-Medium Biz

These are positions that smaller companies need. They don’t pay as much but maybe a smaller company is more to your liking.

Security Analysts

The computer security administered within smaller companies is shamefully horrible in most situations. Sometimes it doesn’t even exist. After a company’s first major wreck the first person they look to hire is a security analyst to lock down the environment properly instead of trusting their security to.. well.. nothing.

Your job will most likely be to fix disaster(s) after they’ve already happened and create an environment to prevent it from happening again.

Alternatively your job may be to secure a specific "piece" of the company only. It depends what needs securing.

Microsoft Access Consultants

Situation 1: Small company decides to save a buck by not spending the cash on MSSQL and uses Access instead.

Result: Database gets too frickin’ big and Access can’t handle it anymore.

They need to migrate it – now. Being that they’re too busy with biz stuff they need an Access whiz to fix it and push it to something else like MySQL, MSSQL or something similar that can do the job without breaking.

Situation 2: Someone at the company programs a monster MS Access for several core company functions. Company comes to rely on this db.

Result: That employee quits. Existing employees go into a state of panic because they have no idea how to maintain the database anymore.

Your job is to make that MS Access db work no matter what it takes. If you’re good at it you will be paid handsomely.

Planview Administrator

Planview is probably another one of those softwares you’ve probably never heard of. It’s for portfolio (i.e. project) management and is used quite a bit. Although it can be used for large enterprise there are several medium-sized businesses that use it extensively.

Project management with Planview requires an administrator to run it. Know how to use it and the jobs are there.

Jobs to avoid or only to be considered as temporary

Help Desk Representative

This is a thankless job. Everyone hates it and for good reason. The pay may be good but all you do is stay chained to your desk taking calls and listening to your ass grow.

EXCEPTION: If the company doing the hiring offers training courses for larger/better things and moreover does it for free – this is actually a very good way to work, get paid and get trained for something better. You’ll save thousands of dollars on courses while on company time – if you can stomach the job. The nanosecond you get your cert, be it A+ or whatever it is, quit. I’m not kidding. Get trained and get out.

Jobs that include "Junior" or "II" in the title

Example: "Web Developer II", "Junior Web Application Developer".

One would assume that this title means you will eventually get the senior position.

Not usually. Remember, there is a senior in front of you.

The title can denote that the job is expendable. Don’t expect too much job security in "lesser" titled positions. Maybe you’ll get lucky and the junior will eventually change to a senior, but don’t count on it.

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