[Hidden-tech] Query on computer programming skills

[Andy Klapper]

I'm afraid that this is a rather sticky problem.  Currently, around here,
the main skills are Java with a strong J2EE background.  As a C++ bigot this
frustrates me to no end, but that is the plain truth.  If the goal is to
service the large financial companies in the area then a concentration on
Java based skills would be appropriate (J2EE, JUnit, Swing, etc.).  A
competitor to J2EE is .Net and C# and that is also used in the valley, but
to a lesser extent.  I also see ads for people that can program
manufacturing equipment.  For each skill you probably want to get the number
of years of professional development experience.  I would also say that you
want a level of expertise except one's person expert could be another
person's average.

If you want a small list that is what would be most useful for the largest
number of jobs.  I suspect that the list would be much more useful however
if it covered scripting skills (Perl, Python), thick client skills (C++,
MFC, Win API), Linux programming (C++, Python, Perl), embedded programming
(C/C++/assembler), gaming (C++, ...???), and high performance applications
(telecommunications, instrumentation, high transaction servers - all C++).
I would even say that since I used to get calls about APL programming some
times that even more obscure skills should be on the list.  Oh, I forgot
about databases (Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, MySQL, ...), within databases db
scripts, triggers, design, administration).

None of this covers what I consider to be equally important skills:
multi-threading program design, object-oriented design, gui implementation
design (which is different from designing the gui), and general programming
implementation skills, which I'm not sure how one would capture this on a
web site.  Of course there are also the tools that one uses like source code
control, documentation, unit testing, and bug tracking.

All of the above only concerns my small little world of programming.  Talk
to Chris about network and system administration and I'm sure he would come
up with an equally long list.

My recommendation is to go to a couple of the big recruiting sites and look
at all of the skills that they ask for and then duplicate it as best you
can.  I list over thirty skills on my skills web page
(http://www.andyklapper.com/resume/Skills_Summary.htm) just for myself.


I hope this mess helps, if only to explain that this is much bigger than 5
top skills.



Andy.


-----Original Message-----
From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
[mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net]On Behalf Of A - Z
International
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 10:34 AM
To: hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
Subject: [Hidden-tech] Query on computer programming skills

Hi all,

We are fast developing an on line skills survey for the membership and
would like some input for the computer programming skills section so you
aren't scanning 20-plus specialties on a pull-down chart. What we need to
know is what YOU consider to be the most prevalent skills in demand by the
software industry today so that if a company was seeking programmers to
hire from Hidden-Tech they would see we have the skilled people here.

Here are two examples of skills we know are in demand for programmers --
Java and .NET.

Any others? I'm collecting the top five or so.

You can post to the list or email me directly at az at a-zinternational.com.

best,

Amy Zuckerman
Hidden-Tech founder, co-chair


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