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IT Job Posts: Which Skills Are Required?
Allan Hoffman / Monster Tech Jobs Expert
A job posting lists these skills: J2EE, EJB, JSP, XML, WebSphere, Oracle, UML, HTML, servlets and a minimum GPA of 3.0. You meet them all, aside from the one for UML. But does the company really expect to find a candidate with this laundry list of skills? Should you apply, or keep looking?
Technology executives, hiring managers and human resource professionals say they don’t intend to frustrate job seekers with lists of technical skills. However, they acknowledge techies must contend with a variety of approaches to listing skills that require candidates to read between the lines to determine what a company really wants.
“There’s no real law or rule on job postings,” says Sean Chou, CTO of Fieldglass, a software technology company.
The current job market adds to the difficulty. Companies sometimes post over-the-top laundry lists of skills just to see what kind of talent they can attract—or to screen out unqualified applicants.
“As soon as the market slowed down, companies were creating unrealistic lists of skills,” says Scott Hajer, senior corporate recruiter at Software Architects, an IT consulting firm.
Fantasy Combinations
A classic example is a position requiring more years of experience with a technology than it has been in existence. According to Hajer, such postings are sometimes “written by recruiters who don’t understand what they’re putting in an ad. [Job seekers] make fun of companies that will list something like four years of .NET. The laundry listing is something they find really frustrating.”
Hajer contends such lists don’t help companies weed out candidates. “In this market, candidates don’t self-screen,” he says. “They’re more into resume spamming.”
What Does “Required” Mean?
Thus, a simple question – “Does required mean required?” – becomes a conundrum for conscientious job seekers. Many companies differentiate between required skills and desired or preferred skills. In such listings, “required” often means just that.
“If you don’t have the required skills, you should not even consider applying for the job,” Chou says of his company’s listings. “It’s a right to play. If you don’t meet it, you shouldn’t be in the ballpark.”
Others concur. “When we say they’re required on our postings, they are essential,” says Mary Medved, vice president of human resources for WAM!NET Government Services.
However, not everyone agrees. “Those things are the wish list for the company,” says Lee Morrow, chief technology officer of Quantum AI, an enterprise application integration firm. “If half of the stuff on the list is what you do, give it a shot.”
bhamdesigns4u
2 months ago
20 comments
I disagree with some of the content in this article. I lack the skills for a professional php coder yet I land more jobs because I know the codes. I always apply to the jobs that list at least part of the alphabet group that applies to me. 9 out of 10 tries I get an answer, an interview and land a 6 month contract. Sure, we all have fears that we can't meet the expectations of the companies we apply to, but what is stopping you more? The size of the company or your lack of skills?
Technology is changing every second, if you do not belong to a group that is recognized in the IT sector there is a good possibility you will not be 'seen'. I mention this, because in my time online at School (Kaplan.edu) I learned the balance between those that are certified, those who want to be and those who are not. Sure, I am in the class of "are not", but I belong to a group.
Also big name companies really do not care anymore that your GPA is over 3.0 . They never ask for transcripts or proof other than Web forms, scripts and logos you have created in the past.
The biggest plus looking for a new IT job is your portfolio, put it ONLINE. Why? You can add the address or a dvd with your resume and wow them. Literally!
I really think this author needs to check into the real world - right now this is an inadequate list of information.
Best of luck to you job hunters.. =o)
JL
trickster311
2 months ago
10 comments
although im new to the field, this goes along with solid advice ive already recieved.
janierdavila
3 months ago
738 comments
Although I believe in today's economy the most skills you have the better, it's amazing how hiring managers stuff the "required skills" section with skills not close related among one other. If you are in the web industry, probably you don't know anything about C++ or Uml; or probably you do know the surface of those technologies, but for the past years you have been building PHP/ASP.NET web application you have not had a need to become familiar with them. But now you find yourself that for you to get that job need to spend another 10 years in college.
I agree with this article. I am one of those who laugh when something like "5 years of AJAX required" shows up in a job posting. How? Unless you were working inside Google building Google Maps before they exposed it to the public...very sad.
JEMatthews18
3 months ago
2 comments
this has been intriging yet still more frustrating
Subfile91
4 months ago
2 comments
I think companies are combining more than one job and praying someone has all the technical skills. When they list that many skills, I don't think you'll find anyone who is an expert at all of them. I'm an RPG (AS/400) programmer and have seen RPG listed with web programming languages or even Oracle. It's not a good economy to be laid off right now.
KennethCG
4 months ago
4 comments
Shave your face and cover your gray or you can forget it!
drago
4 months ago
14 comments
I applied for a job that required 5+ years of programming.(FYI i just graduate from college) They called me up, liked what i had to say. Went in for the interview and said if i dont know the answer to a question i will google it lol. He closed his notepad and said son you have the job. :-). So keep applying and if Gods willing you will get something. Ps Today is system admin day so show some love to thoese people. And if you dont know what a system admin does go to the link and im out. http://www.sysadminday.com/