Attracted by the Light
In an industry as dynamic as IT manufacturing, the bright spots do shine through — as long as you’re looking for them. For example:
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Packeteer Inc., whose equipment helps make internal online networks more efficient, experienced an 18% sales increase last year due to customer demand for its products. As a result, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company recently sought a new vice president of marketing and a new vice president to handle business development.
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Iris Inc., based in Boca Raton, Fla., also is hiring. The company makes text-recognition hardware and software and for two months, has been trying to find a director to deal with original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in the U.S. It also is seeking senior-level executives for its European operation.
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Contour Design Inc. is a 1995 start-up that designs, develops, manufactures and markets ergonomically friendly computer-mouse devices. Sales were $4 million last year, and growth has been so robust for the 50-employee company that it now has three vice presidents, up from one a year ago.
“We want to capture the opportunity to expand to the next level,” says Steven Wang, president and chief executive officer of Windham, N.H.-based Contour. “Our next target is to double in the next year or two, and we realized we needed a stronger team of middle managers because we make multiple products. We don’t have a single, $10 million product line. The idea is to make lots of niches.”
Chris Charyk was attracted to Contour by its innovative products, an unchallenged price point set below offerings by Logitech and Microsoft brands, and by Mr. Wang’s personal pitch. So Mr. Charyk, a 45-year-old former management consultant, left his previous position doing due diligence for tech-investing venture-capital firms to become Contour’s managing director of audio-video products. “This job was created for me,” Mr. Charyk says. “Coming from a consulting background, I found it quite challenging to think about developing a general-management role.”
Prepare for a Market Shift
Though it seems ancient history, only three years ago, skilled-labor markets - especially in high-tech - were so tight that many mid- and upper-level IT professionals could write their own tickets. While employers now have leverage, technology management could become a seller’s market again in the next few years.
As the decade wears on, millions of baby boomers are expected to retire, and the ranks of technology middle managers will be among those shrinking the most, according to Ms. Schaefer. “I think that once the economy picks up, we’ll see this [demographic] dynamic come into play again,” she says. “The long-term message is, ‘Get thee an IT career.’ “
But since IT manufacturers now can selectively fill upper-level positions, they’re holding out for people who bring more to the table than just a solid resume. Candidates who combine a technical background with business skills are getting the best shots at senior positions, Ms. Schaefer notes.
If you’re working, “lobby to take a course in dealing with finance,” she suggests, “or with developing your communications capabilities — not just doing proposals, but really outlining a business case to a team of executives.”
Look Online for Openings
Other trends are affecting career prospects for IT jobless and employed executives. For instance, if you’re looking for a position with an IT manufacturing business, try the Internet. Nowadays, IT hiring executives say they don’t necessarily need executive-search firms to find senior-level hires.
“A year or two ago, a lot of companies still wouldn’t have bothered posting VP-type jobs, because we didn’t think that level of candidate was looking for a job online,” says Mr. Guaglianone. “Now, there are a ton.” In fact, last year Unisys received 23% more resumes for director-level and above positions than during 2008.
Now also is a good time for employed executives to take steps to differentiate themselves. One good strategy is to identify ways their companies can make improvements even in lean times when funds are scarce.
CEOs particularly want “people who can deliver services innovatively to external and internal customers and really just find ways to move efficiency to the next level,” says Phyllis Klees, technology expert in the human-capital services group of Deloitte & Touche, in San Jose, Calif. “Maybe they’re able to re-look at a market segment and figure out how to compete in a changed market. Or perhaps it’s looking across the organization for ways to eliminate redundant functions.”
Despite market conditions, companies see IT compensation rising. Meta’s IT survey, not just limited to manufacturing, finds 26% of respondents expecting an increase in IT compensation budgets by 2009, up from 22% a year ago. And the research firm expects IT compensation to jump once an economic recovery begins.
Khan writes articles on Higher Education and Career Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/information-technology-articles/computerhardware-execs-seek-oasis-in-job-drough-908344.html
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