The PlanetRecruit Blog

Webinar: Digital Certificates - an Expert View

In this webinar, Chuck Easttom will share his expert knowledge on the use of digital certificates, their structure, and distribution. He will uncover their use in websites, VPNs and emails, as well as highlighting the known security exploits.  

Chuck Easttom has 17+ years of experience in IT and 10 years teaching/training. He has written 13 computer science books including three on computer security. He holds 7 provisional patents (all computer related) and 28 industry certifications including CISSP, ISSAP, CEH, CHFI, and more. 

Top 5 programming languages for 2012

By Stuart Carter

Stuart Carter currently works for Elan IT, where he blogs about technology, recruitment and - sometimes - pirates.

If you’re a programmer then 2012 doesn’t look like being a year to make any drastic changes to your coding repertoire. The end of 2011 saw the usual suspects topping the list of most popular programming languages.

That said, technology is a mercurial sector to work in at the best of times, so who’s to say something new won’t come from left field before the year’s out.

There are some small signs of change a-coming: the Tiobe Programming Community Index, which assesses the popularity of different programming languages, noted late last year that smaller languages are growing in popularity, in particular those that run on the Java Virtual Machine. Groovy entered the index at 45 and Clojure also appeared in the top 100. While unlikely to take pole position away from Java, the arrival of these newcomers should serve as a reminder that coding languages, like technologies, come and go.

The Tiobe index ranks languages by the number of engineers using or studying them, as well as the number of associated third-party vendors. These figures are determined by looking at search engine data and other major web destinations (e.g., YouTube and Wikipedia) in order to gain a good general overview of language usage numbers and patterns.

Tiobe’s data suggests that fourth-placed C# is a good bet for the year ahead: the Microsoft language's growing popularity with developers finally looks set to overtake C++ in 2012.  At the close of 2011 the Tiobe index ranked C++ the third most popular language – barely - at 8.252%, with C#, preferred by 8.205% of developers. C++ has ranked third in the index for ten years now, despite occasional challenges from the likes of Perl, Visual Basic, and PHP, none of which look set to mount further serious challenges in 2012. 

It’s worth noting that C++ is better suited to mobile applications – a booming area - than its nearest rival, meaning that a C# blitzkrieg in 2012 is by no means guaranteed and may be no more than a temporary boost.

Top of the index were the big boys, Java and C.  But it was close.  With 17.56%, Java remains the favourite for 2012, but must be looking anxiously in its rear-view mirror at C, which had 17.057%...

 

Which programming languages do you know/use? 

Got a question for Stuart?

Feel free to leave your questions and comments below.

 

If you're looking for a new role it IT this year, visit PlanetRecruit

 

Skills in Demand for Cloud Professionals in 2012

By Natasha Tasha

Natasha is writer and blogger, currently interested in cloud computing, virtual servers and other popular tech related trends

Cloud computing is the now trend, and of all technology industries, it's the one that will be hiring most aggressively this year. In 2012, if you know cloud, you can expect to be hired. Of course, that's an oversimplification. The truth is, some skills will be in more highly sought after than others.

So what skills will be in greatest demand for cloud professionals as this year unfolds?  

Cloud-oriented skills will be in demand outside of the IT arena too, not just within it. Going forward, companies need employees that understand cloud hosting and aren't afraid to access a VPS. Even if you're looking for a job in a non-Cloud-oriented field, you can make yourself much more attractive to prospective employers by possessing those coveted Cloud-computing skills.

Adobe Dreamweaver...how to prove your IT literacy

By Ralph La Fontaine, Development Manager at Home Learning College

Ralph La Fontaine is an IT educationalist with 14 years experience of delivering and managing IT training programmes for government and private industry.  

The concept behind IT literacy is an interesting one. It implies that a lack of IT skills can be equated with illiteracy and that a baseline minimum level of skills is required of anyone in order that they can function as a participating member of modern society.Seeing how our lives have become so entangled with technology this seems self-evident.

The idea that there is a minimum level of skill required to engage at an entry level in any activity is obvious but the concept becomes more interesting when we start to think of those minimum levels as variable changing over time.  For example, declaring yourself to be experienced at using Microsoft Word is hardly likely to make your CV stand out in the same way that it did 15 years ago.  But is it really useful to try and transplant the concept of literacy from the world of English language skills to the world of IT skills training?  Unlike reading and writing skills, IT skills come in all shapes and sizes so, in order for the concept to be useful, each skill domain needs to be considered in its own right.

The Future Of Microsoft Certifications

By Ralph La Fontaine, Development Manager at Home Learning College

Ralph La Fontaine is an IT educationalist with 14 years experience of delivering and managing IT training programmes for government and private industry. 

Love them or loathe them Microsoft Certifications top most polls of IT certifications when it comes to popularity and employability benefits.  Whether we like it or not the business world still runs predominantly on Microsoft technology, so being certified is an easy way for employers to have confidence in your skills across a broad range of technologies.

Of course, anyone who has embarked on an MCSE will tell you this should not be taken lightly.  These are big certification involving multiple exams.  The problem with these accreditations has often been that they are such a major undertaking that candidates are put off by their size and the prospect of having to go through the whole thing again when the certification is retired.  Here’s the good news: Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) is more accessible because it is built from smaller Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certifications which are respected and recognised in their own right, thus making it a more approachable, flexible and rewarding pathway.

But what of the MCSE?  Could we be witnessing the final chapter in the life of the trusted old war horse that first began way back with Windows NT 3.1?  Well as anyone who has dared to enter the obscure world of Microsoft Professional Certifications will tell you, clarity and straight talking are not always to be found in abundance.  Nevertheless, it is with some sadness that I can confidently say that, although the MCSE certification will still have currency in the industry for many years to come, it will not be updated to cover new technology upgrades.  This is because Microsoft is adopting a policy of replacing the big certifications with a plethora of smaller more narrowly focused awards, as with the MCITP.

The two most commonly known and popular MCITP certifications are Server Administrator on Windows 2008 and Enterprise Administrator on Windows 2008.  A question that is often asked is whether these two new MCITP certifications are replacements for, or equivalent to, MCSA and MCSE. The answer is no, because it is all about the technology! MCSA and MCSE are built around Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft has clearly stated that they will not be releasing an MCSE for Windows Server 2008.   If you want to be certified on the newer technologies, such as Windows Server 2008, then it has to be through the MCITP track.

So what does all this mean?  Firstly, unless you have a very good reason you should not be starting an MCSA or MCSE now.  Instead, look at the new MCITP Windows Server 2008 certification.   Secondly, if you are already studying for an MCSA or MCSE do not panic.  Microsoft has provided upgrade paths, and training providers like Home Learning College will be responding to demand for upgrade awards.  Whilst the MCITP on Windows Server 2008 does require new skill sets, the baseline knowledge you will have acquired through MCSA and MCSE is highly transferrable.

So, while it may be farewell to MCSA and MCSE, the new MCITP certification is a real step forward, offering greater flexibility, a tighter focus on particular technology specialisations and an overall training and certification experience that is mapped to an actual job role.

Got a question for Ralph? Need career advice? Feel free to leave your questions and comments below.  

 

Why Java programming skills will always be in demand

By Ralph La Fontaine, Development Manager at Home Learning College

Named after the coffee (said to have been copiously consumed by the language’s original creators) Java was first released in 1995 by Sun Microsystems as a “write once, run anywhere” programming language.  It has since gone on to become popular worldwide, particularly for client-server web applications.  

The story took a left turn in January 2010 when Sun Microsystems, and therefore the Java technology, was acquired by Oracle.  Since then, despite Oracle’s assertion of a “relentless commitment to fostering a community of participation and transparency”, there has been a battle for the soul of Java between the open source community - represented through the Java Community Process (JCP) - and the database giant’s desire to monetise Java.  

There is no doubt that Oracle will dictate and drive the future development of core Java SE technology, and that the open source contribution will be constrained. Over time, it may be that Java becomes less of a client side language and more a server side language.  There are also doubts over how an increasingly top-down controlled language will fare as the basis for the “cloud” generation of platforms. 

Nevertheless, this is not something that should overly concern aspiring Java developers in the short or medium term, and the latest (and much delayed) release of Java SE7 in August indicates that the language continues to be well supported.  The TIOBE index also shows that Java is still the top dog programming language, despite a strong challenge from C, C++ and C#.  A buoyant demand for skilled java developers, and the relatively high salaries such professionals can command, makes the acquisition of Java development skills a good investment.  

The most popular route into Java programming is through the Oracle Certified Java Associate Programmer certification (formerly Sun Certified Java Associate certification) for beginners and then on to the well recognised Oracle Certified Professional Java SE Programmer OCPJP (formerly Sun Certified Java Programmer). Completing these study programmes demonstrates a high level of ability in writing real world commercial applications across multiple platforms including smart phones, internet TVs and the web. 

The secret of a successful and rewarding career in programming lies in developing a range of skills, usually in more than one language, maintaining those competencies and demonstrating proven practical experience to recruiters and employers.  Keeping that in mind, Java certification is without doubt a great starting point for ambitious programming professionals and a solid foundation for a career in this sector.  

 

Was this post helpful? Got a query about Java? Feel free to leave your questions and comments below

Breaking in to IT

By Henry Duddy, Head of Development at FDM

Henry joined FDM in 2001. He spent the next five years as a consultant developer both on FDM client sites, and running technical support desks for the Global Services division. In 2006 Henry was appointed to head up the FDM Academy and since 2008 he has been responsible for the ongoing development of FDM’s technical consultants. Henry currently manages FDM’s Development service and is certified in industry best practices and standards such as Prince2, ITIL, ISEB and IAQ (now known as IOC).

As the world wakes up to the realisation that the IT sector underpins the production of every other industry, a career within the field is becoming more and more desirable. Due to the pivotal role that IT professionals play within all corners of the economy, salaries are often elevated and career progression can be rapid.  

The growth of opportunities within the industry is phenomenal and according to the 2011 e-Skills report, over half a million new IT and Telecoms professionals will be needed across all sectors of the economy in the next five years. Graduate are also in demand and according to High Fliers’ investigations into graduate opportunities in 2011; the most common graduate vacancies will be for IT and Finance roles.

More than half of UK employers currently offer graduate IT roles, irrespective of the company’s field, as the demand for IT expertise in all industries increases. 

But how can graduates seeking to break into the IT sector actually set about doing so?

10 Hottest IT Jobs

By Dawn Lovett

Dawn Lovett holds a Master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan. She has worked in electronic and computer engineering for over 20 years for several companies, including IBM and General Motors. Dawn is currently based in Chicago, IL. She also owns the site Online Engineering Degrees for students interested in getting an online degree in engineering. 

IT professionals looking to upgrade their current positions should investigate job opportunities that address the growing demand for technologies such as virtualization, cloud, network security and social computing skills. Industry watchers report that increased interest in emerging and existing technologies will drive internal training and external hiring decisions.

“We will see a skills shift from IT personnel that operates only in the old, slow expensive ways to IT pros that can adopt agile methods. There will continue to be opportunities in analytics, for people who understand lean IT, Six Sigma, business processes and improvements -- it's going to be about information, connectivity and collaboration", says Mark McDonald, group vice president and head of research, Gartner Executive Programs.  

Here we examine 10 IT job titles that could gain traction in 2012 as new technology demands require evolving IT skills. 

1. Security specialist/ethical hacker – As security and data breaches continue to be a major problem for large corporations, IT specialists in security are a hot commodity. With hackers continuing to develop new ways to breach security, this is a job that won’t be disappearing any time soon. Security issues apply to every kind of corporation and are increasingly relevant for companies using software services and cloud computing.

2. Virtual systems manager – With the rise of cloud computing, management of virtual servers and networks is becoming increasingly important. A manager must make sure the cloud is monitored, secured and compliant with all systems. They must also minimize the risk of a catastrophic system failure and prepare the system in the case that it is compromised.

3. Capacity manager – Companies need to prepare ahead for needed resources and respond quickly to business needs in order to survive in today’s economy. A capacity manager fills this responsibility, especially when it comes to assigning financial values to IT resources.

4. Network engineer – In the age of the smart phone, networking, voice, and data communications technology continues to advance dramatically and at an accelerating pace. The future of IT lies in social interaction and collaboration across networks, which is why this role is so important today.

5. Open-source specialist – Many companies are turning to open-source software to add services while keeping their budgets under control. Although many open-source software makers offer support packages, it’s beneficial to a company to have an in-house specialist who is trained to know how the software works.

6. Service assurance manager – IT specialists may be skilled at identifying problems and optimizing performance in specific domains, a service assurance manager is in charge of ensuring quality service from all the domains. They track services from start to finish across a variety of domains, from network, system, storage, and applications.

7. Electronic health records (EHR) systems manager – There has been a significant increase in IT positions in the healthcare sector as a result of the government’s economic stimulus plan that has encouraged the use of EHR systems. EHR IT specialists must know the ins and outs of specific EHR systems in order to be able provide support to medical professionals.

8. Sourcing specialist – Companies are turning to services such as cloud computing, software-as-a-service and outsourcing to avoid hiring internal staff and save money. An IT manager with knowledge about various sourcing options can be a valuable asset for a business looking at such services because they can guide the company to ensure that an informed decision is taken.

9. Service catalog manager – IT service catalogs are a common way for a company to meet customer needs but such a catalog is only beneficial if it is properly managed. A service catalog manager is in charge of producing and maintaining the catalog, which includes such responsibilities as planning, implementation, financial management, and maintenance.

10. Business process engineer – In our economy, many businesses are looking to streamline operations and cut down on their budgets. A business process engineer combines their knowledge of technical systems with everyday business processes. IT professionals are often hired for these positions because of their advanced knowledge of technological solutions for business.

 

 Are any of the above your job title? 

To view the latest IT jobs on PlanetRecruit, click here

IT graduates could benefit from taking on bi-lingual roles

By Madeleine Field, FDM Group Recruitment Manager 

Madeleine is responsible for the Academy events and recruitment teams. As well as overlooking recruitment operations for FDM Academy’s graduate programme worldwide, Madeleine also organises all corporate Academy presentations, workshops, seminars and graduate fairs.

At FDM Group we have has just announced a surge in the number of bilingual job vacancies we have available and firmly believe in the benefits of taking on these roles for IT graduates.We are currently calling for English speaking graduates with a technical background and a second language of French, Cantonese, Mandarin, German or Polish.
 
Personally, I strongly support the belief that bilingual opportunities can offer graduates the chance to gain the experience that will provide them with a competitive edge over other university leavers. Due to the need to associate ideas and objects with a set of words from two or more languages simultaneously, bilingual and multilingual workers often develop a flexible and creative way of thinking.
 
This is an attractive quality for employers and candidates who have taken on these roles will often be favoured over monolingual jobseekers. Although we place solely English speaking graduates across the globe, the ability to speak the language of the country you are placed in makes a graduate far more marketable to us and far more attractive to our clients.

Taking on this type of role in a foreign country could also provide IT graduates. with a distinct advantage by building on their sense of independence, communication skills and ability to adapt to new environments. At FDM we strongly believe that it is important to alert graduates to the fact that bilingual work does not only centre around translating, interpreting and teaching.
 
Graduates are often deterred from bilingual roles because they don’t want to go into the fields associated with these particular positions. However, due to the business facing nature of IT roles, there are plenty of opportunities for IT graduates to remain in their chosen field and still reap the benefits of taking on a bilingual role.We would urge IT graduates. who are lucky enough to be bilingual to seriously consider developing their career through the use of their second language. 

 

Are you a recent graduate? Are you bi-lingual? Got a question or thoughts to share?

Feel free to leave your questions and comments below.

A Meeting of Minds – The Law Society of Scotland’s Cloud Computing Event

By Warren Wander 

Warren Wander is the founder and Managing Director of LawWare Ltd and more recently has become CEO of LawCloud Ltd.

Warren has spent all his working life in the software development field and the last 15 years creating, developing & growing LawWare into one of Scotland's most modern suppliers of Practice, Case & Risk management software. 

There’s nothing better than marking real change with a landmark occasion to pinpoint that moment when a new innovation comes along that changes the way we do things and on Wednesday 9^th November 2011, The Law Society of Scotland hosted such an event at The Hollyrood Hotel in Edinburgh focusing on the Cloud Computing for law firms in Scotland.

The event was intended to be informative and to stimulate awareness of Cloud and around the Law Society of Scotland’s soon to be released Cloud Computing paper, a set of advisory notes for the profession and which is currently in draft form.

It is anticipated that The Law Society’s advice will be focused around a number of key areas including:

• Understanding arrangements with Cloud providers such as  SLA’s

          o   System availability, accessibility, licensing

• Provisions for your Data

          o   How safe it is, where is it stored, who owns it

• Compliance & assurances

          o   Are you unknowingly breaching any laws such as data protection

          o   What can go wrong and what happens if things do go wrong