Report: Java, 8i, C++ Experts In Demand

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June 27, 2000 (8:02 AM EDT)

By Rebecca Smith Hurd,

U.S. technical professionals with Java, Oracle 8/8i or C++ expertise are the most in demand, while those with DNS, COBOL or Cisco training are the most available, according to a report issued Tuesday.

TECHFORCE 2000, released by online job site Techies.com, contains information from the career profiles of some 450,000 registered members and more than 1,600 clients. With it, Techies.com aims to identify the availability, job type, expertise, and geographic location of domestic technical professionals. All findings were based on random sampling, the company said.

According to the report, about four professionals with ASP skills exist for every job that requires them. When comparing employment opportunities with job seekers, the report suggests a surplus of qualified help desk, management and project-management candidates.

It identifies software-development positions, which had the lowest member-to-job ratios, as the most difficult to fill. System administrators and new media "specialists" are also in demand.

According to TECHFORCE 2000, 57 percent of tech professionals are full-time employees. Some 14 percent consult, 9 percent hold internships or entry-level jobs, and 2 percent work part-time or telecommute. More than 80 percent completed at least a two-year college degree.

The report also compares the average technology salaries in 25 job markets but does not quantify them. The San Francisco Bay Area tops the list where salaries are 16 percent over the national average. New York, Chicago, Boston, and Dallas follow.

The Minneapolis company plans to augment the national TECHFORCE 2000 report with 19 localized versions, which will be released during the next two weeks. Techies.com is an employment exchange for high-tech professionals and businesses that seek to recruit them.