Companies Dream about Filling Cloud Computing Jobs

Dr. Ira S Wolfe

 By Ira S. Wolfe

Cloud computing jobs increased by 9 2 percent in February 2012 in comparison to numbers from February 2011. And it was up 400 percent from the same time in 2010. More than 2,400 companies posted job ads during the last quarter of 2011 and hiring demand grew 61% year-over-year. As a result hiring managers are having trouble finding workers to fill these positions. A shortage of skilled workers means demand is high for people with cloud computing experience and development skills.

The challenge in filling these jobs isn’t just that experience or training is needed in technology. Workers proficient in cloud computing need skills in managing process and knowledge of the law. The shortages are not restricted to technology companies either. Nearly one-third of the jobs that are being created are non-IT positions, including marketing managers, sales managers, customer service representatives, and analysts.

A January 2012 study showed that cloud computing is a huge generator of new jobs and will continue to be a growth area. Employee growth at the cloud services companies that were studied was 5 times that of the high-tech services industry. The report concluded that companies selling cloud-based services could create as many as 427,000 jobs in the U.S. and overseas in the next 5 years. Eleven companies added 80,000 in the U.S. in 2010 alone. Venture capital investments in cloud computing could add another 213,000.

According to Wanted Analytics, the most in-demand cloud related skills include:

1. Oracle Java
2. Linux
3. Structured Query Language (SQL)
4. UNIX
5. Software as a Service (SaaS)
6. Python Extensible Programming Language
7. Practical Extraction and Reporting Language (Perl)
8. Extensible Markup Language (XML)
9. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
10. JavaScript (JS)

Many employers also require certifications. The most commonly requested certifications include:

1. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
2. Project Management Professional (PMP)
3. Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
4. Cisco Network Associate (CCNA)
5. VMWare Certified Professional (VCP)
6. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
7. Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)
8. Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
9. Information Security Penetration Testing Professional (ISP)
10. Cisco CCIE Voice (CCIE)

I might also add these technical skills are just the beginning. The ability to apply the skills and knowledge is what counts. That requires the ability to communicate and collaborate, to deal with ambiguity, to adapt, to manage projects, to understand process (not just systems).

Dr. Ira S. Wolfe

A prolific author, columnist, business blogger and sought-after-expert on hiring and workplace trends, Ira S. Wolfe has been aptly described as both a “Gen Y masquerading in a Baby Boomer body” and “Renaissance man.” Hiring expert, pre-employment tests, office skills tests, leadership assessment, sales assessment, management skills assessment, employment and staffing trends, human resource trends, leading a multi-generation workforce, employee motivation, hiring and retention solutions, social media in business, internet marketing advisor for small business.  His blog, The Perfect Labor Storm, addresses retiring baby boomers, rising health care costs, shortages of skilled workers, generational gaps, work ethics, and workforce demographic and socio-economic events.