High Tech Jobs in US: Oracle, Microsoft - overview & trends

If you are in college, getting hot IT or Programming degree, you should keep your eye on high-tech job market situation

• Generic Programming, both Java (EJB, J2EE) or Microsoft .Net (C# or VB.Net)  In 1990^th having generic programming skills was a good start to corporate employment, the programming industry itself was in the forming mode, when in-house custom programming or software development was the way to accomplish business needs.  At that good-old days we saw maturing of such applications as ERP, MRP, Accounting, some first steps in CRM: Siebel, Oracle Financials E-Business Suite, Great Plains Dynamics.  On the other had we saw database industry maturing: Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, Ingress, IBM DB2, Lotus Notes Domino.  These applications and tools were actually platforms for programmer to tailor them to fit corporate business processes.  However, in the beginning of XXI century, programming jobs pool in USA, Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand shrank and due the entering into industry business application market maturity phase.
• ERP Internal Support.  In the past this was common to have external consulting company to support you, however nowadays more popular approach is to have IT specialist, who is trained in MRP and can do limited system modification, plus who knows industry specific modules for this ERP and is capable to manage implementation projects, deploying external consulting firm.  As you see this position requires combination of IT support, programming, accounting, industry knowledge and project management (where Business Administration disciplines are very helpful)
• Competition.  If your goal is to get secured programming job in US, you should understand that offshore programming companies in India, China, Philippines, Brazil and other traditional offshore centers grew large pool of skilled and experienced programmers to work at offshore centers.  These people have good resumes and in some cases would like to get work experience in US corporate world
• Project Management Jobs.  Yes, PM and consulting (with the ability to manage offshore software developing contractors) is probably the way to get secured job.  However it is probably unrealistic to get this job right after graduating the college in India.  You should consider getting experience in offshore customer support call center at the same time aiming to get the position with project management exposure

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