jsync | Java Staffing Specialist

"A Look on the Bright Side"

02/12/2009

by Dave Fecak

I think at this point we’ve all read and heard enough bad news about the economy, and I personally still think it’s too early to tell what is going to happen regarding the local Java market that both you and I depend on for our livelihood. As early as last March, I (along with thousands of others) was writing on how to make your career recession-proof. After so many months of being bombarded with pessimistic outlooks on the future on every news channel, it’s only natural for people to fear the worst. So I thought it was a good time to take an optimistic point of view and give some positive facts about our local market, and perhaps these will make you feel just a little bit better about your future prospects.

First and foremost, being a Java professional (as opposed to some other technologies) has its advantages. The amount of open source alternatives and free software available to Java shops seems to make the Java platform an easy and economically feasible choice for new companies deciding on a technology road map. Java shops also have the ability to cut some costs by switching to cheaper products for the technology stack, instead of the more traditional cost-cutting method of staff reductions. So if you see your manager at his desk filling out pink slips, suggest a reduction in license budgets instead of headcount. The fact that Java runs on everything from a mobile phone to a hair dryer doesn’t hurt either!

Location, location, location! There are literally hundreds of companies in Philadelphia and the surrounding area that are fully dedicated to Java technology. Beyond just the big name Fortune firms that may have taken some hits over the past few months, there are many start-ups and mid-sized firms that have mostly Java applications in production. You probably haven’t heard of 10% of them unless you’re incredibly well networked. And the Philly market is diverse and not dependent on any specific vertical (as opposed to the NYC market and the banking crisis). Sure, perhaps we’re a little heavy on insurance and pharma, but not so bad. Not to mention the many good schools in the area that offer solid Comp Sci programs, which should make Philly attractive to companies considering a move to the area. Many of these schools (notably UPenn) continue to spawn young entrepreneurs, making this a hotbed for new employment opportunities. And I didn’t even pat myself on the back and mention a large and active Java Users Group (wait…I just did).

Regardless of who you voted for, it’s apparent that technology was a large factor in the election. Expect web technology to continue to play a major role in political campaigns, both local and national, which should mean more work for technologists (at least every couple years). In addition, the new administration certainly appears to take technology very seriously, whether it be by using the internet to create a more transparent government or in digitizing medical records. Any president who commissions some kind of SuperBlackBerry when he is told he can’t have one must really respect the importance of techies. The Philadelphia area has a healthy collection of both large and small companies that are using Java to create applications designed to make medical records more readily available and to help insurance companies streamline workflow and claims. Who knows how this administration will turn out in the end, but the message seems to be a strong desire to invest in technology, which is a good sign for all of us in the business.

So the message is, it could be a lot worse. If this is a perfect storm of events, it appears you are positioned not take the worst of it. I hope this makes you feel just a little bit better about the future of Java pros in the area.

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