June 2005
Here we are. The month is about two thirds over and I am finally getting a few minutes to write this column. It is probably the latest I have one so since starting in August, 2001, a few weeks before 9/11.
The explanation I offer is that my work schedule has become extremely busy over the past few months because of increased demand. Good news for many of you.
More good news. The shortages are going to continue.
Good news for some. Firms are starting to look at outright hiring of H1B candidates because they cannot find enough people who are US citizens or green card holders to accomodate their needs.
People with a few years left on their green card may have the opportunity to switch from consulting to industry, to spend more tgime with their family, because firms are just not finding enough qualified citizen/green card holders.
A client of mine just hired 3 H1B J2EE Websphere developers. What? They couldn't find enough without going to H1B holders! That's right. They administered standardized tests for more than 6 months and, although they initially hired quite a few, in recent times, they found that only the H1B holders passed the test.
IBM says it right out front. They will hire those who have at least 3 years left on their H1B.
Before getting indignant, these people are your neighbors and are willing to work harder than you may be in order to maintain high skill levels. Many of you may have stopped doing the late night studying years ago.
And when theya re hired by these latge companies, they are being offered the same salaries as their citizen/green card counterparts who meet their skills so the argument about working cheap doesn't hold water.
The issue is: What will you do to keep your skills and abilities marketable? How much of an investment are you willing to put in in order to make and keep yourself marketable?
As we get older, we often start to slow down and become less willing to do things that helped us when we started out. It may be time to look in the mirror and regain that "eye of the tiger" about your career.
Jeff Altman
The explanation I offer is that my work schedule has become extremely busy over the past few months because of increased demand. Good news for many of you.
More good news. The shortages are going to continue.
Good news for some. Firms are starting to look at outright hiring of H1B candidates because they cannot find enough people who are US citizens or green card holders to accomodate their needs.
People with a few years left on their green card may have the opportunity to switch from consulting to industry, to spend more tgime with their family, because firms are just not finding enough qualified citizen/green card holders.
A client of mine just hired 3 H1B J2EE Websphere developers. What? They couldn't find enough without going to H1B holders! That's right. They administered standardized tests for more than 6 months and, although they initially hired quite a few, in recent times, they found that only the H1B holders passed the test.
IBM says it right out front. They will hire those who have at least 3 years left on their H1B.
Before getting indignant, these people are your neighbors and are willing to work harder than you may be in order to maintain high skill levels. Many of you may have stopped doing the late night studying years ago.
And when theya re hired by these latge companies, they are being offered the same salaries as their citizen/green card counterparts who meet their skills so the argument about working cheap doesn't hold water.
The issue is: What will you do to keep your skills and abilities marketable? How much of an investment are you willing to put in in order to make and keep yourself marketable?
As we get older, we often start to slow down and become less willing to do things that helped us when we started out. It may be time to look in the mirror and regain that "eye of the tiger" about your career.
Jeff Altman
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