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India frustrated with H-1B Visa taxes

Webmaster — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:54:02 -0600

When the Indian SMS-based social network GupShup polled Indian workers in that nations technology hubs, it got quite a surprise. Tech workers in Bangalore, the biggest technology outsourcing hub in India said they felt that they understood the anger of American workers at losing their jobs to outsourcing. According to the companys Senior Director and Head of Marketing Vishal Nongbet, 45 percent of Indian workers polled understand the American sentiments, but nevertheless are proud of the jobs they do for American companies.

SMS GupShup is Indias largest social network, and unlike social networks in the United States, is SMS-based because a large percentage of Indians have cell phones, but relatively few have access to the Internet through a computer or smartphone.

To many Indians, and to many American workers, the issue of outsourcing and the issue of foreign workers coming to the United States on temporary work visas are closely tied. Many people see both issues as vehicles for giving jobs formerly done by U.S. workers to workers from other nations. In fact, Nongbet said most Indians expected the current attempt to pass an immigration bill that, among other things, would raise the cost of H-1B visas to $2000.00 will proceed.

Skills required for jobs in 2020

Webmaster — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:22:02 -0600

In the year 2020, technical expertise will no longer be the sole province of the IT department. Employees throughout the organization will understand how to use technology to do their jobs.

Yet futurists and IT experts say that the most sought-after IT-related skills will be those that involve the ability to mine overwhelming amounts of data, protect systems from security threats, manage the risks of growing complexity in new systems, and communicate how technology can increase productivity.

Data Analysis - Demand will be high for IT workers with the ability to not only analyze dizzying amounts of data, but also work with business units to define what data is needed and where to get it. These hybrid business-technology employees will have IT expertise and an understanding of business processes and operations. They are people who understand what information people need and how that information translates into profitability.
Risk Management - Risk management skills will remain in high demand through 2020, especially at a time when business wrestles with growing IT complexity. Think of IT problems on the scale of BP's efforts to stop the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, or Toyota's work to correct sudden acceleration in some of its cars. Businesses will seek out IT workers with risk management skills to predict and react to these challenges.
Robotics - Robots will have taken over more jobs by 2020. IT workers specializing in robotics will see job opportunities in all markets. Robotics jobs will involve research, maintenance and repair. Specialists will explore uses for the technology in vertical markets. For example, some roboticists might specialize in health care, developing equipment for use in rehabilitation facilities, while others might create devices for the handicapped or learning tools for children.
Securing information - Since we're spending more and more time online, verifying users' identities and protecting privacy will be big challenges by 2020, because fewer interactions will be face-to-face, more personal information may be available online, and new technologies could make it easier to impersonate people. Teleworkers will also represent a larger portion of the workforce, opening up a slew of corporate security risks.
Running the network - Network systems and data communications management will remain a top priority in 2020, but as companies steer away from adding to the payroll, they will turn to consultants to tell them how to be more productive and efficient based on predictions from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Career path for IT professionals

Webmaster — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:54:54 -0600

Pure computer programmers are going the way of the typing pool. So are one-dimensional technology specialists like network engineers. Deeply technical professionals with multiple certifications in virtualization, networking and security technologies work primarily as component engineers and IT architects. Job titles include cloud architect, cloud capacity planner, cloud infrastructure administrator and integration architect.

CIOs and IT employment experts, including Janco Associates, Inc. predict that this bifurcation of IT roles will vastly accelerate, with most professionals falling into one of two major categories: technical specialists and business specialists.

The people who work in these roles design and maintain the underlying framework or architecture. On top of this architecture sits a shifting inventory of cloud services, plug-and-play Web-based applications and easy-to-use proprietary software components that together represent the key source of a company's competitive advantage.

Technical Specialists

Technical specialists are the people who work in a They kinow about data standards, information standards, virtualization, networks, mobile technology and IT architecture, among other things.

Organization will have far fewer people than today's IT department, but these workers will have an extremely rich set of technical skills, and they will understand precisely how their business makes and loses money and how all transactions flow through the enterprise.

This is where the enterprise's overall business process and technology architecture will be maintained. The infrastructure will be made up of multiple services furnished by a variety of outside suppliers, coupled with software components that were designed both externally and in-house and that are extremely intuitive and easy for various business functions to assemble and use competitively.

All indications are that by 2020, a big chunk of technical specialists' work will involve integrating a broader array of technologies and services into the overall enterprise infrastructure, CIOs say. That's why a broader set of networking, software, virtualization and other skills will be required.

Business Specialists

The work of business specialists is matching the right IT tool to the business need at hand. These are super-IT-savvy business experts who understand how the business works, how transactions flow, what makes and loses money for the company, and where and how technology can help or hinder the business.

This is where the upwardly mobile career action is, as well as the greatest coolness factor.

IT's future revolves along three interrelated dimensions all of which converge in the IT career track. They are:

Innovation, which he defines as the ability to convert ideas into money;
Business analytics, which involves operations research, data mining, data integration, reporting and statistics; and
Risk management, which requires a keen knowledge of business processes.

By 2020 technology will be easier to use and it will be more prevalent in other parts of the business and not just the purview of IT. It is about having employees who are versatile and who know various technologies and business processes. It makes us more flexible and reduces risks. Rotation creates versatility.

The CIO role becomes much more about how to use technology to help the business rather than how we provide the technology.

H-1B and L Visa application fees increased

Webmaster — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:11:34 -0600

The U.S. is reviewing whether the new $600 billion border security law for improved surveillance of illegal immigrants on the U.S.-Mexican border that increases visa fees on H-1B visas is compliant with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Visa fees on H-1B and L visas paid by these foreign companies by roughly $2,000 per visa application.

The new law will affect Indian and other outsourcers outside the U.S. who bring staff in large numbers to do work in the U.S., but it will not affect U.S. tech companies who also use workers from abroad. As U.S. tech companies are based in the U.S., their staff from abroad are typically less than 50% of their total staff in the U.S.

The total cost to all Indian outsourcers from the new measure could be collectively as much as $250 million a year. That is not a very large cost for Indian outsourcers to bear, considering that their revenue runs into billions of U.S. dollars, an analyst at a major research firm. But the same analyst is worried that the visa fee hike could be just the beginning of other protectionist measures by the U.S.

The new border security law has been criticized as discriminatory by India's National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), as it singles out companies that have more than 50% of their staff in the U.S. on these visas. The Indian outsourcing model involves deploying a large number of staff temporarily on customer projects in the U.S.

H-1B Visa program tied to Border Security in the US Senate

Webmaster — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:17:33 -0600

Senators will seek to restrict visa program, saying H-1B use has created 'multinational temp agencies' that discourage U.S. students from entering the tech field. Job Descriptions are required for H-1B employees that show these positions can be taken by recent college graduates.

One key Senator says that the H-1B program has created "multinational temp agencies" that undercut U.S. wages and discourage students from entering tech fields.

Speaking on the Senate floor in advance of its approval Thursday of $600 million for border security that includes an H-1B visa fee increase, said the H-1B program has morphed into program used to hire foreign tech workers "willing to accept less pay than their American counterparts."

The border security bill imposes a $2,000 fee increase on those firms that have 50 percent or more of their U.S. employees on H-1B and L-1 visas. That bill, which funds 1,500 new border officers and unmanned drones, awaits the president's signature.

The Senate had previously approved the border security bill, but when it included the visa fee increase further House action was needed, and the Senate had to act again.

Never Write Another Job Description From Scratch

Webmaster — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:55:50 -0600

If you plan to add new IT positions or re-organize your IT department in the near future, the IT Job Description HandiGuide will save you many hours of research. Detailed job descriptions are the best way to communicate the responsibilities and requirements to both prospective candidates and to the remainder of your organization and they are already written for you!

Janco and eJobDescription.com have compiled complete descriptions for the 230 most .IT positions. Each multi-page description contains a detailed description of the responsibilities and of the recommended requirements for each position. The documents are in Microsoft Word format and can be easily customized to fit your unique needs.

You will save hours of time for each position you're hiring with this handy resource.

How to succeed in IT in tough times

Webmaster — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:33:57 -0600

The best way to show that you're valuable is to be valuable. Focus on how you can deliver the most benefit to your employer, not on making sure everyone notices how hard you're working or what you've achieved.

The most reliable way to keep your career moving forward is to build a track record of consistent success. Things that you should do to standout in these tough times include:

Impress the CIO and your key users - IT reputations are built from the ground up. While you should always try to meet your manager's expectations, your day-to-day working relationships with colleagues are just as important. Assist your peers whenever you can without spreading yourself too thin. After all, they're the ones who can step in and help you meet a tight deadline.
Work longer hours smarter - Hard work is a prerequisite for most IT positions, but that doesn't mean "the more hours, the better." An extreme work schedule can actually lower your overall productivity by wearing you out and leading to burnout. Regularly working late also might be a sign that you're not managing your time well.
Become a specialist with a skill that is in demand - CIOs will always rely on experts in specific technologies, but succeeding in today's environment also requires an ability to expand beyond your job description as needed. Don't pass up training opportunities or projects that can help round out your skill set. By demonstrating that you're eager to expand your core abilities, you make yourself more likely to be considered when a chance for advancement arises.
Take charge and accept new responsibilities for things that you can do - A can do attitude won't move your career forward if you take on work that you can't, in fact, do. Indiscriminately volunteering for projects that extend beyond your current abilities can create headaches for the entire IT team. Ask yourself whether you have the appropriate skills and experience for the job. Instead of volunteering to lead a project, would it make more sense to play a supporting role in which you can learn as you go?
Focus on promotions that are meaningful - It's easy to be blinded by a loftier title and higher salary, but before you accept a promotion or a change in your current role, consider all the ramifications of the change, including your work/life balance. Also think about the tasks you most enjoy: Will you be able to devote as much time to them? All advancement entails some uncertainty, but accepting a higher-level role just for the pay and prestige can sap your satisfaction and lead to a career dead end.
Get the right certifications - In a highly competitive IT job market, the urge to enhance your résumé in any way possible is understandable. To bolster your qualifications, you may be tempted to earn new certifications - any new certifications. But these credentials carry their full value only when they're paired with experience. Choose training opportunities and certifications that realistically enhance your ability to help your current or next employer.
Do not engage in gossip and rumor spreading but be social and network - Spending a little time every day to maintain personal connections with people throughout the organization is essential to the health of your career. These informal relationships strengthen your network and may open the door to unforeseeable opportunities.

IT Professionals react to continue economic downturn

Webmaster — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:00:55 -0600

(SHRM) - As the economic downturn worsens, employers are scrambling to trim discretionary spending and, increasingly, to reduce payroll. Layoffs are on the rise in the U.S. workforce, with 651,000 jobs cut in February 2009 for a total of about 4.4 million jobs lost since December 2007. The overall national unemployment rate was at 8.1% in February 2009, the highest monthly unemployment figure since 1983. Even currently employed individuals are feeling the effects of the weakened job market and cost-cutting measures - both within their organizations and on a personal level.

The Society for Human Resource Management conducted a poll in January 2009 to gauge workers perceptions of the job market and the impact of the economic downturn on employer benefits and personal financial behavior. The summary results are:

Although one-half of workers felt that their jobs were not currently at risk, only about one-third felt that their jobs would not be at risk if the economy continued to decline over the next six months.
Nearly one-third of workers are likely to begin a job search or intensify their job search when the economy and job market improve.
The most frequently reported action employees have taken in response to the downturn in the economy was decreasing the use of credit cards and/or cancelling credit card accounts.

The making of an effective CIO

Webmaster — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:45:12 -0600

CIOs need to position themselves with their enterprises in order to be successful. They need to not only know where their clients want them to go but also to communicate how they are achieving those objectives. The objectives they need to meet and the metrics that can be used are:

· Understand requirements and objectives Frequency and number of requirements and objectives discussed with multiple people at customer organization.

· Establish company credibility and interest - Company viewed as a leader with known corporate, technical and project management teams in addition to solid past performance and experience.

· Preview preliminary solution with customer - Well-developed solution with features linked to objectives and approach vetted with customer to get buy-in and solution validation.

· Achieve acceptance of win strategy (technical, management, past performance, teaming, price) accepted by customer - Win strategy well established, previewed and accepted by customer.

· Influence the request for proposals - Procurement strategy, proposal instructions, and evaluation criteria favorable.

IT layoffs continue

Webmaster — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:03:33 -0600

As part of a large downsizing effort of its labor force in 2010, Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly is cutting 340 information technology jobs, according to an internal announcement.

Eli Lilly--which manufactures and markets drugs that fight cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgia and erectile dysfunction, among others--announced last year it was planning to cut costs of $1 billion in 2010, and the elimination of 5,500 workers is part of that cost reduction effort.

Eli Lilly has already seen about 140 layoffs, retirements and resignations in IT in 2010, according to the The Indianapolis Star. John Russell, a reporter for IndyStar.com, wrote the following on the latest round of layoffs:

"But it means 200 more information technology workers will lose their jobs this year. The company said 115 of those cuts will take place this month. Workers who are affected--or 'reallocated,' in Lilly parlance--are given several months to look for another position within the company. But openings for reallocated workers typically are extremely limited" Eli Lilly reported $5.486 billion revenue growth in the first quarter of 2010 -- a 9 percent increase from the first quarter of 2009. The company expects to see large costs associated with health care reform legislation that passed Congress and signed by the president earlier this year.

"Lilly delivered strong operational performance in the first quarter, even as we experienced continued weakness in the U.S. dollar versus prior periods and began to account for the impact from recently enacted U.S. health care reform," said the CEO in the quarterly earnings statement "Our volume-driven revenue growth remains solid and we are making the investments necessary to accelerate the flow of potential new medicines through our pipeline."

Eli Lilly announced on July 2 that it entered a definitive merger agreement to acquire Cambridge, Mass., biotechnology firm Alnara Pharmaceuticals, which has been developing a drug to help combat pancreatic deficiencies and those affected by cystic fibrosis.

Layoffs at Eli Lilly have not been isolated to IT; scientists, marketers, public relations representatives, sales professionals and others have all been let go from the company this year. Eli Lilly has roughly 40,000 employees globally and claims to be the 10th largest pharmaceutical company in the world.