Re: Trouble Filling Java Jobs

There seems to be some biased against the perspective employee vs the
perspective employer. So, let me balance the scales some based on my
experience over the past year or so:

1. Some employers claim they are looking for mid-level people, when in
fact they are looking for senior level people. Personally, I attribute
this to a desire to low ball our salaries.

2. Some employers aren't willing to pay salaries that match the
perspective employees skills.

3. Some employers over-emphasize the latest buzz words. We all know
that there are way  more frameworks and technologies in the J2EE realm
than any one person could hope to even be exposed to, yet alone
master. If it were me doing the interviewing, I would focus on looking
at how many frameworks and technologies the perspective employee has
picked up  in the past couple of years. This indicates to me the
persons desire and ability to learn quickly. If a person has picked up
many skills and technologies over the recent past, is it that much a
stretch to imagine they could learn new ones?

4. Some employers under-emphasize core skills. How fast do you learn?
How well do you communicate? How well do you work under pressure? How
good are your people skills? These type of skills require a skilled
interviewer to expose. I'll wager many of the recruiting firms that
are hired by employers find it much easier to do a skills check-list
instead of a real interview.

5. Stagnant environments often steeped in antiquated technologies.
These are often the same companies that ask for the latest buzz words,
yet it's clear after an interview they have no intention of moving to
these technologies any time soon. Perhaps employers can afford to stay
behind the technology curve, but in the current IT environment
employees cannot.

6. Undesirable culture in the IT department or the company as a whole.

7. Many recruitment firms are lousy. Chances are your company isn't
even being presented with a good sampling of truly skilled
individuals.

I would respectfully submit that perhaps some employers need to take a
look at the shortcomings of their employment process and company
environment before jumping to the conclusion that the skills they need
aren't available. Smart people want to work in a challenging
environment that rewards ability.