[Jobinfo] Fwd: ACM CareerNews Alert for Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Wed Apr 20 11:10:24 CEST 2011
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: ACM CareerNews Alert for Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:03:35 -0400
From: ACM CareerNews <careernews@HQ.ACM.ORG>
To: CAREERNEWS@LISTSERV.ACM.ORG
<http://www.acm.org/membership/careernews/current>
April 19, 2011
ACM CareerNews <http://careernews.acm.org>
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Welcome to the April 19, 2011 edition of /ACM CareerNews/, providing
twice monthly summaries of articles on career-related topics of interest
to students and professionals in the computing field. For instructions
on how to unsubscribe from this service, please see below. <#unsubscribe>
/ACM CareerNews/ is intended as an objective career news digest for busy
IT professionals. Views expressed are not necessarily those of ACM. To
send comments, please write to careernews@hq.acm.org
<mailto:careernews@hq.acm.org>.
*HEADLINES AT A GLANCE:*
* Silicon Valley Experiencing New Hiring Boom <#1>
* Computer Science Enrollments Rebound, Up 10% Last Fall <#2>
* Mentorship Key for Women in IT, says Collaborate Panel <#3>
* Yes, You Can Make Performance Reviews Worthwhile <#4>
* How To Know If You're Ready To Move Up The Corporate Ladder <#5>
* Turning Federal Workers Into Successful Teleworkers <#6>
* How to Network: Five Tips for Maximizing Your Meetings <#7>
* IT Superheroes Snag New Skills <#8>
* How Women Can Advance in Science and Technology <#9>
* Educating Computing's Next Generation <#10>
*Silicon Valley Experiencing New Hiring Boom
CNN, April 5
*
Graduates with science and engineering degrees are about to enter the
hottest Silicon Valley job market since the dot.com crash a decade ago.
Some recent graduates are even turning down interview requests from the
best-known companies in the technology world in order to launch their
own Internet start-ups. Not surprisingly, competition is growing among
Silicon Valley companies to hire the best young engineering talent. All
of this is leading to a Silicon Valley hiring boom, as big players
expand and medium-sized companies advertise a steady stream of job openings.
Despite these signs of a vigorous hiring environment in the Bay Area,
Silicon Valley still has a 10.6% unemployment rate -- higher than last
month's national average of 8.8%. However, Silicon Valley produced 1,200
jobs last month, and its biggest companies are on track to add thousands
more in 2011. Some high-profile companies are even planning to double
their workforce over the next 12 months. All these rosy hiring
forecasts, mixed with new infusions of venture capital, have even
created talk of another dot.com "bubble" like the one that appeared in 2000.
SimplyHired.com, a search engine for job listings, says that nearly 40%
of the 130,000 open positions in Silicon Valley are for software
engineers. Innovations in social media, mobile and cloud computing are
driving the growth. Even during a recession, Silicon Valley has been
able to re-invent itself. According to statistics from SimplyHired.com,
since July 2009 there has been a 245% increase in openings that have
"Facebook" as a keyword and a 421% increase in "Twitter" job postings --
evidence that the fast-growing social-networking sites are creating jobs
outside their own companies.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://articles.cnn.com/2011-04-05/tech/silicon.valley.job.market_1_software-engineers-job-market-simplyhired?_s=PM:TECH>
to the top <#top_of_page>
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*Computer Science Enrollments Rebound, Up 10% Last Fall
Computerworld, April 12 *
For the third consecutive year, computer science enrollments have
increased, ending the significant decline in enrollments that followed
the bursting of the dot-com bubble in 2000-2001. When that speculative
bubble burst, the subsequent shakeout and unemployment in the tech
industry sent enrollments plummeting, raised concerns that the U.S.
competitiveness would suffer in the long run. Enrollments are heading
up, but are still well below the peak reached nearly 10 years ago.
According to the Computer Research Association (CRA), enrollments in
computer science programs were up last fall by as much as 10%.
The current numbers on computer science enrollment reflect the changing
fortunes of the industry over the past decade. The dot-com era increased
demand for programmers, engineers and analysts and prompted many
students to enroll in computer science programs. At its peak in 2001,
the average enrollment in computer science departments was 398, but by
2007, it had declined in half. Enrollments now average at about 253
students per department. The interest today in computer science careers
appears to be a more reasoned response to a field that seems positioned
at the hub of just about every national priority. If you want to do work
in science, engineering, health care, national security or finance, a
computing degree can help.
In terms of graduates, the survey counted 12,500 computer science
graduates last year, compared to 20,677 in 2002. Although the computer
science increases over the past three years have been healthy,
enrollments will not be going back to an average of 400 per department.
What is motivating students today to study computer sciences is the
availability of jobs, as well as the impact of computing in society.
Students are intrinsically interested in computing and interested in
computing as a tool to help them solve problems in other fields.
According to the CRA survey, men continue to dominate computer science.
The share of women graduates in computer science rose to 13.8% in 2010.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9215720/Computer_science_enrollments_rebound_up_10_last_fall?source=CTWNLE_nlt_careers_2011-04-12&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+computerworld%2Fs%2Ffeed%2Ftopic%2F10+%28Computerworld+Careers+News%29>
to the top <#top_of_page>
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*Mentorship Key for Women in IT, says Collaborate Panel
Network World, April 13 *
Mentors can play an important role in helping women advance their
careers within the information technology field. Mentors are especially
important because women continue to be heavily outnumbered by men in the
technology workplace and still need to contend with lingering
perceptions about their abilities. As a result, they need to not only
constantly push themselves forward but also find someone who can help
them. Women need to take ownership of what they have done and make sure
they are letting people within the organization know what they have
accomplished.
For women in IT, it is useful to find someone to mentor and sponsor them
within the organization. If you have someone willing to promote you to
others, it can be good for your career. For example, someone could
actively promote you throughout the organization by talking about the
things you can do, becoming a very strong sponsor for your abilities.
Women who are already in influential positions need to be willing to
sponsor and mentor those that are just breaking into the field. At the
same time, it's important for women to support others who are above them
in the hierarchy. Mentoring can be especially useful in organizations
where the women are not organized into any groups or have any sort of
interaction with each other.
You can use mentors very strategically, to achieve different goals. Some
might be executive sponsors, while others might have a special skill
that you would like to acquire. Feel free to shift mentors over time.
You can condition others how they look at you, by taking on - or not
taking on - certain projects and assignments. Such advice comes at a
time when the number of women in IT is on the decline. According to the
National Center for Women & IT, in 2009, only 25% of U.S IT
professionals were women, compared to 36% in 1991.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/041311-mentorship-key-for-women-in.html>
to the top <#top_of_page>
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*Yes, You Can Make Performance Reviews Worthwhile
Business Week, April 8 *
According to John Berry, the head of the federal Office of Personnel
Management, performance reviews can be improved to the point where they
help, not hinder, career progression. Building on some of the teachings
of legendary management guru Peter Drucker, he suggests that, when it
comes to setting employee standards, giving appraisals, and rating and
compensating people, the processes now in place across the government
are no longer effective. Most importantly, assessing an employee's
performance should always begin with someone's strengths, not with his
or her weaknesses. The article takes a closer look at how traditional
appraisal systems can be updated to reflect this fundamental management
insight.
Among the reforms Berry is calling for the government to implement are
detailed yardsticks that are objective, aligned to agency mission and
goals, and have true employee buy-in. The goal is to measure employees
against specific performance expectations. After all, the federal
performance-management system largely rewards employees based on
longevity in a job. As a result, there is a lack of transparency and
consistency in how people are evaluated. For many employees, performance
standards are too unclear and subjective: you don't fully know what's
expected of you or how you're doing.
The ideal appraisal would ask questions that zero in on an individual's
strengths: What has he or she done well? What, therefore, is he or she
likely to do well in the future? What new knowledge or skills must he or
she acquire in order to coax the full benefit from his or her strengths?
This appraisal concentrates on what people naturally do well. At the
same time, it positions weaknesses so they are seen as limitations to
the full use of an employee's talents, not as deficiencies that one
needs to obsess over. Just as Drucker had little tolerance for employees
who've been put in a position to leverage their strengths but then don't
execute, it is the role of the government to find and remedy any manager
who consistently fails to perform with high distinction.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/apr2011/ca2011046_719401.htm>
to the top <#top_of_page>
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*How To Know If You're Ready To Move Up The Corporate Ladder
Glassdoor.com, April 13 *
As defined by research firm Gartner, Generation V ("Virtual") is a way
of defining a demographic group in terms of interests, attitudes and
behaviors rather than age. In an online environment, age is no longer
the primary factor. Office workers who may rank low in terms of income,
rank or popularity may at the same time rank high in terms of reputation
and influence online. As a result, employers may want to think about
ways they can tap into online reputation, prestige and influence within
their workforce.
Seek out the most senior person you know that is in the position that
you aspire to reach and ask them what jobs they wish they would have
become involved with that would help them to better prepare. Also ask
what skills and areas are most important to know to succeed in their
job. What you hear back may be the jobs you want to look out for in the
next few years. Then, lean towards what seems hard and risky. There are
certain jobs that are just harder than others, or so they might appear
at first. It may not be that they are difficult, it could be that they
are the job that no one wants because others haven't succeeded or just
don't like them.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/youre-ready-move-corporate-ladder/>
to the top <#top_of_page>
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*Turning Federal Workers Into Successful Teleworkers
Federal Computer Week, April 6 *
Despite the passage of the Telework Enhancement Act last year, efforts
to implement telework policies in the federal government continue to
encounter managerial resistance. Supervisors and managers have been less
likely to telework than rank-and-file employees, so they lack the
firsthand experience that could make them better advocates for
home-based work arrangements. On the other hand, modeling telework
behavior sends a clear message of support and may provide one effective
strategy for efforts to expand federal telework. With a few
accommodations and the appropriate mix of discipline and flexibility,
federal managers can even thrive despite the reduction in face-to-face
time with their employees.
Managers who are undecided about teleworking should try it and see if it
works for them. The first decision managers need to make is what kind of
telework schedule fits their needs. A full-time telework arrangement
might not be ideal for managers. They should outline how they're going
to work in a remote environment and consider what about their routine is
going to change and what will stay the same. They should also seek
online collaboration tools that can support and enhance the telework
experience. Those preparations will help managers establish clear
expectations for themselves and their employees. Managers also should be
willing to test their telework arrangement for a few weeks and reassess
their situation often to make sure it's working.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://fcw.com/articles/2011/04/11/feat-telework-managers-get-onboard.aspx>
to the top <#top_of_page>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*How to Network: Five Tips for Maximizing Your Meetings
CIO.com, April 6 *
Ford Meyers, a career coach and job search expert, shares five tips for
making sure that both parties at a networking meeting walk away happy.
When you're involved in a job search, meetings over lunch or coffee with
contacts in your network - and with your contacts' contacts - can help
you uncover job opportunities or lead you to people who work at
desirable organizations. Depending on how you approach these meetings,
your networking will be either tremendously productive or a waste of
everyone's time. You want to prepare in such a way that your contact
doesn't walk away wishing he could get that 30 minutes of his or her
life back.
The first way to optimize your networking is to make sure the meeting is
not one-sided. Assure contacts up front, when requesting a meeting, that
you want the encounter to be mutually beneficial. Job seekers who set
the expectation up front that they want to give back to their contacts
get more out of their networking meetings than job seekers who don't.
Second, have an agenda. Before you even request a meeting with a
contact, you should know exactly what you want to get from speaking with
this person. Your agenda might also include a list of questions that
you'd like to ask your contact or a list of companies you're targeting
in your job search. Send this agenda, along with a one-page professional
bio, to your contact before your meeting.
During the meeting, find ways to respect everyone's time. Since you set
up the meeting, you have to run it the same way you'd run a meeting at
the office. Without being overly formal, you do have to kick it off,
keep it on track and make sure you touch on everything that you need to
address. Finally, make sure that you follow up. Don't neglect to thank
your contact for his or her time after the meeting. Use the thank-you
e-mail as an opportunity to ask your contact for his or her feedback on
the meeting you held. When you land a job, make sure you share the good
news with your contacts, and tell them all that you couldn't have done
it without their help.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.cio.com/article/679057/How_to_Network_5_Tips_for_Maximizing_Your_Meetings_?source=CIONLE_nlt_careers_2011-04-12>
to the top <#top_of_page>
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*IT Superheroes Snag New Skills
Computerworld, April 4 *
Layoffs and hiring freezes have left many IT professionals with new
tasks and additional responsibilities. Savvy IT workers are pushing past
the negative vibes and learning to see opportunities in this rough
economy. They're gaining new skills and raising their visibility as they
take on roles that once would have gone to others. There is always
opportunity in the midst of change in an organization. That's an
important dynamic for people to know. The prospects for job growth are
real, even if IT budgets are stressed and workloads are high. Companies
still need to get on with technology projects, and employees who are
willing to accept new responsibilities in order to get those projects
done can advance their own careers in the process. That's because these
high-octane workers are able to build relationships, become experts in
specific technologies and demonstrate leadership skills that they didn't
have a chance to showcase during better economic times.
For IT workers looking to get ahead, it's not just about working more
hours, it's also about preparing for the future. In Computerworld's 2011
Salary Survey, 44% of IT professionals said that taking on new tasks in
their current positions is the best way for them to advance their
careers and earn more money. Indeed, many IT workers are looking ahead
to better opportunities: 40% of the respondents said that they expect to
be promoted to a higher-level position five years from now. People who
are capitalizing on opportunities in today's work environment will find
themselves well positioned for advancement when the job market starts to
expand. Display a good work ethic, fulfill your responsibilities, and
demonstrate the ability and willingness to help achieve the overall
goals of the organization.
To stand out in the crowd, IT workers are taking on roles and
responsibilities that they didn't have prior to the downturn. As a
result, they're learning new and valuable skills. While companies may
not be able to hand out big raises, they hope to provide more
recognition when the economy recovers in earnest. If employers do not
understand and reward the extra effort that some employees are making,
they ignore them at their own peril, because they'll be the first to go.
Companies can try to recognize employees who put in some extra effort,
by preserving as many perks as possible, both large and small.
Organizations may be able to cherry-pick top talent that's undervalued
elsewhere.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/355222/IT_Superheroes?source=CTWNLE_nlt_careers_2011-04-05>
to the top <#top_of_page>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*How Women Can Advance in Science and Technology
MentorNet Newsletter, April 2011 *
Women are still facing obstacles to career advancement within science
and technology fields. According to experts dealing with these issues on
an everyday basis, there are a handful of effective solutions for
overcoming these hurdles in the professional world. For example,
creating a stronger, more appealing "brand" for science and technology
could attract more candidates. In addition, there needs to be greater
emphasis on female-friendly education, more emphasis on diverse hiring
practices, and changes to the underlying culture of organizations.
Task force participants at the Wall Street Journal's Women in the
Economy Conference emphasize how important it is to re-brand the science
and technology fields to attract more women. One top recommendation is
to glamorize technology, make it a cool field for women to want to go
into. Another suggestion is to have more female role models in media and
in the news to captivate women's attention to the fields. It is also
vital to offer compulsory classes in science and technology in academic
institutions. These classes are great way to catch and retain women's'
interest in science and technology. Academic institutions should also
create a greater supply of internships for women in these fields.
Technology employers must find ways to recruit and retain women in their
workplace. There needs to be a long-term strategy for women wanting to
stay and continue working at their companies. It should be the
employer's responsibility to oversee women's advancement in science and
technology. Finally, there needs to be an emphasis on diverse hiring.
Every candidate pool and interview panel should include women. This
would entail more women being hired and being successful in science and
technology.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://www.mentornet.net/documents/about/news/april2011/news5.aspx>
to the top <#top_of_page>
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*Educating Computing's Next Generation
Communications of the ACM, Vol. 54 No. 4, April 2011 *
Robert B. Schnabel, chair of ACM's Education Policy Committee and Dean
of the School of Informatics at Indiana University, shares his thoughts
on how we can better educate the next generation of computer science
graduates. Policymakers and educators must emphasize that computer
science knowledge and skills are among the most essential ingredients of
a modern education, since they provide the foundation for modern
competency in many others fields ranging from sciences to communications
to entertainment. Computer science knowledge will enable the next
generation to create, not just consume, the next wave of computing
innovations. At a time when the current and projected demand for
computing workers far outstrips any other area of STEM, educators and
policymakers must act quickly to address this imbalance between supply
and demand.
The Education Policy Committee was founded in 2007 to provide greater
direction to the nation's educators and policymakers. Unlike other
sciences, such as physics or chemistry, the study of computer science
only dates back about half a century. This means that, while the higher
education system adapted fairly quickly to the existence and importance
of CS, the K-12 system has not. Over the past decade, the U.S. has seen
significant declines in the number of K-12 CS courses, the number of
students taking the CS advanced placement exam, and the number of
undergraduate CS majors. In addition, the participation of women and
underrepresented minorities remains low at all levels.
While the U.S. is the initial focus, computing education is a global
issue and many positions of the Education Policy Committee have global
applicability. Since its founding, the EPC has achieved some significant
results, including co-sponsoring the 2010 report "Running on Empty: The
Failure to Teach K-12 Computer Science in the Digital Age," which
examined the extent to which CS education is incorporated into current
state education standards and to what extent states allow CS courses to
count as a graduation credit in a required or core subject. The EPC has
also led the development and implementation of CSEd Week; led
development of the Computing in the Core coalition in order to elevate
the national profile of U.S. K-12 CS education. The EPC has also held
numerous events, conferences, and meetings with government policymakers
to raise awareness of CS education issues and commented on various STEM
education studies and policies to assure full attention to CS.
Click Here to View Full Article
<http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2011/4/106589-educating-computings-next-generation/fulltext>
to the top <#top_of_page>
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