Re: Companies won't pay for COBOL?

"Pete Dashwood" <dashwood@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:674qh1F2et4f7U1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Some of us need to keep skills current and be aware of what is
marketable 
> and what's not.
>
> Mindful of this, I came across the following article:
>
>
http://www.networkworld.com/cgi-bin/mailto/x.cgi?pagetosend=/export/home/httpd/htdocs/news/2008/041708-careers-sidebar.html&pagename=/news/2008/041708-careers-sidebar.html&pageurl=http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/041708-careers-sidebar.html&site
>
> It is about the skills that are perceived as being in decline, but it 
> links to another article about what is currently considered "hot".
....

I found these comments of particular interest.... " There is less need for

system-side knowledge.." , "The skill area expected to decline the most in

importance is hardware...",

I'd like a nickel for every time I've said "newbies" should focus on 
learning an INDUSTRY first and specific programming language skills
second.

Of course the article does say "Operating system know-how continues to be
in 
top demand among hiring managers.." and I've routinely played down
operating 
system skills, so I guess the author is not in TOTAL agreement with me.

But still, the article seems to suggest the need for technical expertise
is 
declining relative to 'other' skills... which must include "applications 
expertise."

So you newbies get out there: spend some time on the sales-service desk,
out 
on the loading dock or in the accounting office.. the skills you pick up
in 
those places will never fall out of demand. New languages you can always 
pick up as required.

MCM