OptiHire.com Tabulates the Top 10 Tech Skills Employers are Seeking

optiHire.com ^ | July 5, 2012 | optiHire.com

[frankenMonkey]

An analysis of optiHire.com's data reveals that open-source and web-specific programming expertise dominate the in-demand skills that employers are searching for, accounting for 8 of the Top 10 skills. Open Source refers to programming code that can be read, viewed, modified, and distributed, by anyone, free of charge. Two of the Top 10 skills are Microsoft-specific enterprise application development tools.

The Top 10 Tech Skills in Demand are:

1. HTML (32% of employers requested this skill)
2. CSS (32%)
3. JavaScript (27%)
4. PHP (21%)
5. MySQL (20%)
6. jQuery (17%)
7. C# (16%)
8. .NET (16%)
9. MVC (11%)
10. Linux (10%)

HTML ("HyperText Markup Language") is the fundamental language of the Web, one that defines, contains and displays all website content in your Web browser, including text, images, links, forms, imbedded video, etc. All web pages must conform to standardized HTML syntax to be displayed correctly in the browser.

CSS ("Cascading Style Sheets") is the primary language used to define and format the visual look and feel of Web pages, particularly one written in HTML. CSS allows Web developers create a uniform look across multiple pages of a Web site, and allow a Web site to be visually updated very quickly and easily.

JavaScript is a scripting language that is integrated into standard HTML pages to create enhanced interactive Web pages, including validating user input, creating dynamic content and advanced user interfaces. JavaScript's use in server-side web applications is also growing.

PHP is a server-side programming language originally used to produce dynamic Web pages, many times from databases. PHP can also be embedded into an HTML page to dynamically generate Web page content. Included in almost every Web server in the world today, PHP is also available in all desktop Operating Systems.

MySQL is the most-widely used open source version of SQL ("Structured Query Language"), a server-based relational database management system. MySQL is used in many high-profile Web organizations, including Wikipedia, Google, Facebook and Twitter. Applications using MySQL databases include Joomla, WordPress and Drupal.

jQuery is a JavaScript library that simplifies scripting of HTML pages, allowing programmers to navigate a document, select elements and handle events, to create dynamic web pages and web applications. jQuery also provides the ability to create plug-ins for animation, advanced display effects, themes and widgets.

Two Microsoft-specific technologies come in at positions 7 and 8:

C# ("C Sharp") is a modern object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft, and is the main programming language of the Microsoft .NET framework (see below.) C#, rivaled only by Java in its widespread adoption, is used for all types and scales of applications.

.NET Framework ("dot net") is a Microsoft application framework primarily for Microsoft Windows and ASP.NET-supporting websites. It provides an application program interface (API) for programmers supporting interoperability across multiple programming languages, including user interface, data access, database connectivity and network communications.

MVC ("Model-View-Controller") is the most-used architecture (or "pattern") for Web applications. The Model manages data and contains the application logic. The View displays the data in specific formats, and the Controller manages the interactions between the Model and the View.

Linux, the open source operating system. Used on virtually every Web server on the Internet, it is the leading operating system on servers, mainframes and supercomputers, and also runs on embedded systems including mobile phones, tablet computers and game consoles.

[ottbmare]

Having the skills you cite is great. Goes without saying that those are the real requirements for most jobs, in almost any field. The problem is getting an interview so that you can convince an employer that you do have those skills and attitudes. To get the interview, you have to have the more specific competencies they're looking for, or think they're looking for, in a specific position.

[eyedigress]

#1 Anything NI Labview

[ShadowAce]

[ShadowAce]

I have about 2.5 of the skills listed at the top.

However, I also have all 5 of your list. I make pretty good money, am well-respected by my peers and managers, and have been told that the company cannot afford to lose me.

I would add a sixth item to your list, though--willingness to learn. Careers are almost always changing and evolving. If you cannot adapt and adjust, you'll be left behind.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Specific languages come and go. The ability to use your brain to solve complex and challenging problems is probably the more fundamental skill. In any job situation there are two words that I hear more than any others - “Industry Experience”.

[TSgt]

Good luck competing with Habib...

[antiRepublicrat]

these aren’t really developer skills, except for mvc and c#. they would be considered support skills to core developer capabilities

It depends. CSS and JavaScript are core developer skills for AJAX web sites. PHP is a core developer skill for many web sites. Database skills can be meaning SQL programming, which is a core developer skill for many, especially in enterprise where you need to be able to sift through terabytes of data and billions of complexly interrelated records quickly.

[DigitalVideoDude]

“-31 times more Java phones ship every year than Apple and Android combined”

Android ~is~ Java.

[dfwgator]

I am a big fan of Apache Wicket, for developing Java-based web applications. Use standard HTML/CSS/Javascript for the front-end, and use Java for the “Code-Behind” logic, similar to ASP.NET. But there is no scripting in the markup, so it’s a clean separation of concerns.

[Still Thinking]

I thought you said, "40 year old LISP . . .

Well, actually, his recommendation involved "list processing"....

[RockyMtnMan]

I know, I took the list straight from the Oracle web site. It’s double counting in my opinion, typical Oracle.