Kathy Ullrich predicts the following technology industry hiring trends for 2007:
Digital Content/Video
From my past technology industry career, I have a patent on a video-on-demand technology from the mid 1980’s. It was the time when cable was expanding to over 30 channels and CATV companies and telcos wanted to find more content to drive increased bandwidth consumption. Fast forward twenty years and we now see wireless and Internet companies and more all working on video and digital content to drive increased usage. Besides companies on the content and user side, watch for growth in the infrastructure companies needed to support transport, storage, content management, digital rights, and security to deliver the content.
Blogging/Wiki’s
Blogging and Wiki’s are the winners for getting your message to the market. Ken Rudin on the Getting to the Top CEO panel said that instead of the typical PR and messaging for companies, “It’s all about blogging, blogging, blogging.” Enough said. One day I’ll find the time to maintain content such as this in a blog. Again, watch for companies supporting the use, maintenance, and searching within blogs.
Web 2.0 and Web 2.0 Fallout
In the Web 2.0 space some companies make a lot of sense, especially if you are a teenager. But what’s the real need or interest? I think that if people use lessons from the dot.com bubble in evaluating what companies have a chance, there are some really interesting companies that will transform how we use the web. Many of these companies are being started by the next generation of executives but could value from executives who already built companies during the dot.com era.
SOA – Service Oriented Architecture
Companies have made significant investments in technology platforms and applications, yet the underlying technologies continue to improve (I recently saw the new UI WinFX) and there are many more web services and applications that companies will want to adopt as they become available. How do you build your IT infrastructure to take advantage of the best technology and services, without huge expense/time for upgrades and rewriting applications? I’ve worked on a number of SOA product marketing/management searches from VP to individual contributor over the past year and think the demand will continue throughout the year.
SaaS – Software as a Service
Look for Software as a Service applications (previously known as Application Service Providers, ASPs) like SaleForce.com try to become the platform for other applications. In 1999 I worked with Jamcracker, an early leader building an ASP platform, recruit a VP Product Marketing, VP Sales and VP Marketing. Jamcracker was one of the ideas a little early for their time during the dot.com era. As more companies look to the SaaS solutions, what are the next platforms and technologies enabling applications? Executives are learning the different sales models to be successful in this space.
“I’m happy” -- a tighter job market
I am working on a number of product marketing/management searches right now and hearing, “I’m happy where I am” from a lot of people. After the disruptions in careers in the 2001-02 timeframe and current technology company growth, many individuals enjoy the stability and growth opportunities in their current roles. This requires companies to use more marketing and sales in their recruiting processes as we did during the dot.com boom, especially for critical hires.
Global Warming
There is a general sentiment toward taking care of the environment, whether it is driving an electric vehicle, recycling electronics, or using alternative energy like solar. We will continue to see the media highlighting companies that do their part for the economy, whether products/services of the company or the company’s efforts at being green. Companies in the alternative energy space will be driving technological enhancement in energy storage and transfer, as well as scale to become less cost prohibitive. I will add to this Pollyanna category, the increased emphasis of company’s to give back to the community in general. What are you and your company doing? Many candidates feel good about joining companies taking care of the environment and community.
Current Searches
Kathryn Ullrich Associates, Inc. is currently working on consulting, product marketing, operations and sales searches as follows:
- VP/Director Product Management, Insurance/Reinsurance – Risk modeling software company
- Director/Senior Product Marketing Manager – Early stage enterprise software application company
- Senior Product Marketing Managers in BPM, SOA and MDM – Leading integration software company
- Principal, Supply Chain Operations – Leading high tech consulting firm
- Membership Development Directors/Inside Sales in supply chain and professional services – Trade association holding company
For more information, visit our web site, www.ullrichassociates.com. Kathryn Ullrich Associates, Inc. focuses on C-suite, VP and Director level hires across the functions of Product Marketing/Management, Marketing, Sales, Engineering, and Consulting for technology and professional services companies.
News
Kathryn Ullrich Associates, Inc. is working with Carol Dressler of Dressler Associates. Many of you may know Carol from ten years of executive recruiting in Silicon Valley. She has worked with venture investors and entrepreneurs in building leadership teams of technology companies. Carol is returning to Stanford University in the Development department and wanted a way to continue to help technology companies and candidates that have recruiting needs. Carol will work with me as an advisor on senior level searches.
Upcoming Events
To help individuals acquire professional skills needed to reach higher job levels within marketing and sales professions, Kathryn Ullrich Associates, Inc., together with Alumni Career Services at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and UCLA Anderson School of Management, presents Getting to the Top. This series explores the skills and knowledge successful leaders leverage in their careers to get to the top. The schedule for 2007 is:
Northern California:
- January 30 – Getting to the Top from Consulting (Details below)
- March 27 – Getting to the Top in Venture Capital and Private Equity
- May 22 – Getting to the Top in Sales and Business Development
- October 23 – Getting to the Top – CEOs at the Top
Southern California:
- February 8 – Getting to the Top from Consulting (Details below)
- April 19 – Getting to the Top in Venture Capital and Private Equity
- May 31 – Getting to the Top in Sales and Business Development
- September 27 – Getting to the Top – CEOs at the Top