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Topic: CXO

Java tops list of software skills in demand: employer survey

Summary: Demand is hottest this year for Java developers, new survey of 1,200 hiring managers shows.

Joe McKendrick

By for Service Oriented |

The folks at Dice just issued their latest findings based on data compiled from nearly 1,200 tech-focused hiring managers and recruiters, and Java developers are the top priority.

"If your company is looking to hire this talent, don't dawdle -- a seasoned Java developer clearly has options," says Alice Hill, managing director for Dice.com. Demand for tech professionals with Java know-how has grown year over year for more than two years as measured by job postings on Dice, she adds.

Software developers in general occupy the number-two position this year. On Dice, there are software developer positions posted in 44 out of 50 states. Outside of the major metropolitan markets, demand is strong in Florida, Oregon, Colorado and Arizona.

Occupying the number-three spot in the most sought-after skills are mobile developers and number four are .NET developers. As Hill explains, "Mobile has become ubiquitous and the number of qualified, experience developers hasn't caught up with the market," she says. "For .NET, the money gap and the concerns about .NET limiting careers has held back tech professionals from fully embracing the Microsoft framework."

Interesting point of view, that .NET may be a career inhibitor, given the fact that is is just as ubiquitous in enterprises as the Java platform.

Here is Dice's list of the top 10 software skills in demand as of January 2012:

  1. Java/Java EE developers
  2. Software developers/engineers
  3. Mobile developers
  4. .NET developers
  5. Project managers
  6. Web developers
  7. System engineers/administrators
  8. Network engineers/administrators
  9. SAP professionals
  10. Business analysts

Topics: CXO, Apps, Open Source, Software, Software Development, IT Employment

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15 comments
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  • Java is being at the top for YEARS

    The actual news would be if some other language takes the spot.
    wackoae
    Reply Vote

    • Just a matter of time .Net leaving Java in the dust

      Java's main advantage is that it started like 6-7 years ahead of .Net. That's about it. It is kinda stagnant especially now that it's under Oracle's control while .Net is moving steadily toward the cloud space. Microsoft's strategy of tight integration b/t their frameworks and platform will keep attracting more and more business to the .Net arena.
      LBiege
      Reply Vote

      • Sure .....

        @LBiege That is why .NET jobs are low paying jobs and they have less than 20% of them (compare to Java) available at any time of the year.

        Anybody who thinks that .NET jobs are going to replace ANY language are completely clueless. There are less .NET projects year after year.
        wackoae
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Java tops list of software skills in demand: employer survey

        @wackoae,<br><br>First of all, I would say Dice and McKendrick don't agree with you on .NET's usage in the enterprise:<br><br>"Interesting point of view, that .NET may be a career inhibitor, given the fact that is is just as ubiquitous in enterprises as the Java platform."<br><br>To try to avoid any flame wars, I will say this. The marketshare for enterprise developers comes down to two players... Java and .NET. <br><br>The frameworks are similar.<br>The performance is similar.<br>The skills required to develop in them is similar.<br>There is little in one that you can't do in the other.<br><br>There is really no reason to flame about it.
        bmonsterman
        Reply Vote

      • Used but has lockin

        @bmonsterman

        There is more bias towards java because (if written well) it can be ported off an environment which allows an enterprise to play vendors against each other whereas with .Net you get lock in to Microsoft

        Agree with your comparisons though
        the.nameless.drifter
        Reply Vote

      • Mobile and Cloud will ensure that .NET can never be a number one

        Or, for that matter, no single language can be. The mobile and tablet space has "instantly" reduced developer reach to 33%. When desktop was king, then a Java or a .NET developer had a 100% reach to develop native applications.
        GoForTheBest
        Reply Vote

  • This is funny and sad at the same time

    I've been recommending to everyone: Uninstall JAVA! It is the largest vector for viruses/trojans because it is cross-platform and can cause more damage since it is given extra permissions that are easy to circumvent than would normally be exposed to something like JavaScript. Also, it's mostly unnecessary for clients to have this on their systems. They're picking this technology now because of mobile apps? Hello HTML5! Don't expose users to the risky app environment!
    Vapur9
    Reply Vote

    • I guess you have no clue of what you are talking about

      @Vapur9 Java the largest vector for viruses/trojans?? I guess you are completely clue less about the topic. On top of that you are so ignorant about Java and how it works, that you don't even realize that just because it runs on multiple platforms it does not mean that the same bugs apply to all platforms.

      To educate you a little, the top vector for viruses and trojans today is FLASH, who (a couple of years ago) took the spot from ActiveX. Java is not even in the top 5 list.

      Does Java have bugs ... absolutely. But that does not mean that Java is a vector for viruses ... it only means it has bugs, just like every software in the world.
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Java tops list of software skills in demand: employer survey

      @Vapur9

      Most corporate java programmers code on the server, which is behind a firewall and Admins are the only ones that log into it. I don't think java viruses/trojans are really relevant in this context.
      bmonsterman
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Java tops list of software skills in demand: employer survey

    Having more Java job adverts than .NET adverts can have many causes. One of them is that there are actually more Java jobs. But it can also be that there's a greater fluctuation in Java jobs (because shorter project times, low skillset, larger number of project failures, etc). Also, if .NET developers have a better and more homogene community, they can recommend each other when there are new jobs open, so the company doesn't have to actually put up a .NET job advert to fill the position. Etc. <br><br>So, sorry but the number data of job adverts by itself doesn't say anything about how "hot" Java or any other competing platform (whether it be .NET, Android, or whatever) might be. The same goes for any other language, platform or role. It's practically all worthless data in this form, not worth to quote them.
    ff2
    Reply Vote

    • You can't talk about low skill sets when defending .NET

      @ff2 You do know that MSCEs have some of the lowest skill sets in the industry? Trying to use the "skill set" excuse to defend .NET against any language is kind of ridiculous.
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Java tops list of software skills in demand: employer survey

        @wackoae,

        What does MCSE (not MSCE) have to do with .NET?
        bmonsterman
        Reply Vote

  • Overlap

    There is quite a bit of overlap between items 1-4 and 6. Dice needs to uniquely qualify each of the top 10 entries in order to differentiate them.
    bmonsterman
    Reply Vote

  • .NET Career Inhibitor

    "Interesting point of view, that .NET may be a career inhibitor, given the fact that is is just as ubiquitous in enterprises as the Java platform."

    I have heard that, all things being equal (years of experience, level of expertise), that there is a differential between Java and .NET developers. That being said, as a .NET developer, I've always made well above what the industry cites as the median programmer/analyst salary. The difference can't be enough to say that .NET is career limiting.
    bmonsterman
    Reply Vote

  • Java application development services

    Cygnet offers Java application development services for web, desktop, and enterprise software with the help of latest Java tools and technologies.
    cygnetinfotech
    Reply Vote
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