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June 22, 1999
Web posted at: 3:08 p.m. EDT (1908 GMT)

by Steve Alexander

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(IDG) -- Wanna get really hot this summer? Then bask in the glow of these technology and business skills. We asked several top information technology executives to offer tips for IT pros who want to advance their careers. Their advice: Learn about project management and teamwork, develop business expertise and work on personal communications skills. Some of the most highly prized management skills are team-building, managing outside partners and vendors and negotiation savvy..

Executives say the hottest language skills to learn are anything Web-related as well as C and C++ programming. Oracle continues to be the favored database skill, and security techniques are a widely valued Internet/intranet skill. Among the jobs that are hardest to fill are project manager, Web developer and senior-level systems or network analyst.

The executives

• Tom J. Conarty, Director of Information Technology at Bethlehem Steel Corp. in Bethlehem, Pa.

• Joe Eckroth, CIO of GE Marquette Medical Systems in Milwaukee.

• Mike Natan, CIO of Reliance National Insurance Co. in New York and Reliance Insurance Co. in Philadelphia.

• Stephanie Reel, CIO of Johns Hopkins University and vice president for information services for Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore.

• Robert M. Rubin, Senior vice president and CIO, Elf Atochem North America Inc., Philadelphia.

• David T. Tilney, manager of corporate systems, TECO Energy, Tampa, Fla.

The hot language skills

Eckroth: The Internet language skills required to implement a company's e-commerce and intranet strategies are in high demand — languages such as Java, HTML, [Oracle's] PL/SQL and now XML [Extensible Markup Language].

Natan: Anything Internet application development-related, including Java and HTML; Visual Basic, C and C++; and... Cobol skills.

Reel: We continue to look for experts in Java and C++, but it's the ability to really understand a requirement and manipulate the tools to develop the solution that matters most.

Rubin: Cobol for the next few months. C++ and [Advanced Business Application Programming -- the SAP report language] are important. But two skills that really count today are the ability to design Web pages and knowledge of SAP configuration.

Tilney: Java, ActiveX along with C++ continue to be among the most sought-after language skills.

The hot networking skills

Eckroth: [Windows] NT by far. Webcasting requires a grasp on a whole new set of technologies. People with skills in deploying and integrating network monitoring tools such as OpenView, Vital Signs, [Microsoft System Management Server] are very hot.

Natan: Internet Protocol, extranets, network security, LAN, WAN, frame-relay, router, hub and gateway technology, integrating voice and video streaming, network design and performance.

Reel: Network engineers with experience in [Open Shortest Path First] and other advanced routing protocols. Network security also is critical, and our needs in that area are always evolving to stay ahead of the market.

Rubin: NT Server. Unix-based languages such as Linux. The ability to link Web-based technologies with internal systems.

Tilney: Networking skills, such as Windows NT, Unix, firewall, IP design and management, voice over IP, quality of service and virtual private network.

Conarty: Diagnostic skills through the use of platforms such as... OpenView and Cisco Works; design skills for Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, [Asynchronous Transfer Mode] and Fiber Distributed Data Interface; performance management skills for tuning and load balancing.

The hot database skills

Natan: Data warehousing, data mining, SQL Server and Oracle.

Reel: All database skills are hot, but the ability to move data into and out of SQL-compliant environments is most important. It's the analytical skills that matter most in this area.

Tilney: Oracle and SQL Server are the most needed database skills, along with an ability to provide data as strategic information.

Conarty: Architecture, design and administration of distributed relational databases in business and manufacturing systems.

The hot Internet/intranet skills

Eckroth: Programming in Java, HTML, XML; security experts; systems architects; good project management skills; and system integrators for back-room integration with Internet front-end applications.

Natan: Application development, security and browser technology.

Reel: Using Java and XML together to manipulate, merge and manage information is an important part of our tool kit.

Rubin: Design of [Web] sites. Anyone who can talk about e-business. The ability to link intranets with extranets.

Tilney: In addition to networking skills, Cold Fusion, Microsoft Internet Information Server and Internet security skills.

Conarty: Site design, content authoring, security, encryption and infrastructure design.

The hot systems-development skills

Eckroth: E-commerce, user management, content management and enterprise application integration.

Natan: Electronic commerce, business information, Lotus Notes and package integration, such as PeopleSoft.

Rubin: E-business, SAP.

Tilney: E-commerce, along with ERP [enterprise resource planning] and object-oriented analysis and design.

Conarty: Analyst and programmer skills in support of business-to-business e-commerce programs; real-time, advanced process control engineers.

The hot client/server software skills

Eckroth: ERP -- Oracle, SAP, Baan and PeopleSoft. Sales force automation/front-end systems -- Sebel, Clarify, [Relational Technology System's] Trilogy and Pivitol. And very much the design and product definition management systems such as [Parametric Technology Corp.'s] Windchill and Sherpa.

Natan: System integration, application architecture and testing.

Reel: As we push distributed computing to the desktop, software distribution skills and the management of related tools are important.

Rubin: SAP.

Tilney: Visual Basic and PowerBuilder continue to be the client/server development skills of choice, but more important is the ability to customize client/service architecture design to balance application performance and overall cost of implementation and operation.

Conarty: C++ and Visual Basic. Also in demand are database designers for Access and Oracle, and application designers for thin-client implementations.

The most sought-after job titles

Eckroth: The most sought-after titles are network engineer, system architect, webmaster, Web application developer, senior project manager in the new technologies and CIO.

Natan: Project managers, business analysts and anything having to do with the AS/400. On the application side, Internet developers, people with WINS [an insurance system] experience. On the infrastructure side, network people and good help desk people.

Reel: Strong project managers and project leaders are very difficult to find. Talented technicians with good project management skills are nearly impossible to find.

Rubin: SAP analyst, Web designer and e-business specialist.

Conarty: Senior network engineers, database architects, process control engineers, programmer analysts for Java and C++.

The best combination of skills

Natan: Strong systems thinking, an understanding of the system development life cycle and ability to adapt to change.

Reel: Business acumen and communication skills are becoming more important than ever. However, complexity is also requiring that we surround ourselves with strong technicians.

Rubin: An ability to learn, coupled with knowledge of one of the hot skills mentioned above.

Tilney: Combine a high level of technical competence with a high degree of business unit knowledge, project management, communication, interpersonal and teamwork skills.

Conarty: Continual growth in areas such as networking, database design or process control, coupled with business skills in consulting, communications, negotiation and team leadership will be rewarded.

The top management and communication skills

Eckroth: A successful IT manager must be able to build and energize a team, design and manage outsourcing partnerships and strategic vendors, simplify IT jargon so that businesspeople can understand it and translate business requirements into quantifiable IT deliverables.

Reel: Understand the value of an investment and stay focused on the ability to return that value to the customer. Listen carefully to your colleagues and your customers. It's often the combination of their ideas that will result in growth for them, and for you.

Rubin: Talk clearly. Get along well with peers and internal clients. Focus on a company's bottom line.

Tilney: Concentrate on integrity, project management, organization and planning, oral and written communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills.

Conarty: Entrepreneurial spirit, cross-functional team membership, problem-solving and analytical ability, motivation and inclination to business issues, negotiation and leadership skills in a changing environment and business process consulting.

Career advice for IT professionals

Eckroth: The fastest way to learn is through taking on broader and bigger assignments, even if they aren't a promotion.

Natan: A specific language or technology may get you into an organization, but technologies change quickly. A strong focus on the basics -- problem-solving, understanding the business, customer focus, communication, project management, application life cycle approaches -- will serve you better in the long run.

Reel: Before investing in highly specified technical training, I would suggest that a person do a self-assessment to determine how strong his or her analytical and communication skills are. If the fundamental skills exist, I would encourage training in Web-based tools, PC and network skills and database management tools.

Rubin: Make sure you've got the interpersonal skills and training, then pick one of the top needs -- SAP, e-business, etc.

Tilney: Maintain your skills. Include company goals with your goals, and set up your training plan to support both. Blending business skills, such as financial or operational skills, with technical skills and management/communication skills will make you the most valuable and successful.

Conarty: Maintain a balance between advanced technical training and specific product training, and seek diversity of training within two specific disciplines, such as network and database.

Alexander is a freelance writer in Edina, Minn.