Many people have asked about our motivation to leave “safe” jobs and branch out to start our own business.  Really, it all comes down to passion.  Don’t get me wrong … we were both happy before.  But there were certain aspects about the relationships between candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers that we have always been very passionate about affecting, and we felt the best way to bring about that change was by addressing it head on.

So let’s talk the tech industry for a second.  The current market situation is the basis for much of our motivation.  According to the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,  the need for “Computer Software Engineers” will be one of the strongest in the labor market over the next decade.  But if you look at the various occupational definitions discussed by the Department of Labor, you’ll notice that “computer software engineers” are considered the “pedigree” of software developers.  They obtain CS degrees, often with post-graduate education.  They secure internships and co-ops during college, and as regular employees, they work on the most complex projects.  Sure.  Who wouldn’t want to hire these people?

By contrast, we also have the “computer programmers."  Some have college degrees; some don’t.  This is often your self-taught group.  They spend the bulk of their days programming, but the type of work they encounter may not be as complex as the work given to the “computer software engineers.”  They are typically the agency temporaries or independent consultants who work on a project-to-project basis.  And here’s the kicker: Their job outlook isn’t so good.  Automated programs and off-shoring are replacing their jobs.

Here’s what we’re looking at.  Employers want to hire the “computer software engineers.” Every employer in the software industry wants to do that.  The small shops are competing with big guys.  The big guys are competing with the nimble start-ups.  The nimble start-ups are competing with formation of even more start-ups.  They are falling over themselves to compete for a supply that likely can’t match their demand.  And they are mostly ignoring the "computer programmers."

Meanwhile, the top “computer software engineers” want to target and compete for the best jobs.  And the “computer programmers” out there, while competing with the pedigreed “computer software engineers,” are also clamoring the rise to the top of their heap so that employers will take notice.  It’s a constant struggle.

So this thinking is the basis of JobSyntax and our service offerings.  We want to help employers stand-out and devise targeted plans to find, attract, and evaluate the best in both segments.  We also want to educate them about the talent marketplace so they better understand what they’re up against.  It’s not easy out there, and currently, we find most companies aren’t necessarily targeting realistic criteria in their software engineering candidate searches.

We also want to help jobseekers in both segments.  While the market is rising again, a lot of people are still competing for the same jobs.  Jobseekers, whether they are “computer software engineers” or “computer programmers,” should still arm themselves with the proper tools and research to ensure they are approaching their job search successfully … and approaching it realistically. 

Last summer I wrote a blog entry some of you may remember. :) It was entitled “The talent landscape and why I’m ready to lose it,” and no, I’m not linking to it from here. :)  It was written as an over-the-top statement on the current market trends … these same market trends I discuss in today’s blog post.  Behind that entry were these facts.  So instead of writing silly blog entries about the issue, I decided to do something to solve these problems. Hence, JobSyntax.  I certainly don’t want “lose it.” :)

gretchen

<Addition 4/20:  I think it's clear, but in case it's not :), the above post details my first-hand observations on the talent market and hiring trends, but it doesn't mean I'm "ok" with this situation.  In fact, I believe that many engineers who fall into the Department of Labor's definition of "computer programmer" are just as talented and qualified as the "computer software engineers."  That's why I'm here. :)  What I'm trying to describe in this post is the reality I came to know as an in-house recruiter who is also very connected with many other in-house recruiters and hiring managers across the software industry.  Some companies, recruiters, and hiring managers "get it" more than others.>