How do you research which job skills or technologies to learn?

The name of the pictureThe name of the pictureThe name of the pictureClash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP





.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;







up vote
16
down vote

favorite
3












On Stack Overflow and Programmers we often see questions like Where to start? What language to learn first? and What language should I learn next? These questions should always be closed as not constructive or too localized, since the answer depends largely on the current skills of the person asking, where they're located, whether they're willing to relocate, what skills are in demand at that time, and a lot of other factors that make the question virtually unanswerable.



In short, the person asking such questions really needs to do some research on their own. It would be great if we had a resource that showed people how to do this kind research. So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be in high demand for the next two to five years?



Note: My particular examples (and interests) are in software development, but I'd welcome answers that could apply to any industry.







share|improve this question






















  • whatever you do do NOT consider the TIOBE index to be meaningful in any context what so ever!
    – Jarrod Roberson
    Jul 27 '12 at 17:45










  • @JarrodRoberson why not?
    – Codeman
    Apr 12 '13 at 0:35
















up vote
16
down vote

favorite
3












On Stack Overflow and Programmers we often see questions like Where to start? What language to learn first? and What language should I learn next? These questions should always be closed as not constructive or too localized, since the answer depends largely on the current skills of the person asking, where they're located, whether they're willing to relocate, what skills are in demand at that time, and a lot of other factors that make the question virtually unanswerable.



In short, the person asking such questions really needs to do some research on their own. It would be great if we had a resource that showed people how to do this kind research. So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be in high demand for the next two to five years?



Note: My particular examples (and interests) are in software development, but I'd welcome answers that could apply to any industry.







share|improve this question






















  • whatever you do do NOT consider the TIOBE index to be meaningful in any context what so ever!
    – Jarrod Roberson
    Jul 27 '12 at 17:45










  • @JarrodRoberson why not?
    – Codeman
    Apr 12 '13 at 0:35












up vote
16
down vote

favorite
3









up vote
16
down vote

favorite
3






3





On Stack Overflow and Programmers we often see questions like Where to start? What language to learn first? and What language should I learn next? These questions should always be closed as not constructive or too localized, since the answer depends largely on the current skills of the person asking, where they're located, whether they're willing to relocate, what skills are in demand at that time, and a lot of other factors that make the question virtually unanswerable.



In short, the person asking such questions really needs to do some research on their own. It would be great if we had a resource that showed people how to do this kind research. So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be in high demand for the next two to five years?



Note: My particular examples (and interests) are in software development, but I'd welcome answers that could apply to any industry.







share|improve this question














On Stack Overflow and Programmers we often see questions like Where to start? What language to learn first? and What language should I learn next? These questions should always be closed as not constructive or too localized, since the answer depends largely on the current skills of the person asking, where they're located, whether they're willing to relocate, what skills are in demand at that time, and a lot of other factors that make the question virtually unanswerable.



In short, the person asking such questions really needs to do some research on their own. It would be great if we had a resource that showed people how to do this kind research. So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be in high demand for the next two to five years?



Note: My particular examples (and interests) are in software development, but I'd welcome answers that could apply to any industry.









share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited May 23 '17 at 12:37









Community♦

1




1










asked Jul 25 '12 at 22:37









Bill the Lizard

269313




269313











  • whatever you do do NOT consider the TIOBE index to be meaningful in any context what so ever!
    – Jarrod Roberson
    Jul 27 '12 at 17:45










  • @JarrodRoberson why not?
    – Codeman
    Apr 12 '13 at 0:35
















  • whatever you do do NOT consider the TIOBE index to be meaningful in any context what so ever!
    – Jarrod Roberson
    Jul 27 '12 at 17:45










  • @JarrodRoberson why not?
    – Codeman
    Apr 12 '13 at 0:35















whatever you do do NOT consider the TIOBE index to be meaningful in any context what so ever!
– Jarrod Roberson
Jul 27 '12 at 17:45




whatever you do do NOT consider the TIOBE index to be meaningful in any context what so ever!
– Jarrod Roberson
Jul 27 '12 at 17:45












@JarrodRoberson why not?
– Codeman
Apr 12 '13 at 0:35




@JarrodRoberson why not?
– Codeman
Apr 12 '13 at 0:35










4 Answers
4






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
10
down vote













There's an increasing number of ways. Most of the following make it easier to see this, though it's still hard to see growth/future aside from sheer numbers (which can actually indicate a mature, but well-used technology) so try and look beyond the basic numbers to get an idea of growth and future.



  • Look at meetup.com. Look at your area (ideally) or the nearest big city. Try to get an idea of size from the number of members and if possible growth, even if start date and current membership count are your only 2 data points.


  • Look on monster and search under the major terms you are dividing things by.


  • Search on stack overflow by tag and see how many questions are asked for the given topics and how many questions seem recent.


  • Look on salary sites and see what is paying well. A new hot skill like ruby can pay well and conversely an older technology like php with more practitioners less so.


  • Go to new technology and nerd meetups and see what smart people think.


  • Read Wired, reddit and other blogs and sites that feature new technology.


None of the above will do the job "on their own" but all together should help put you in "the zone" for knowing what's new and what's up and coming.






share|improve this answer


















  • 5




    I would say that pretty much the only method that would suit any industry would be looking at job boards, with things like meetup a far second.
    – Oded
    Jul 26 '12 at 8:29






  • 2




    Every industry and job type has technical publications, blogs, and websites. These are indications of the job types that are growing and shrinking over time.
    – mhoran_psprep
    Jul 26 '12 at 10:58










  • I agree - research is the key. Spending time reading articles, blogs and comments and cross-referencing them can give you a good idea of community uptake and help you to make an informed decision on what to learn next.
    – Town
    Jul 26 '12 at 20:01

















up vote
1
down vote













I realize that I am answering a paleo-question from a year ago, but I think it is a good question....



When it comes to career choice, it is vital to find the "right question" before trying to find the "right answer".



What I mean is you may NOT want to choose a career path because it is (or may become) "high demand". Sure, you'll want to choose something that makes you employable and that yields a sufficient salary and on the surface it sort-of makes sense that high-demand jobs will do that.



The problem is that with high demand eventually comes throngs of competition which is composed of wannabe's to super-elites and everything in-between. Unless you're talking about fields with very very long educational requirements, you're going to quickly find yourself in an ocean of similarly qualified candidates all looking for "the best" opportunities. Some will find their dream jobs but many will find themselves in unsatisfying career ruts after making a bad choice simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time.



Moreover, it is truly a guessing game to try to select what the hottest technology or career path is going to be in the future, or what will fall out of favor or be sustaining. It might seem that Java web development, for instance, is the most flush with opportunity for now and the near future, but what about the next things coming down the pipe. I would have sworn in 2003 that .NET was going to bury Java-- but guess what, it hasn't. Who is say what is coming next? Nobody really knows and it is dicey to make career plans based strictly on such reasoning (not saying either .NET or Java would be mistake).



Basically I am trying to say two things:



1. There is NO WAY to really predict what is going to be "next"
2. You may not want to choose a career path based on demand.


It is vastly more useful to find something that you're very good at, that you enjoy doing, and that puts you in a unique niche. Instead of trying to put yourself in the center of the bell curve and hoping for the best, find something in what people have called "the long tail"-- something that very few employers need but which is very valuable to those few employers.






share|improve this answer



























    up vote
    0
    down vote













    I try to address the following:



    1. Do I have immediate needs in my current position or one I'm currenly applying?

    2. What type of work do I want to do? Identify the skills needed.

    3. What am I capable of and where can I stretch myself?

    Just like it is difficult to anticipate all the features an application would need, it's tough to predict the future. Usually, something comes up and you have to learn it on the fly.






    share|improve this answer



























      up vote
      0
      down vote














      So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on
      Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what
      skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be
      in high demand for the next two to five years?




      I'd probably want to turn this question around and consider the following:



      1. What core values do you have as a person and would want in your workplace? There is something to be said for working where there is a sense of belonging and that feels like home which would come from having values be in alignment.


      2. What strengths do you have that would indicate the kind of role you'd want to have in a dream job? Do you want to be working with people all day? Do you want to be taking on new technologies regularly? Do you want to be drawing up plans? Considering the kind of natural talents you have and how do these translate into various roles could be useful as well.


      Knowing yourself will be something that could be of immense value as if you feel like you are always having to fake it in the office, that could be the recipe for burnout. Do you know how you learn? Do you know how to pick up some new system quickly? Do you know how you prefer technical specifications to be presented to you? These are some other ideas to consider.






      share|improve this answer




















        Your Answer







        StackExchange.ready(function()
        var channelOptions =
        tags: "".split(" "),
        id: "423"
        ;
        initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

        StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
        // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
        if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
        StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
        createEditor();
        );

        else
        createEditor();

        );

        function createEditor()
        StackExchange.prepareEditor(
        heartbeatType: 'answer',
        convertImagesToLinks: false,
        noModals: false,
        showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
        reputationToPostImages: null,
        bindNavPrevention: true,
        postfix: "",
        noCode: true, onDemand: false,
        discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
        ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
        );



        );








         

        draft saved


        draft discarded


















        StackExchange.ready(
        function ()
        StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworkplace.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f2816%2fhow-do-you-research-which-job-skills-or-technologies-to-learn%23new-answer', 'question_page');

        );

        Post as a guest

























        StackExchange.ready(function ()
        $("#show-editor-button input, #show-editor-button button").click(function ()
        var showEditor = function()
        $("#show-editor-button").hide();
        $("#post-form").removeClass("dno");
        StackExchange.editor.finallyInit();
        ;

        var useFancy = $(this).data('confirm-use-fancy');
        if(useFancy == 'True')
        var popupTitle = $(this).data('confirm-fancy-title');
        var popupBody = $(this).data('confirm-fancy-body');
        var popupAccept = $(this).data('confirm-fancy-accept-button');

        $(this).loadPopup(
        url: '/post/self-answer-popup',
        loaded: function(popup)
        var pTitle = $(popup).find('h2');
        var pBody = $(popup).find('.popup-body');
        var pSubmit = $(popup).find('.popup-submit');

        pTitle.text(popupTitle);
        pBody.html(popupBody);
        pSubmit.val(popupAccept).click(showEditor);

        )
        else
        var confirmText = $(this).data('confirm-text');
        if (confirmText ? confirm(confirmText) : true)
        showEditor();


        );
        );






        4 Answers
        4






        active

        oldest

        votes








        4 Answers
        4






        active

        oldest

        votes









        active

        oldest

        votes






        active

        oldest

        votes








        up vote
        10
        down vote













        There's an increasing number of ways. Most of the following make it easier to see this, though it's still hard to see growth/future aside from sheer numbers (which can actually indicate a mature, but well-used technology) so try and look beyond the basic numbers to get an idea of growth and future.



        • Look at meetup.com. Look at your area (ideally) or the nearest big city. Try to get an idea of size from the number of members and if possible growth, even if start date and current membership count are your only 2 data points.


        • Look on monster and search under the major terms you are dividing things by.


        • Search on stack overflow by tag and see how many questions are asked for the given topics and how many questions seem recent.


        • Look on salary sites and see what is paying well. A new hot skill like ruby can pay well and conversely an older technology like php with more practitioners less so.


        • Go to new technology and nerd meetups and see what smart people think.


        • Read Wired, reddit and other blogs and sites that feature new technology.


        None of the above will do the job "on their own" but all together should help put you in "the zone" for knowing what's new and what's up and coming.






        share|improve this answer


















        • 5




          I would say that pretty much the only method that would suit any industry would be looking at job boards, with things like meetup a far second.
          – Oded
          Jul 26 '12 at 8:29






        • 2




          Every industry and job type has technical publications, blogs, and websites. These are indications of the job types that are growing and shrinking over time.
          – mhoran_psprep
          Jul 26 '12 at 10:58










        • I agree - research is the key. Spending time reading articles, blogs and comments and cross-referencing them can give you a good idea of community uptake and help you to make an informed decision on what to learn next.
          – Town
          Jul 26 '12 at 20:01














        up vote
        10
        down vote













        There's an increasing number of ways. Most of the following make it easier to see this, though it's still hard to see growth/future aside from sheer numbers (which can actually indicate a mature, but well-used technology) so try and look beyond the basic numbers to get an idea of growth and future.



        • Look at meetup.com. Look at your area (ideally) or the nearest big city. Try to get an idea of size from the number of members and if possible growth, even if start date and current membership count are your only 2 data points.


        • Look on monster and search under the major terms you are dividing things by.


        • Search on stack overflow by tag and see how many questions are asked for the given topics and how many questions seem recent.


        • Look on salary sites and see what is paying well. A new hot skill like ruby can pay well and conversely an older technology like php with more practitioners less so.


        • Go to new technology and nerd meetups and see what smart people think.


        • Read Wired, reddit and other blogs and sites that feature new technology.


        None of the above will do the job "on their own" but all together should help put you in "the zone" for knowing what's new and what's up and coming.






        share|improve this answer


















        • 5




          I would say that pretty much the only method that would suit any industry would be looking at job boards, with things like meetup a far second.
          – Oded
          Jul 26 '12 at 8:29






        • 2




          Every industry and job type has technical publications, blogs, and websites. These are indications of the job types that are growing and shrinking over time.
          – mhoran_psprep
          Jul 26 '12 at 10:58










        • I agree - research is the key. Spending time reading articles, blogs and comments and cross-referencing them can give you a good idea of community uptake and help you to make an informed decision on what to learn next.
          – Town
          Jul 26 '12 at 20:01












        up vote
        10
        down vote










        up vote
        10
        down vote









        There's an increasing number of ways. Most of the following make it easier to see this, though it's still hard to see growth/future aside from sheer numbers (which can actually indicate a mature, but well-used technology) so try and look beyond the basic numbers to get an idea of growth and future.



        • Look at meetup.com. Look at your area (ideally) or the nearest big city. Try to get an idea of size from the number of members and if possible growth, even if start date and current membership count are your only 2 data points.


        • Look on monster and search under the major terms you are dividing things by.


        • Search on stack overflow by tag and see how many questions are asked for the given topics and how many questions seem recent.


        • Look on salary sites and see what is paying well. A new hot skill like ruby can pay well and conversely an older technology like php with more practitioners less so.


        • Go to new technology and nerd meetups and see what smart people think.


        • Read Wired, reddit and other blogs and sites that feature new technology.


        None of the above will do the job "on their own" but all together should help put you in "the zone" for knowing what's new and what's up and coming.






        share|improve this answer














        There's an increasing number of ways. Most of the following make it easier to see this, though it's still hard to see growth/future aside from sheer numbers (which can actually indicate a mature, but well-used technology) so try and look beyond the basic numbers to get an idea of growth and future.



        • Look at meetup.com. Look at your area (ideally) or the nearest big city. Try to get an idea of size from the number of members and if possible growth, even if start date and current membership count are your only 2 data points.


        • Look on monster and search under the major terms you are dividing things by.


        • Search on stack overflow by tag and see how many questions are asked for the given topics and how many questions seem recent.


        • Look on salary sites and see what is paying well. A new hot skill like ruby can pay well and conversely an older technology like php with more practitioners less so.


        • Go to new technology and nerd meetups and see what smart people think.


        • Read Wired, reddit and other blogs and sites that feature new technology.


        None of the above will do the job "on their own" but all together should help put you in "the zone" for knowing what's new and what's up and coming.







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited Jul 25 '12 at 23:06

























        answered Jul 25 '12 at 23:00









        Michael Durrant

        9,68122856




        9,68122856







        • 5




          I would say that pretty much the only method that would suit any industry would be looking at job boards, with things like meetup a far second.
          – Oded
          Jul 26 '12 at 8:29






        • 2




          Every industry and job type has technical publications, blogs, and websites. These are indications of the job types that are growing and shrinking over time.
          – mhoran_psprep
          Jul 26 '12 at 10:58










        • I agree - research is the key. Spending time reading articles, blogs and comments and cross-referencing them can give you a good idea of community uptake and help you to make an informed decision on what to learn next.
          – Town
          Jul 26 '12 at 20:01












        • 5




          I would say that pretty much the only method that would suit any industry would be looking at job boards, with things like meetup a far second.
          – Oded
          Jul 26 '12 at 8:29






        • 2




          Every industry and job type has technical publications, blogs, and websites. These are indications of the job types that are growing and shrinking over time.
          – mhoran_psprep
          Jul 26 '12 at 10:58










        • I agree - research is the key. Spending time reading articles, blogs and comments and cross-referencing them can give you a good idea of community uptake and help you to make an informed decision on what to learn next.
          – Town
          Jul 26 '12 at 20:01







        5




        5




        I would say that pretty much the only method that would suit any industry would be looking at job boards, with things like meetup a far second.
        – Oded
        Jul 26 '12 at 8:29




        I would say that pretty much the only method that would suit any industry would be looking at job boards, with things like meetup a far second.
        – Oded
        Jul 26 '12 at 8:29




        2




        2




        Every industry and job type has technical publications, blogs, and websites. These are indications of the job types that are growing and shrinking over time.
        – mhoran_psprep
        Jul 26 '12 at 10:58




        Every industry and job type has technical publications, blogs, and websites. These are indications of the job types that are growing and shrinking over time.
        – mhoran_psprep
        Jul 26 '12 at 10:58












        I agree - research is the key. Spending time reading articles, blogs and comments and cross-referencing them can give you a good idea of community uptake and help you to make an informed decision on what to learn next.
        – Town
        Jul 26 '12 at 20:01




        I agree - research is the key. Spending time reading articles, blogs and comments and cross-referencing them can give you a good idea of community uptake and help you to make an informed decision on what to learn next.
        – Town
        Jul 26 '12 at 20:01












        up vote
        1
        down vote













        I realize that I am answering a paleo-question from a year ago, but I think it is a good question....



        When it comes to career choice, it is vital to find the "right question" before trying to find the "right answer".



        What I mean is you may NOT want to choose a career path because it is (or may become) "high demand". Sure, you'll want to choose something that makes you employable and that yields a sufficient salary and on the surface it sort-of makes sense that high-demand jobs will do that.



        The problem is that with high demand eventually comes throngs of competition which is composed of wannabe's to super-elites and everything in-between. Unless you're talking about fields with very very long educational requirements, you're going to quickly find yourself in an ocean of similarly qualified candidates all looking for "the best" opportunities. Some will find their dream jobs but many will find themselves in unsatisfying career ruts after making a bad choice simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time.



        Moreover, it is truly a guessing game to try to select what the hottest technology or career path is going to be in the future, or what will fall out of favor or be sustaining. It might seem that Java web development, for instance, is the most flush with opportunity for now and the near future, but what about the next things coming down the pipe. I would have sworn in 2003 that .NET was going to bury Java-- but guess what, it hasn't. Who is say what is coming next? Nobody really knows and it is dicey to make career plans based strictly on such reasoning (not saying either .NET or Java would be mistake).



        Basically I am trying to say two things:



        1. There is NO WAY to really predict what is going to be "next"
        2. You may not want to choose a career path based on demand.


        It is vastly more useful to find something that you're very good at, that you enjoy doing, and that puts you in a unique niche. Instead of trying to put yourself in the center of the bell curve and hoping for the best, find something in what people have called "the long tail"-- something that very few employers need but which is very valuable to those few employers.






        share|improve this answer
























          up vote
          1
          down vote













          I realize that I am answering a paleo-question from a year ago, but I think it is a good question....



          When it comes to career choice, it is vital to find the "right question" before trying to find the "right answer".



          What I mean is you may NOT want to choose a career path because it is (or may become) "high demand". Sure, you'll want to choose something that makes you employable and that yields a sufficient salary and on the surface it sort-of makes sense that high-demand jobs will do that.



          The problem is that with high demand eventually comes throngs of competition which is composed of wannabe's to super-elites and everything in-between. Unless you're talking about fields with very very long educational requirements, you're going to quickly find yourself in an ocean of similarly qualified candidates all looking for "the best" opportunities. Some will find their dream jobs but many will find themselves in unsatisfying career ruts after making a bad choice simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time.



          Moreover, it is truly a guessing game to try to select what the hottest technology or career path is going to be in the future, or what will fall out of favor or be sustaining. It might seem that Java web development, for instance, is the most flush with opportunity for now and the near future, but what about the next things coming down the pipe. I would have sworn in 2003 that .NET was going to bury Java-- but guess what, it hasn't. Who is say what is coming next? Nobody really knows and it is dicey to make career plans based strictly on such reasoning (not saying either .NET or Java would be mistake).



          Basically I am trying to say two things:



          1. There is NO WAY to really predict what is going to be "next"
          2. You may not want to choose a career path based on demand.


          It is vastly more useful to find something that you're very good at, that you enjoy doing, and that puts you in a unique niche. Instead of trying to put yourself in the center of the bell curve and hoping for the best, find something in what people have called "the long tail"-- something that very few employers need but which is very valuable to those few employers.






          share|improve this answer






















            up vote
            1
            down vote










            up vote
            1
            down vote









            I realize that I am answering a paleo-question from a year ago, but I think it is a good question....



            When it comes to career choice, it is vital to find the "right question" before trying to find the "right answer".



            What I mean is you may NOT want to choose a career path because it is (or may become) "high demand". Sure, you'll want to choose something that makes you employable and that yields a sufficient salary and on the surface it sort-of makes sense that high-demand jobs will do that.



            The problem is that with high demand eventually comes throngs of competition which is composed of wannabe's to super-elites and everything in-between. Unless you're talking about fields with very very long educational requirements, you're going to quickly find yourself in an ocean of similarly qualified candidates all looking for "the best" opportunities. Some will find their dream jobs but many will find themselves in unsatisfying career ruts after making a bad choice simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time.



            Moreover, it is truly a guessing game to try to select what the hottest technology or career path is going to be in the future, or what will fall out of favor or be sustaining. It might seem that Java web development, for instance, is the most flush with opportunity for now and the near future, but what about the next things coming down the pipe. I would have sworn in 2003 that .NET was going to bury Java-- but guess what, it hasn't. Who is say what is coming next? Nobody really knows and it is dicey to make career plans based strictly on such reasoning (not saying either .NET or Java would be mistake).



            Basically I am trying to say two things:



            1. There is NO WAY to really predict what is going to be "next"
            2. You may not want to choose a career path based on demand.


            It is vastly more useful to find something that you're very good at, that you enjoy doing, and that puts you in a unique niche. Instead of trying to put yourself in the center of the bell curve and hoping for the best, find something in what people have called "the long tail"-- something that very few employers need but which is very valuable to those few employers.






            share|improve this answer












            I realize that I am answering a paleo-question from a year ago, but I think it is a good question....



            When it comes to career choice, it is vital to find the "right question" before trying to find the "right answer".



            What I mean is you may NOT want to choose a career path because it is (or may become) "high demand". Sure, you'll want to choose something that makes you employable and that yields a sufficient salary and on the surface it sort-of makes sense that high-demand jobs will do that.



            The problem is that with high demand eventually comes throngs of competition which is composed of wannabe's to super-elites and everything in-between. Unless you're talking about fields with very very long educational requirements, you're going to quickly find yourself in an ocean of similarly qualified candidates all looking for "the best" opportunities. Some will find their dream jobs but many will find themselves in unsatisfying career ruts after making a bad choice simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time.



            Moreover, it is truly a guessing game to try to select what the hottest technology or career path is going to be in the future, or what will fall out of favor or be sustaining. It might seem that Java web development, for instance, is the most flush with opportunity for now and the near future, but what about the next things coming down the pipe. I would have sworn in 2003 that .NET was going to bury Java-- but guess what, it hasn't. Who is say what is coming next? Nobody really knows and it is dicey to make career plans based strictly on such reasoning (not saying either .NET or Java would be mistake).



            Basically I am trying to say two things:



            1. There is NO WAY to really predict what is going to be "next"
            2. You may not want to choose a career path based on demand.


            It is vastly more useful to find something that you're very good at, that you enjoy doing, and that puts you in a unique niche. Instead of trying to put yourself in the center of the bell curve and hoping for the best, find something in what people have called "the long tail"-- something that very few employers need but which is very valuable to those few employers.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Apr 13 '13 at 0:32









            Angelo

            6,15621631




            6,15621631




















                up vote
                0
                down vote













                I try to address the following:



                1. Do I have immediate needs in my current position or one I'm currenly applying?

                2. What type of work do I want to do? Identify the skills needed.

                3. What am I capable of and where can I stretch myself?

                Just like it is difficult to anticipate all the features an application would need, it's tough to predict the future. Usually, something comes up and you have to learn it on the fly.






                share|improve this answer
























                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote













                  I try to address the following:



                  1. Do I have immediate needs in my current position or one I'm currenly applying?

                  2. What type of work do I want to do? Identify the skills needed.

                  3. What am I capable of and where can I stretch myself?

                  Just like it is difficult to anticipate all the features an application would need, it's tough to predict the future. Usually, something comes up and you have to learn it on the fly.






                  share|improve this answer






















                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote









                    I try to address the following:



                    1. Do I have immediate needs in my current position or one I'm currenly applying?

                    2. What type of work do I want to do? Identify the skills needed.

                    3. What am I capable of and where can I stretch myself?

                    Just like it is difficult to anticipate all the features an application would need, it's tough to predict the future. Usually, something comes up and you have to learn it on the fly.






                    share|improve this answer












                    I try to address the following:



                    1. Do I have immediate needs in my current position or one I'm currenly applying?

                    2. What type of work do I want to do? Identify the skills needed.

                    3. What am I capable of and where can I stretch myself?

                    Just like it is difficult to anticipate all the features an application would need, it's tough to predict the future. Usually, something comes up and you have to learn it on the fly.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Jul 27 '12 at 16:45







                    user8365



























                        up vote
                        0
                        down vote














                        So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on
                        Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what
                        skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be
                        in high demand for the next two to five years?




                        I'd probably want to turn this question around and consider the following:



                        1. What core values do you have as a person and would want in your workplace? There is something to be said for working where there is a sense of belonging and that feels like home which would come from having values be in alignment.


                        2. What strengths do you have that would indicate the kind of role you'd want to have in a dream job? Do you want to be working with people all day? Do you want to be taking on new technologies regularly? Do you want to be drawing up plans? Considering the kind of natural talents you have and how do these translate into various roles could be useful as well.


                        Knowing yourself will be something that could be of immense value as if you feel like you are always having to fake it in the office, that could be the recipe for burnout. Do you know how you learn? Do you know how to pick up some new system quickly? Do you know how you prefer technical specifications to be presented to you? These are some other ideas to consider.






                        share|improve this answer
























                          up vote
                          0
                          down vote














                          So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on
                          Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what
                          skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be
                          in high demand for the next two to five years?




                          I'd probably want to turn this question around and consider the following:



                          1. What core values do you have as a person and would want in your workplace? There is something to be said for working where there is a sense of belonging and that feels like home which would come from having values be in alignment.


                          2. What strengths do you have that would indicate the kind of role you'd want to have in a dream job? Do you want to be working with people all day? Do you want to be taking on new technologies regularly? Do you want to be drawing up plans? Considering the kind of natural talents you have and how do these translate into various roles could be useful as well.


                          Knowing yourself will be something that could be of immense value as if you feel like you are always having to fake it in the office, that could be the recipe for burnout. Do you know how you learn? Do you know how to pick up some new system quickly? Do you know how you prefer technical specifications to be presented to you? These are some other ideas to consider.






                          share|improve this answer






















                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote










                            up vote
                            0
                            down vote










                            So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on
                            Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what
                            skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be
                            in high demand for the next two to five years?




                            I'd probably want to turn this question around and consider the following:



                            1. What core values do you have as a person and would want in your workplace? There is something to be said for working where there is a sense of belonging and that feels like home which would come from having values be in alignment.


                            2. What strengths do you have that would indicate the kind of role you'd want to have in a dream job? Do you want to be working with people all day? Do you want to be taking on new technologies regularly? Do you want to be drawing up plans? Considering the kind of natural talents you have and how do these translate into various roles could be useful as well.


                            Knowing yourself will be something that could be of immense value as if you feel like you are always having to fake it in the office, that could be the recipe for burnout. Do you know how you learn? Do you know how to pick up some new system quickly? Do you know how you prefer technical specifications to be presented to you? These are some other ideas to consider.






                            share|improve this answer













                            So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on
                            Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what
                            skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be
                            in high demand for the next two to five years?




                            I'd probably want to turn this question around and consider the following:



                            1. What core values do you have as a person and would want in your workplace? There is something to be said for working where there is a sense of belonging and that feels like home which would come from having values be in alignment.


                            2. What strengths do you have that would indicate the kind of role you'd want to have in a dream job? Do you want to be working with people all day? Do you want to be taking on new technologies regularly? Do you want to be drawing up plans? Considering the kind of natural talents you have and how do these translate into various roles could be useful as well.


                            Knowing yourself will be something that could be of immense value as if you feel like you are always having to fake it in the office, that could be the recipe for burnout. Do you know how you learn? Do you know how to pick up some new system quickly? Do you know how you prefer technical specifications to be presented to you? These are some other ideas to consider.







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered Apr 13 '13 at 2:50









                            JB King

                            15.1k22957




                            15.1k22957






















                                 

                                draft saved


                                draft discarded


























                                 


                                draft saved


                                draft discarded














                                StackExchange.ready(
                                function ()
                                StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworkplace.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f2816%2fhow-do-you-research-which-job-skills-or-technologies-to-learn%23new-answer', 'question_page');

                                );

                                Post as a guest

















































































                                Comments

                                Popular posts from this blog

                                What does second last employer means? [closed]

                                List of Gilmore Girls characters

                                Confectionery