The times have changed. So have the demands of the IT industry.

For those seeking an entry into the information technology (IT) industry, be forewarned. The demands of the industry are changing. Says Siddharth Vardarajan, CEO of Quatrro, a Gurgaon-based recruitment agency, “The rate of hiring in the IT industry has slowed down in India owing to what looks like a recession in the US. But companies are still looking for talented people and there are ways to beat the current slump.”

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Sanjay Butalia agrees. The Calcutta-based stock market analyst thinks that a temporary downturn in the IT industry is on, with growth rates at least five per cent lower than what could have been envisaged. Adds Vardarajan, “The current market figures show that the overall hiring in the IT sector is 10 to 15 per cent less than what was the norm five years ago.”

Shantanu Jha, India staffing head at IBM India / South Asia, says that IBM’s employee numbers grew from 53,000 in 2006 to 73,000 in 2007. IBM will be hiring close to the number hired last year. “Tata Consultancy Services aims to hire over 32,000 people in 2008 which is lower than what we had envisaged,” says a TCS spokesman. And at the Chennai-based Cognizant Technologies, there was a net addition of approximately 16,500 professionals in 2007 — and a similar number will be hired this year. “Overall, however, there is a slowing down of hiring compared with five years ago and our hiring has gone down by 10 per cent this year,” says Ashish Kumar, CEO of Jaintec Technologies in New Delhi.

“Small and medium level companies are hiring up to 20 per cent less than they used to hire five years ago,” says B.R. Muralidharan, executive director, Executive Recruiters Association, Mumbai. Praxis, for example, a software firm based in Calcutta, has hired 20 per cent less than last year, according to Partha Chatterjee, CEO.

But don’t lose heart. Insiders say there is still a demand for students who are willing to give it a go. So what should those keen on an IT industry job do?

1 Study mathematics

Sudipto Majumdar, chief technology officer at Mumbai-based software company Zapak.com, suggests that in keeping with the changing times, students should focus on mathematics and computer science in school. “The IT industry needs high-end services and new product development rather than only people for BPOs. Besides, we need mathematically proficient individuals for executing such projects,” he adds. According to Majumdar, the principal mathematical skills required include Boolean algebra and various number systems and codes-and-conversion techniques. “It is essential to grasp the fundamental theorems of Boolean algebra since the application of such mathematics is increasingly becoming important in the IT industry. Students need to be conversant with the representation of Boolean functions using venn diagrams, truth tables and Basic Boolean gates.” Boolean algebra, Venn diagrams, truth tables and Basic Boolean gates are all mathematical principles. More than 75 per cent of the workforce to be hired by Majumdar’s company this year will be screened for appropriate mathematical skills.

Anindya Dey, director of Calcutta-based ERM Placement Services, much like Majumdar, feels that knowledge of digital circuits and logic design, which are principles and methods of operating computers, is essential for students to obtain a good IT job today.

2 Get training

The second way to do well is to look for training opportunities before joining an IT company. To be better equipped, aspiring IT professionals should go for short-term courses that teach them to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations. IBM, for example, has recently signed an MoU with the Indian School of Business to create a new discipline for aspiring IT professionals. Shantanu Jha of IBM feels that interdisciplinary work with greater exposure to industry certainly helps students to be better prepared for the competition ahead. And with such initiatives coming up fast, students can make the most of it. NASSCOM, for instance, has initiated the concept of finishing schools. These pick up graduates from academic institutions and ready them for the industry. They impart both hard technical knowledge and soft skills like communication and presentation.

Bhaskar Das, vice-president of human resources at Cognizant Technologies, feels that such training programmes are always helpful. “We have a finishing school in partnership with Burdwan University that imparts skills for the marketplace,” says Kalyan Kar, managing director of Acclaris, a software firm in Calcutta.

3 Become an e-content writer

Possession of good reasoning and analytical skills today is a sure way to make a mark in the IT industry. Just as there is a demand for technical skills, skilled content writers for e-learning projects in the IT industry are in demand. R.P. Yadav, managing director of Genius Consultants, a Calcutta-based headhunting firm, says that one should have excellent English language ability to qualify for content writing jobs. “E-learning is coming up as an important area and is throwing up a range of opportunities,” says Yadav.

Rajesh Jumani, chief marketing officer at Tata Interactive Systems, feels that there is a growing need for good e-learning workers who can write lucidly for a wider audience. Though the IT slump has affected content writers, the effect has been much less than that compared to other hard core technical jobs, says Jumani.

4 Acquire multiple skills

To get ahead in the competition today, one has to have multiple technical skills. Says Bikram Dasgupta, CEO of Globsyn Technologies, “If yesterday there was a need for individuals with knowledge of C++ and Java, today there is a demand for people who know Hybernate and Ajax along with C++ and Java.” As Partha Chatterjee of Praxis explains, “To cite an example, one needs to be abreast with the latest developments of ORACLE applications along with business solutions to stay ahead.”

5 Focus on communication skills

Finally, concentrate on communication skills. “It is absolutely essential to have good communication abilities to succeed in today’s competition,” says Joydeep Datta Gupta, executive director of Deloitte & Touche Consulting India Private Limited, Calcutta. Indeed, this is an area where most candidates are lacking, mentions Datta Gupta.

Despite the slump, salaries are still attractive. “Starting salaries vary from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 and individuals with 10 years of experience could be earning as much as Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh a year,” says a TCS spokesperson. Content writers could earn anything from Rs 20,000 upwards, according to Kar of Acclaris.

So if you are diligent, hardworking and willing to acquire these skills, you could still make it big in the IT industry despite the current slump.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata)