Having the Right Skills Will Help in this Economy

The current economic crunch doesn’t seem to be taking a turn for the better in the immediate future. Though the U.S. government is taking steps – including signing the recent economic rescue package that is intended to inject billions back into the economy through consumer tax rebates – but for the average person, there are still worries abound.

If you’re currently looking for new a job, you might be losing some sleep at night. Employment numbers for the past two months haven’t painted the rosiest picture.

Even in the IT industry there has been concern over just how strong job prospects are. This comes as late 2007 predictions were extremely positive for job seekers in the IT field.

We believe that the job prospects are indeed still good, but that comes with a caveat. Jack was recently quoted in the Boston Herald as saying that “If you’ve got the right experience, you can find an opportunity in days.”

This is in no way “corporate speak.” Our recruiters tell us that skills matter the most right now. Keep them current and finding a job should not be a problem.

- Dot-net developers are currently the most sought after positions.
- Project manager jobs are also plentiful at this time.
- Both of these positions often command a six-figure salary for qualified candidates.

Local employment numbers back these findings. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Massachusetts added 2,100 tech-related jobs in 2007, outpacing most of the other sectors. The state currently has 50,000 IT jobs, the most since 2002 and 7,900 more jobs than it had at the low point of the last recession in January 2004.

What about those who don’t have the right qualifications to get today’s hot IT jobs? There’s no time like the present to learn. Many key IT certification courses can be completed in less than two years part time. That might not be the best news for those currently unemployed but it’s critical to understand that if your current skills are lacking, sitting on the sideline and doing nothing is not the answer.

It’s easy to paint a gloom-and-doom picture on areas such as employment when the economy takes a negative turn. But truth be told, this is still an excellent time for IT employment. You just have to know what it takes to be successful.

Supporting the Urban Ring

Today, we put aside the conversation of IT staffing to talk about a local initiative that would have a major positive impact on the city of Boston and many surrounding towns. The Urban Ring Project, an initiative that would significantly improve public transportation in key areas including the medical, educational and business sectors of Boston and its surrounding communities, is being considered for public funding as part of House Bill 4409, the Transportation Bond Bill.

As many of you know, Atlantic Associates places many IT employees in The Urban Ring area. We hope that you agree that improving the public transportation in these areas is important. If so, I urge you to contact your local senators and state representatives in support of House Bill 4409, line item 6001-0804.

For more information about The Urban Rink Project, visit its Website at http://www.theurbanring.com/.

A Decade of Excellence

It’s time to blow out the birthday candles, cut the cake and celebrate as AAI turns 10!

As we look back on the past decade, it amazes us how quickly time can pass. When we first began AAI in February of 1998, the IT world was abuzz with the worries associated with Y2K.

Once January 1, 2000 past and we all realized the world wasn’t coming to an end, further challenges awaited. There was the dot-com bubble and the post-9/11 recession that made companies reevaluate how they spent money, particularly in IT.

Even in today’s marketplace, there are economic concerns in key sectors as many of us are unsure about how the current housing and mortgage crisis will resolve itself.

Through all of these challenges, though, we’re proud to say that AAI continues to grow. Over the past decade, our client base has grown 25-fold and the number of qualified applicants we place in some of Massachusetts’ most important industries increases every year.

This has only happened because of the great relationships we have with our clients. We take pride in the service that we’re able to provide daily to each and every one of you.

We value every client we have and are proud of the fact that in our first decade we have a 100% client retention rate. It’s a testament not only to the hard working people who make up our team, but to the partnerships we have built with you.

We’re also very proud of the philanthropic efforts that we’ve undertaken and the accomplishments that we’ve made in the community. Whether its employees who are volunteering in the Greater Boston area or fundraising efforts that support many worthy causes, AAI is fully committed to giving back to the community we serve.

There are too many efforts to list them all, but one that stands out is the opening of Harrington House. The Harrington House is named for Jack’s parents, John and Patsy Harrington, who opened their own Mission Hill home to children in need. Harrington House was dedicated in 2006 and is part of the Home for Little Wanderers, offering a safe, structured, home-like living environment for children between the ages 8 and 13.

As we begin our second decade, we remain committed to expanding our philanthropic and charitable efforts to further benefit those around us in need.

It’s a great time for AAI and we’re thankful to all of you that have made the first ten years so incredible. Let’s raise our glass as we celebrate this milestone and look forward to many more decades of success.