Rick Zabor is the founder and Search Consultant with Peoplestaff. Peoplestaff is an Atlanta based Search firm founded in 1988, that has specialized since 1994 in the placement of the Industry‘s best PeopleSoft and Enterprise IT Talent across the USA. Rick has a degree in Physics and advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering and is an experienced engineer and researcher in the automotive and solar energy fields. He welcomes your comments and referrals by email Zabor@peoplestaff.com or through www.peoplestaff.com.

Job Security and YOUR future in Enterprise IT (3-12-2005)

One of the most important career topics that is rarely talked about, often joked about, and should be taken very seriously is Job Security. Over the past 4 years it’s value has been brought to light in the changed Enterprise IT marketplace as ERP professionals were downsized, transitioned or simply left the marketplace. Below are some of my thought on Job Security and how to succeed in the ERP (Peoplesoft) marketplace.

For the purpose of this article I will define job security as:

JOB SECURITY - one’s ability to maintain employment at the desired level of challenge and reward while meeting the employer’s need for accomplishment.

 Job Security may also be defined by the relationship:

 Job Security Relationship
Employee Job challenge + job reward  =  ability to perform Employer valued job tasks
Employee side = Employer side

From the left side of the relationship (the Employee side) we can understand that Job Security means challenge and reward. Most employees who feel under challenged or underpaid will not feel very secure in their jobs. From the right side of the relationship (the Employer side) we can understand that employers are always trying to obtain value from their employees. When employers fail to get the value they need, the employer will make changes. If the employee doesn’t deliver value to the employer they will not feel very secure in their jobs. Both the employee and employer give something and receive something from the relationship and will continue to do so as long as the relationship is in balance.

But this is a dynamic relationship and it is always changing. Thus unless you are changing to meet the needs of your employer (or in a bigger sense the needs of the marketplace) your Job Security will be questioned.

Let’s see how this relationship works in practice and how it might be valuable to you in making career decisions.

In 1996 there was a new and huge demand for Enterprise IT talent  (PeopleSoft, Oracle, SAP, JDE, Lawson, etc. The demand was being driven by the unknown effects of the Y2K bug and by the desire to integrate Human Resource, Financials, and Supply Chain operations. With millions of lines of mainframe code needing to be re-written and tested, hundreds of corporations decided it was less risky and more productive to implement a proven ERP solution.

It was not uncommon for an intermediate level corporate level PeopleSoft Developer or Analyst to realize compensation level jumps from $45,000 per year to $200,000 per year if they transitioned to a traveling consultant position. The demand was real and enormous and far exceeded supply of this talent. 

By the start of 1999, if a company hadn’t initiated the implementation of an ERP package they probably wouldn’t complete it by December 31, 1999 and thus the major impetus and value of the ERP solution diminished as the Y2K solution. The number of new projects decreased rapidly and the demand for that intermediate level PeopleSoft Developer or Analyst decreased as well. As the talent value decreased so did the compensation levels and number of open positions. Now the typical intermediate level consultant was earning $70000 - $80000 per year with bonus potential as the consulting firms shifted some of the unknown billing risks to the consultant. Many were laid off or were transitioned to lower paying jobs.

Starting in 2000 many candidates became disgruntled with their employers and employers with their employees. The Job Security relationship was changing. There was a greater Supply of experienced talent than there was Demand for that talent. Employers could pay less and now accomplish more for their money. The value of the Developer or Analyst’s skill set was decreased. Candidates were feeling uncomfortable about their Job Security and their future.

In reality the Job Security relationship was in balance. Candidates had to make the personal decision to be satisfied with less money or move on to other jobs.  But moving on to other jobs didn’t enhance their Job Security unless the candidate was able to identify and perform more highly valued job tasks.

Since year 2000 there has been a redefinition of valued job tasks in the Enterprise IT marketplace and these values continue to change as the software and marketplace changes. How will Oracle’s purchase of PeopleSoft affect the value of a PeopleSoft skill set? This will be discussed in greater detail in a future column. Today if you want Job Security and growth in the Enterprise IT marketplace you must understand and deliver today’s Employer valued job tasks. What does the Employer value in today’s marketplace? What will be valued next year or in 5 years?

Knowing what the Employer values is crucial for you to make solid career decisions and to have Job Security. The best way to learn of these skills is to be active in the marketplace. Talk with your managers and find out their plans and work to help them reach their goals. Even if you aren’t looking for a new position, consider interviewing potential new employers for the opportunity to enhance your skills, deliver greater value, and earn a greater reward. The best time to interview for new positions is when you don’t have too. If the opportunity is solid and you can enhance your market position, seriously consider making the change or at least bringing the same skills into your current job – your employer will appreciate this.

Websites like Peoplesoft-Planet.com can also help you keep informed of the marketplace and the skills in demand. Looking at job boards on a regular basis can help you get a sense of today’s values but the understanding of future values takes more work. Talk to your colleagues about the market’s direction, read industry publication, and give deeper thought to your own challenge, reward, and your valued skillset.