7 Segment Changers and Predictions for Tech in 2011

Hold onto your hats (or should I say wallets) because we’re in for some big changes in 2011. Here are seven up and coming technologies that recently caught my eye:

Mobile Wallets

Smartphones are going to begin a whole new market segment called Mobile Wallets. Will our cellphone become our new credit card? Recently Google bought mobile payment startup Zetawire. The NFC chip, which will allow for mobile payments, will start to be put into all mobile phones during 2011. The newest Nexus phones come with the NFC chip. According to TechCrunch, Apple was recently looking at purchasing BOKU, another mobile payments startup. But I believe the real revenues will come in 2012 in the Mobile Wallet world.

Square

http://www.squareup.com/ – The NFC chip is big, but I think that the most exciting development on the horizon for smartphone commerce is Square.
 
This product was created by Twitter co- founder Jack Dorsey. I believe that Square will revolutionize the way credit card payments are made. Square is a plastic attachment for cell phones (only iPhone and Android so far) that creates a sophisticated POS (point of sale) for all businesses. 
 
Square will allow anyone to accept credit card payments without contracts or monthly fees. According to Square, this small device is free with a 15 cent/transaction fee. Here’s a video on how Square works - http://techcrunch.com/2009/12/01/jack-dorsey-square/.

Paypal Bump

Money will be transferred between phones by bumping two phones together. Here’s an entertaining video (good British humour behind a great app) that shows this Paypal Bump and the iPhone application in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9RNJ2yywuk 

Quora

Quora – http://www.quora.com/ - is hot in Silicon Valley and I believe that 2011 will be the year it will make it big outside the “Valley.” The executive team that heads things up on the technology side all come from Facebook. They know more than a thing or two about social networking. Quora gives you the ability to follow topics and questions as well as people. It defines your profile by interests, not just by people you know. While Twitter and Facebook are also trying to create this interest graph, Quora is designed from the ground up for interest graphs. Check it out to be ahead of the social curve. Here’s a 60 second social media profile on Quora - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fa0klZu68U

IPO Comeback

During the last two years we haven’t seen many successful IPO’s. This will begin to change in 2011. Recently Telsa stock has been skyrocketing. Kayak and Skype have announced that they are going public. Companies such as LinkedIn, Zygna and Groupon have intentions to go public. Everybody is speculating whether Facebook will go public. They raised 500M on a 50B valuation so Facebook may be able to wait a while before they go public. Recently there has been a lot of money on the sidelines in the technology realm. Many technology companies are profitable before going public unlike the more reckless investment model that characterized the “dotcom bubble.”

Battle for TV

The way we watch TV will continue to change in 2011. Apple has launched AppleTV that streams movies amongst other things. But competitors such as Google and start-ups Boxee, Hulu and Roku are going to throw a few punches in the battle for your TV viewing. This battle will create a giant market for apps that could rival the billion dollar smartphone app market.

Tablet Market

In 2010 we saw the arrival of the iPad that has created a new technology segment called the tablet market. The iPad is awesome. I'm sure Apple has an even more awesome iPad 2 in store for us. Can Apple's competitors come up with a credible product to compete with the iPad in 2011? Will the new version of the iPad leave the competitors in the dust? One thing is for sure, we will see many new competitors in the tablet market from Google, Dell, Samsung, and RIM to name a few.

It is going to be a very exciting year! By the end of 2011, I believe that Square, Mobile Wallets, Quora, IPO’s and the battle for TV are going to change the way we think about our technology and business.

What are your predictions for 2011? Which technologies and companies are you watching?

Related Articles:
Steve, Mark and Jim: Who Made 2010's Nice List?
Welcome to Toronto Silicon Valley North
Top 10 IT Skills in Demand 2010

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Canada’s Summer Job Market is Sizzling

The technology job market is hot this summer. Check out this recent headline in the Huffington Post: Need A Job? Try Canada, Where Hiring Is Booming And Home Prices Are Rising. The article mentions that with a population that’s one tenth the size of the US, Canada created 10,000 more jobs than the USA last month.

Summer is typically a slow time in the job market. Not this year. The Canadian economy created 93,000 jobs in June according to Statistics Canada. The new jobs are primarily in Ontario and Quebec. In June Ontario added 60,000 new jobs and Quebec added 30,000 new jobs

We focus primarily on IT job placements at Stafflink. The majority of new hires we were involved with in June and July came from financial services (primarily banks and insurance companies), software and mobile companies. For hard-to-find skill sets like J2ME, Derivatives or Android our candidates have been receiving multiple job offers. It’s been a couple of years since we’ve seen this level of competition for candidates.

The new jobs Stafflink has been working to fill are evenly split between permanent-fulltime and contract. Compare that to 12 months ago when 90% of the job orders we received were for short term contract opportunities.

I believe that this strong job market will continue. Why? How can we ensure our continued success?

• Innovation. Our clients are developing new products and product lines with innovative research and development that is helping to drive the increase in new jobs, mostly in the technology sector.
• Stable banks create a secure environment for new business development and growth.
• Education. Schools need to offer the courses people need to develop the skills that the current economy demands.
• Diverse workforce. Multiculturalism is our strength. Employers who value qualifications from other countries gain access to a larger talent pool. Having people with diverse backgrounds at the table brings more creativity and innovation.

Go Canada! Canada is poised for continued success and strong job creation because of our diverse, well-educated and innovative people.

Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/09/need-a-job-try-canada-whe_n_640555.html
http://www.thestar.com/business/markets/article/834018--tsx-closes-up-on-jobs-data

Related Articles:

Top 10 IT Skill Sets in Demand in 2010
The Future's So Bright You Gotta Wear Shades

Its Time to Spring Forward

The Job Market Longtail

Tim Collins, President and Founder,

Stafflink Solutions Ltd

http://www.stafflink.ca/

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

It's Time to Spring Forward

The clocks spring forward today. We'll lose an hour of sleep. But who needs sleep with spring in the air?

Do New Years Resolutions Work?

Is New Years Day really the best time to make resolutions? The dead of winter is a good time to cocoon and do the internal work, to analyze where you are and where you want to go. But mid January doesn't feel like the best time to go on a diet or start a new venture.

Now is the Time for New Beginnings

Hidden potential is coming out of hiding: trees about to blossom, bulbs ready to peak up through the dirt, playgrounds coming to life. Spring just feels like the right time to realize your hidden potential. This is your opportunity to reinvent yourself and shake things up with a new haircut or career path.

What's growing inside of you that wants to be nurtured? Is there something new that you want to learn? This is the perfect time to recommit to that resolution you dropped in February.

Small is the New Big

It doesn't have to be a big thing. If you commit yourself to something small you're more likely to succeed. These books offer inspiration:

• The Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference by Linda Kaplan and Robin Koval
• Small is the New Big by Seth Godin

Where to Begin

If you're stuck, notice when you hear yourself say the word "should," especially if you're trying to be helpful. "You know what you should do..." Stop, turn the table and see if you're trying to get someone else to do the work you need to do. I often hear myself urging people to write a "Lens" on Squidoo. I should take my own advice.

Spring Fever and Your Career

The job market is heating up along with the temperature. We have more full-time opportunities posted right now then we've had in the past two years. May you should spring forward, tune up your resume, and make that career move you've been considering.

Tim Collins

Stafflink.ca

timc@stafflink.ca

www.twitter.com/stafflinks

www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

The Job Market Long Tail

Chris Anderson's The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More describes how shifting technologies create opportunities for some businesses and ruin others. It turns out that when we have unlimited access to everything for nearly free we purchase more niche products and less blockbusters. How has the Long Tail influenced the job market?

New EmployersAmazon, Ebay, iTunes, Craigslist, Huffington Post, Netflix, Youtube: What do these companies have in common? They've created empires around new technologies and our insatiable desire for greater choice at a lower cost. Meanwhile newspapers, record labels and retailers that deny the trends and continue "business as usual" are threatened with extinction. The power has shifted along with employment opportunities.

Job Boards vs Classified AdsWhen was the last time you checked the classifieds for job postings? Job search and recruiting methods have moved online. Your professional profile consists of more than a resume: online portfolio, Twitter account, blog, postcasts, Youtube videos, Slideshare decks are all great ways to show what you've got.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing
People with virtualization and cloud computing skills are in big demand according to a recent posting on ReadWriteCloud:

The fastest growing skills are for virtualization, which is at about 2,000 ads, up 21% compared to last year. Cloud computing is showing popularity, too. Last year there were zero jobs posted.This year there are more than 300.
Large companies from a number of industries are hiring virtualization pros, showing the demand is not just from technology companies.

Flexible Work ArrangementsThe beauty of cloud computing is that it makes it easier for you to work from remote locations like a home office, the airport or Starbucks. Virtual teams and virtual companies are becoming more common thanks to Google Docs and webcams.

Entrepreneurship
Even if you work for someone else's company it pays to think like an entrepreneur. If you want to be valuable to your employer be on the lookout for ways to improve processes, products and services. Businesses stay competitive by employing creative people who are willing to think for themselves.

Personal branding

The world gave you control over the means of production. Not to master them is a sin. - Seth Godin, The Linchpin

The barriers to publishing a website, a blog or a book are crumbling fast. At the very least most people are micro-blogging via Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. These platforms are a great opportunity for you to build a professional network and a community. Many people are creating strong personal brands that showcase their skills and even pay the mortgage.

How has the Long Tail affected your career?

Tim Collins
Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Employment Gaps on Resumes

Many jobseekers are worried because they have 4-6 month gaps on their resumes. In the past recruiters were told to put candidates with gaps into a "B" pile. Two years ago if a candidate went to an interview with a large gap in work experience, they would be expected to explain the gap.

That question is still going to come up in an interview today. But the cause of “the gap in the resume” is more likely to be the economy.

How long is an acceptable gap in your resume?

There are still employers and staffing companies that only want to hire people that are presently employed. Their theory is that companies will keep their best employees even in a tough economy. This theory is a little short sighted. Many excellent individuals have lost positions not due to own performance but due to the overall performance of their company.

Many employee cutbacks at companies were made to save money. In many cases people with higher salaries were cut and replaced by junior people. Are the junior people better employees than higher priced talent? The point is that many strong candidates are on the market right now because of the economy. This is a great opportunity for employers to access talent that was harder to find in the past.

Every day we interview candidates that would be working in a better economy . We look for patterns on resumes. If a candidate has gaps throughout their 10 year work career than a red flag goes up. But if they have a gap in in the past 6 months it is obvious what caused it.

My advice to jobseekers: Be prepared for the “gap in the resume” question. Do not just say it is because of the economy. Give a brief explanation without being negative about your previous employer. Negativity about a past employer is always a red flag for employers.

My advice to employers: Expect to see a surplus of jobs in the spring. Consider all candidates if you want to remain competitive and hire the best new employees.

Tim Collins
Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Small Business Leads Us Back To Prosperity

Analysts report that both Canada and United States will likely reach 10% unemployment rates. These figures are not often seen in recent memory. Both countries always have pockets with high unemployment rates due to a troubled industry. But these are national statistics.

Many employers have asked employees to take a pay cut. Every day we meet candidates who tell us that they are willing to take lower paying positions just to get back to work. When the economy picks up again I suspect many people will leave positions in which they feel underemployed in or underpaid. The million dollar question is when this shift occur?

Many people are working from home after being laid off. Some of these people are making substantially less money than they were when they were employed outside the home. This trend can skew employment statistics. Although these people are employed they may be earning half the salary or less than they did in the past. As a society we need to create more high quality long term jobs to support our families and children in the future.

Governments and provinces need to have a vision and a long term plan. What is going to happen when infrastructure money dries up? Will Ontario’s green jobs programs really create jobs?

We need to take risks. Some risks will work and some will not. Venture capitalists expect only a percentage of their projects to work out. The government needs to create a small business venture capitalist group (not the Business Development Bank). This should be headed by entrepreneurs with real experience and knowledge of what it takes to run a business: SME’s. Together small businesses will create more jobs more quickly than most of the Fortune 500 companies. We still need the big companies to create jobs. But we see that the more agile medium sized companies are doing most of the hiring right now. The larger companies have so many checks and balances in place it is difficult for them to move forward. Big businesses often need to have eight signatures on a single request for a new employee which can take months.

I believe we need to set up “braintrust” groups to offer free advice to new entrepreneurs from successful entrepreneurs. This should be funded by the federal government. Presently the governments are trying to buy our way out of the recession by paying for infrastructure (which is good), but why not put some of that money into helping grow the small and medium sized businesses that are creating jobs now?

We will all benefit by funding small and medium sized businesses in the same way that we support big business.

Barometer on the Economy

Clients and candidates frequently if we’ve seen any improvement in the economy. The Bank of Canada tells us the economy is recovering. Many economists say the economy is recovering. How do we see it from the front line of the job market?

As an owner of a staffing company I work with small, medium and large businesses in both the public and private sector. This gives me a unique perspective on the economy.
Houses with multiple offers are common in Toronto again, at least in particular neighborhoods. Multiple offers for particular job seekers is happening again as well. Although this is not a frequent trend it is very encouraging. Similar to the housing market people with multiple job offers bring unique skills sets. For example people with functional healthcare knowledge combined with technology skills are highly in demand. iphone developers are also highly in demand at least in the short term. New trends in technology will always generate job openings.

Small and medium size companies are responsible for a small resurgence in the economy. These companies are more nimble and able to accommodate new technologies. The larger companies have more bureaucracy and may be publically traded. This slows down their ability to approve new projects and make decisions.

In the spring of 2010 the economy will make an even stronger come back. This will have a profound on the job market. Many people have stayed in jobs they do not like for the past 18 months. They’ve stayed for security. As the economy surges ahead in 2010 more and more people will be willing to dip their foot into the job market and see what’s out there. This will cause a great deal of turnover within organizations.

Contractors who’ve had their rates slashed by over 20% in some cases will be looking to increase their rates at their present employers or more likely they will be moving onto new contracts. The movement in both contractors and permanent staff will create more opportunities for everybody.

As the economy improves many companies will begin spending some dollars to reopen frozen projects. The combination of permanent staff looking for new positions, contractors looking for new contracts and companies starting new projects will create the perfect storm for the staffing industry.

Key questions: When will this perfect storm take place? As an employer, will you proactively target key staff to keep them in place in preparation for the storm?