If you're an experienced applications software developer or IT professional looking for work in solution management, project management, or cloud computing, it would be wise to get thee to Palo Alto.
With a current staff of 2,000, SAP Labs plans to boost the personnel footprint in its Palo Alto office by adding 200 to 300 positions between now December, according to Managing Director Rami Branitzky, who calls the current IT jobs market in Silicon Valley "surprisingly robust."
Based in Waldorf, Germany, SAP, with $13.9 billion in sales in 2009, ranks as the world's largest applications software company. Last month it announced plans to acquire Sybase, but SAP Labs' hiring plans are separate from that deal.
"Our sense is that the job market as a whole is much improved, with some developers getting multiple job offers," Branitzky told Dice News. "We're looking to hire (meaning "add") close to 10 to 15 percent of our current workforce between now and the end of the year."
SAP Labs' hiring focus will be in solution management, project management, and cloud computing, Branitzky says, adding, "we're also looking for people who have extensive partner experience, as well." Another key area where SAP Labs is looking to bulk up: mobile computing.
Branitzky views Silicon Valley's current job environment as much improved over the last year or so. "Last year, toward the end of the year, we started to see a recovery, but now we're seeing an aggressive job market," he says. Much of the activity, he points out, is related to the overall recovery in the technology sector.
Job opportunities in the applications area, though, have been somewhat limited due to the consolidation of many software firms in recent years. "There are not that many companies left in the applications space," Branitzky observes.
Bay Area CEOs Expect More Growth in Second Half
The U.S. economic recovery may be sputtering - with the stock market reversing course almost daily and some companies still trimming jobs - but the attitude in Silicon Valley has taken a decidedly upbeat turn, according to a survey released last week.
Based on responses from about 500 CEOs and top executives who are members of the Bay Area Council, business confidence is at its highest level in almost five years. The Council's overall confidence index rose to 62 out of 100, an impressive jump from its record low of 31 early last year. And 63 percent say they believe the Bay Area economy will be better six months from now.
Similarly, 64 percent of IT executives expect the industry to improve over the next six months. In last quarter's survey only 47 percent were that confident. Overall, 58 percent of CEOs say economic conditions have improved from six months ago - an increase of 22 points from last quarter.
The Bay Area Council includes chief executives from the nine Bay Area counties, who were surveyed from late April to late May.
Cisco to Hire Again
Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers told an investment conference that the networking equipment leader plans to hire 3,000 people during the six-month period from May to October. That's on top of the company's previously announced increase of 1,000 workers during its fiscal third quarter, which ended May 1.
-- Doug Bartholomew