in other fields, where they believe it is into practice in the real world is a as CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork
safer to advance their careers. different story, according to channel Expert), PMP (Project Management
“To succeed in this field, you need employers. Professional) or CISSP (Certified
three things: logical thinking, atten- “Many of these training companies Information Systems Security Pro-
tion todetail and problem-solving abil- churn out these MCSEs [Microsoft fessional)—and who also have inter-
ities,” said Norman Matloff, computer Certified Systems Engineers], but it’s personal and business skills are hard
science professor at the University of just paper training,” said Doug Ford, for channel companies to find.
California at Davis. “These traits are president of IT Pros, a San Diego- “This is where the shortage is,”
also important to becoming a lawyer, based computer and said Jason Beal, group
except when you are a lawyer you can network consulting manager for Santa
start as high as $160,000 per year, company. “They don’t Ana, Calif., distributor
rather than $80,000.” know what they don’t Ingram Micro’s Ser-
Because of the shortcomings employ- know.” vices Network. “VARs
ers see in job seekers, many of them “Igothroughsomany are desperate to find
end up fishing for the same recruits in interviews—I must have these folks. They’re
a relatively small talent pool. had 10 in the last two investing in this kind
“You have a broad-based fight for a months—and Isitacross of talent and trying to
narrow slate of talent, and it’s not just the table from people, hold on to it. As VARs
narrow because of pipeline concerns but and talking doesn’t help, move into higher-end
because it’s a subset of a larger talent pool so I show them a sce- work, they need these
that doesn’t meet [employers’] needs,” nario: How would you people with high-end
said Forrester’s Bright. “In the front build this network? And certifications—people
end of the pipeline, there is a dearth of they can’t explain it to IDC’s Bright: There is a dearth who can sell a product,
new CS graduates, a lower interest from me,” said Ford. of computer science graduates. sell a solution.”
young people in pursuing IT careers, and Those who are highly
the aftereffects of the dot-com bust and trained in a specific technology are also Left behind
the ensuing media hype.” of little help to channel companies, channel companies aren’t like
Because the numbers of potential which need well-rounded staffs. larger, well-known technology employ-
recruitscomingoutoftechnologyschools “We find that big IT organizations ers, which makes it harder for them
havedeclinedinrecentyears, ITemploy- are oftentimes segmented,” said to hire in a tight IT labor market. In
ers are left with an aging work force, Ford. “You work in infrastructure, addition, said Celia Harper-Guerra,
according to channel executives and the help desk, etc. We’ll put a post director of talent at Cisco Systems,
analysts. Someinthat workforcealready on [job-related Web sites] Monster in San Jose, Calif., channel partners
have their eye on retirement, while oth- or Craigslist and sit down and talk typically don’t have the size or the
ers are being wooed by recruiters. to them, and they’ll know only one human resources investment to attract
“In the back end, CIOs have this thing very well. We need a breadth of recruits.
ax hanging over their heads over the ability; we need someone who knows Often, they’re in smaller towns, far
possible retirement of baby boom- Exchange, Active Directory and all fromthecoastsandthetalentepicenters
ers who will take their knowledge of those things we do on a daily basis of Silicon Valley and the Northeast.
both the business and IT with them,” that are difficult.” “We have a number of partners in
Bright said. When and if these too-specialized remote locations, and they’re struggling
Left in the middle is what Bright IT professionals are hired, often they to find talent,” Harper-Guerra said.
calls “an overfished pond,” a supply don’t have enough to do. “It’s very “They really need to think more about
so valuable that poaching is frequent hard to have people on your staff who building talent in their own backyard.”
and those with the coveted skill sets are extremely limited in their skills, Without the brand recognition of
can name their price and, often, even who are too specialized,” said LAN the big shots, VARs struggle to reach
their hours. Associates’ Cohen. “If I have someone university-level recruits.
with too-specialized training, they sit “VARs can have a hard time picking
Good on paper idle a lot.” talent up right out of universities,” said
many applicants look good on Meanwhile, those with high-end Ingram Micro’s Beal. “People in college
paper, but putting their knowledge skills that VARs need the most—such [CONTINUED ON PAGE 10]
