As seen in the Aug 3-9, 2006 issue of ...

In this ultracompetitve town, hard work is as important in a job search as it is in an actual job. We asked some of New York's top headhunters to share tips on how to land a position in several of the city's most desirable fields - and how to move up once you're there.
By Scot Meyer

Don't be discouraged by stories about jobs going overseas, says J.B. Homer Associates President Judy B. Homer. "Companies are not outsourcing their core competencies. And good technology people are actually in short supply."

Earn a degree in engineering, mathematics or computer science; combine the credentials with some business skills. While in school, intern with a big company to get corporate experience. But when you graduate, consider a small firm or start-up, you'll probably work harder, but learn more and boost your visibility.

Don't let fear of failure prevent you from taking risks. "You're in far greater jeopardy if you're doing the same thing over and over again, staying in your little cubby," Homer says. "The routine jobs are the ones that do get outsourced." Learn new skills by taking advantage of certificate programs - usually about 17 credits - offered through Pace University and other institutions, or at technical schools like DeVry Institute of Technology. Consider pursuing an M.B.A. Recognize that your real value lies in promoting a profitable business and not necessarily in advancing technology's leading edge.

Realize that your current job - whatever it is - has a technological component. "Pull back the curtain and see the technology behind what you do, and educate yourself about that," Homer says. Build on the abilities you have. Organizational and leadership skills, coupled with the right courses, could set you up for a career in project and program management, for example, which allows you to concentrate on people and processes rather than the fundamentals of high tech. Or study to become a certified technician and break into the business that way.