Oracle contractor shortage predicted

If you have Oracle skills 2008 could be something of a jackpot year with contractors in short supply as demand ramps up over the next 12 months, says IT recruitment company Technojobs.

The enterprise software giant has built up a head of steam over many years via its acquisition strategy. Most famously it acquired software giant PeopleSoft for $10.3bn, back in 2004, but it also has plenty of smaller buys under its belt - a strategy that has led it to ranking as the second largest software company in the world after Microsoft.

Oracle's success in growing its software business last year is now translating into a rise in jobs requiring Oracle skills being advertised and Oracle is already the second most in-demand skill for contract jobs in 2008, according to the recruitment company.

The average annual salary for the last three months for a permanent Oracle job was £46,244, according to ITJobsWatch.co.uk. The average Oracle contractor daily rate for the past three months was £418.

Continued investment in corporate and public sector strategy ERP projects - as well as the general IT skills shortage - means demand for Oracle skills is likely to rise this year, said the recruiter.

Job seekers who gain experience in different areas and implementations of Oracle - for instance via contracting - will be in the strongest position, said Technojobs. Those who also have consulting and project management skills will have an advantage too.

Author: Natasha Lomas @ management.silicon.com

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Oracle contractor jobs market expected to grow in 2008

Oracle finished with a crescendo in 2007 with record profits and substantial growth, however the benefits for Oracle IT contractors have yet to materialise so far in 2008.

Oracle's success in 2007 was primarily due to their acquisitions strategy incorporating selling industry-specific applications to their existing database, middleware, ERP and CRM customers.

As a result of this strategy, Oracle experienced an impressive reported growth over rival competitor SAP.

In addition to selling applications to their existing customers, Oracle for 2008 are now selling industry-specific solutions to banking, telecommunications, retail, Government, utilities and health care industries.

It is no surprise that the strategy for the year ahead is further growth and by selling to their existing customers it is likely to allow Oracle to leverage relationships, leverage support and leverage existing products.

For many Oracle IT contractors this increase in market growth has yet to materialise in increased vacancies nor has it meant an increase in pay. Oracle professionals in permanent positions have also not benefited financially.

Due to the growth of Oracle software, the continued investment in key corporate and public sector strategic ERP projects and the general skills shortage across the IT market, the demand for Oracle skills is likely to start showing levels of growth in 2008. It is already the second highest demanded IT Skill for Contract Jobs in 2008.

Highlights from the latest Oracle salary information, show the following (source: ITJobsWatch):

- Average annual salary for the last 3 months for a permanent Oracle job was: £46,244

- This has remained relatively static over the last 12 months

- The average Oracle contractor daily rate for the past three months was £418. This is comparable to the amount it was in the same period last year

- The exception is Oracle EBS - Permanent Oracle EBS consultants have enjoyed a healthy 12.57% rise in their salary to £58,243 whilst contractors have seen a rise of 4.59% to £439 per day.

Anthony Sherick, from Technojobs told us:

"Over the past 12 months the Oracle jobs market has remained relatively static in terms of remuneration. However, with the growth in demand, we at Technojobs have started to see the number of Oracle jobs advertised increasing."

"The candidates in an even stronger position are those that gain experience in different areas and implementations of Oracle, which can often be done through contracting. Additionally it is worth considering evolving Oracle experience with consulting skills and project manager skills, which will open more job opportunities and in parallel a higher salary in 2008".

Source: www.contracteye.co.uk

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Practice Test for Oracle 11g DBA OCA Exam 1Z0-047

uCertify, a reputed name in the preparation of certification exams, announced the pre-release of the Exam Simulation PrepKit for Exam 1Z0-047 for the Oracle OCA 11g certification.

The full version will be released on 19th March 2008. There is a huge discount offer of 50% for the customers who place their orders before the release date.

The 1Z0-047 exam also provides credit towards, Oracle Database: SQL Certified Expert, Oracle 9i DBA OCA and Oracle PL/SQL Developer Certified Associate certifications.

The PrepKit has been developed keeping in mind the latest exam trends by Oracle. There is a huge demand for professionals proficient in Oracle. This certification exam provides an opportunity to Database Administrators to test their skills and get recognition from the world leader, Oracle.

The PrepKit for the 1Z0-047 contains four full-length practice tests, which include 250 challenging and interactive questions along with 150 study notes that simulate the real exam. The 1Z0-047 exam is an elective one. This Oracle Database certification demonstrates the powerful SQL programming language and helps you to master the key concepts of a relational database.

The PrepKit for exam 1Z0-047 is bundled with a variety of tests such as pre-defined tests, diagnostic test and a final test. You can also customize the tests according to your needs. Detailed result analysis of all the tests taken will help you to focus on your weak areas, so that you can overcome your shortcomings.

There are also a lot of helpful resources such as Technical Articles on different important technical topics, Tips and Tricks, Things to practice etc.


In addition to this, the PrepKit has been refined with new features, such as 'Study Note Search.' Through the 'Study Notes Search' feature, you can enhance your understanding of the technical terms and definitions by searching with the help of keywords. You can also generate a test based on specific study notes to evaluate your knowledge.

Roy Wood, an IT expert, remarked in his blog, "I thought the final test was a bit more difficult than the practice tests which was probably by design. Also, I noticed there was a "learn" function for each test question, which was accompanied by a thorough explanation."

He further added, "There was also a means to create your own tests, add your own questions, provide immediate feedback, tagging, print, review questions, and make notes online – this flexibility was a nice surprise." To read more about his reviewed uCertify Oracle PrepKit, visit Roy Wood's blog: http://esofthub.blogspot.com/2008/01/it-certification-self-help-portal.html

More information and a free to download version of the PrepKit is available at:
http://www.ucertify.com/exams/Oracle/1Z0-047.html

About uCertify:
Conceived in 1996, uCertify.com specializes in the development of computer assisted test preparation software. The company provides exam simulation PrepKits for various Oracle certification exams of OCA DBA 9i, OCP DBA 9i,Oracle PL/SQL Developer, OCA DBA 10g, and OCP DBA 10g and other significant certifications exams.

Contact:
http://www.ucertify.com

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