In Demand Jobs for 2011 and Beyond

By: Katie Morell
Contributing Writer
The Business Ledger

After three years of being hampered by a recessionary economy, job seekers are tired of guessing which positions are in demand, while hiring managers are sick of turning people away.


In an effort to help the millions of job seekers, Robert Half International (RHI), a staffing firm with a Naperville office, created a cheat sheet detailing the top 11 most sought-after positions for the coming year.

This list is based on the positions we are filling for our clients,” said Fran Liontakis, regional vice president for RHI’s Naperville office. “These are the jobs that were cut during the economic downturn. Now that businesses are seeing an uptick in business, they are not prepared to go into 2011 and are scrambling.

“These positions enable companies to save money and improve profitability. They improve efficiencies and identify revenue opportunities.”

Financial analyst
“This is a person who evaluates financial plans, assists with forecasts and budgets and identifies opportunities to boost budgets,” Liontakis said. “At first glance, they can identify an area in the company that is lagging and advise senior management on how to increase revenue flow.”
According to RHI, salaries will range from $72,750 to $95,000 per year for mid-sized companies and from $81,500 to $109,750 for large companies.
ERP technical developer
“ERP stands for enterprise resource planning, a function that enables companies to improve efficiency and cut costs by effectively managing resources,” said Liontakis, adding salaries will range from $72,250 to $109,500 per year.
“Companies are moving to ERP systems to make sure they are utilizing every piece of the business efficiently. An ERP developer is someone who customizes the system for the organization, based on the company’s needs.”
Business intelligence analyst
Next year, companies will look to pay business intelligence analysts between $82,500 and $116,250 per year, according to RHI.
“Companies really need these types of analysts to guide the decision making process,” Liontakis said. “You can think of these people sort of as consultants. They help high-level decision makers evaluate data and guide processes.
“Although this is usually on a project basis, a lot of companies haven’t looked at these decisions for a long time and need someone on a full-time basis.”
Paralegal
“Paralegals research, investigate and look up case laws,” said LaSonia Michele, a freelance paralegal based in Chicago. “Then we write a memorandum of findings for an attorney. We really support the attorneys.”
Associate degrees are required for most paralegal jobs, according to Michele.
“There are so many laws; a paralegal really needs to think like an attorney,” she said.
Why is this position in such high demand?
“Law is a growing field and it is very broad,” Michele said. “There are so many areas of law, there is always need for paralegals.”
RHI projects 2011 salaries to range from $48,250 to $62,500.

Senior administrative assistant
Liontakis said she isn’t surprised companies are in desperate need of senior administrative assistants.
“The first positions that went away during the recession was those of administrative support because they don’t impact the bottom line,” she said. “Now, managers are finding that it isn’t cost effective to do administrative work.”
According to RHI, companies are looking for individuals with technical skills and staff supervision experience. Yearly salaries are forecasted to range from $32,500 to $41,750.

Data modeler
These days, firms handling more and more data, Liontakis said, increasing the need for data modelers.
“Data modelers analyze data on various trends and process it for the needs of various parts of an organization, from purchasing to hiring,” she said, adding that compensation is expected to range from $80,750 to $11,250 per year.
Mobile applications designer/developer
With a salary ranging from $73,250 to $102,500, these positions are in top demand, said Liontakis.
“Technology didn’t stop when the economy took a dive,” she said. “Now, companies are looking to distribute content and build their brand through mobile applications, which wasn’t the case just a few years ago. This position is one that would help integrate smart phones and tablet computers into business models.”
User experience (UX) designer
A UX designer is someone who helps Web sites and software become more user friendly, according to Gabby Hon, a freelance senior UX consultant in Chicago.
“We really think about the customer’s experience. When they click on a link in a Web site, what happens?” she asks. “It involves testing where we sit people down, give them tasks and find out how difficult or easy it is to use a piece of equipment or a Web site.”
Why is this field growing?
“The recession highlighted the need for companies to focus on the customer’s experience,” Hon said. “Advertising is dead. Consumers want to be treated like people. They want their experience to be a good one, whether it is in person or on a Web site.”
Educational opportunities are hard to come by, as of now, Hon said.
“The field is so young that there are very few good programs out there for UX,” she said. “I assume that will change in the next five years as the field explodes.”
RHI projects 2011 salaries to range from $67,500 to $98,000.

Lawyer
Attorneys with at least four years of experience in the health care, bankruptcy, foreclosure and litigation law fields are in high demand, according to RHI. Projected salaries range from $106,250 to $163,250.

Staff accountant
“Companies need accountants who can do the grunt work,” Liontakis said. “This is the person who can maintain the general ledger, complete reports and get information ready for a financial analyst.”
Salaries range from $42,000 to $55,500, according to RHI.

Senior business systems analyst
A senior business systems analyst looks at existing systems and researches new ways to improve efficiency and day-to-day operations, Liontakis said.
“They specialize in researching new hardware and software to help a company,” she said.
RHI projects 2011 salaries to range from $66,500 to $85,000.

Passage of Police and Fire Pension Reform a Solid First Step in Addressing Crisis

Pension reform bill offers initial reforms for taxpayer relief

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. [December 2, 2010] -  The Pension Fairness for Illinois Communities Coalition, a coalition of municipalities, counties and employer groups around the state, applauds the Illinois General Assembly’s passage of Senate Bill 3538, which is an important first step towards meaningful police and fire pension reform.  The Senate passed the bill today after passage in the House on Tuesday and now requires urgent approval by the Governor so it can become effective on January 1, 2011.

SB 3538 will create a two-tiered system for new hires, among other modifications to the pension system, including the following changes:

·         Increase the normal retirement age to 55 from 50

·         Set a pensionable salary cap at $106,800

·         Calculate pensions using an average final salary based upon the highest 8 consecutive years out of the last 10 years

“While not a perfect bill, this legislation is a solid step in the right direction to address the burden of skyrocketing public safety pension costs,” said Ed Zabrocki, Mayor of Tinley Park. “We would like to thank the police and fire unions for taking part in these important negotiations.”

Added Karen Darch, Mayor of Barrington, “We also want in particular to thank Representative Kevin McCarthy, Representative Raymond Poe, Senator Terry Link and Senator Pam Althoff for tackling this urgent issue for Illinois communities and coming up with an initial set of reforms to start lessening the burden on taxpayers.”

“We look forward to the results of the COGFA study called for in the bill that will examine the health of all of the public safety pension funds and lay out a roadmap for recommended improvements,” said Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole. “Hopefully, the focus can then be on making the system more sustainable for the long term.”

The Coalition, however, stresses that this bill is not an end-all solution to the public safety pension crisis, despite providing some measure of current relief for taxpayers, communities and business groups.  

In particular, the Coalition is concerned that the penalty language in the bill may produce unintended consequences that will leave some towns simply unable to support public safety and other critical services.   Under the bill, the State would be allowed to divert revenue from municipalities, equaling any difference between the municipality’s contribution to the local pension fund and the required actuarial contribution.

“As it stands now, even as taxpayers have increased pension contributions, funding levels have still declined,” said Tim Davlin, Mayor of Springfield. “We are hopeful Senate Bill 3538 will lay the foundation for future comprehensive efforts in order to produce greater fiscal savings our taxpayers need. We appreciate the efforts of Senate President John Cullerton and House Speaker Michael Madigan for their leadership throughout this entire process.”

From the beginning, the Pension Fairness for Illinois Communities Coalition pushed for a comprehensive package of meaningful reforms to address the police and fire pension problems that are burdening Illinois taxpayers and placing towns on the brink of collapse.

###

For more information, please visit: www.pensionfairness.org

SB 3538 – House Amendment #3 passed the House with 95 ‘YES’ votes

Talking Points – SB 3538

·         Senate Bill 3538 accomplishes the creation of a two-tiered pension system for new hires and other modifications.  Although we may not agree on all the details, this is a first step toward meaningful reform.    For this reason, I ask you to support SB 3538.

·         However,  we want to be clear - SB 3538 is not an end-all solution to the pension crisis, despite providing some measure of current relief for taxpayers.   We still need comprehensive reform in order to produce the true fiscal savings our taxpayers need.

·         In particular, the compliance/penalty language in this bill is of great concern to municipalities with unintended consequences that will leave some towns simply unable to support public safety and other critical services.  

·         As it stands now, it is especially difficult for municipalities, particularly non-home rule municipalities, to keep up with out-of-control pension costs.  Even as taxpayers have increased pension contributions, funding levels have still declined. 

o   The focus should be on making the system more sustainable, and not on enforcement.  This includes strengthening the financial health of police and fire pension funds and the potential consolidation of these funds (similar to IMRF).

o   Without this, the system will continue to lack critical safeguards and sound management - and no amount of penalties/compliance can fix that.

·         We eagerly await the results of the COGFA studies in 2013 which we expect will provide us the information we need to better understand the true nature of the problems and a roadmap for further reforms to the public safety pension systems.

·         We also want to stress that the fiscal benefits derived from this bill will quickly disappear if future benefits enhancements are approved by the General Assembly.

·         Please make no mistake - SB 3538 will not eliminate the need for tough municipal decisions.   Many communities will continue to be forced to raise taxes and make cuts in public safety personnel and other services in order to address skyrocketing pension costs.  

·         From the beginning, the Pension Fairness for Illinois Communities Coalition pushed for a comprehensive package of meaningful reforms to address the police and fire pension problems that are burdening our taxpayers and placing our towns on the brink of collapse.

·         We hope this bill will lay the foundation for much-needed comprehensive reform in the future.  Our taxpayers deserve this. 

Fire, police pension cutback bill expected to move to House floor

By CHRIS WETTERICH

THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

Lawmakers are finalizing the details of a bill that would reduce pension benefits for future police officers and firefighters and are expected to move it to the House floor Tuesday.

“I believe this bill is about as agreed (to by both sides) as we’re going to get to,” said Rep. Kevin McCarthy, D-Orland Park, the legislation’s chief sponsor. “This isn’t going to be the panacea … I think both sides received some things they were very happy about.”

The bill was being drafted by the Legislative Reference Bureau Monday morning and wasn’t immediately available, but McCarthy described its contents to the committee.

Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey said while it is time for the General Assembly to act on the issue, benefits for existing employees and retirees also will have to be changed. He wants to see everyone put into a 401(k)-style defined contribution plan.

“We’re debating about what’s going to happen with future employees when we’re not doing any hiring,” Morrissey said. “What about all the existing employees and existing retirees?

Morrissey said there is warfare between citizens who don’t want a tax increase to fund oversized benefits and existing employees and retirees.

“We’re not doing the job we need to do as trustees … for them if we’re suggesting that somehow this bill, if it passes, is going to deal with all of our problems. It’s not,” Morrissey said. “We’re going to have to deal with the fact that we have a system for the existing employees and the existing retirees that’s not sustainable.”

Morrissey told the committee the legislature should realize that barring a vast improvement in the economy, some of the systems will go bankrupt and cities will end up in court. Public officials need to have a plan to reorganize those funds, he said.

“This is a problem nationwide,” Morrissey said.

Pat Devaney, president of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois, said most of the fiscal problems in the state’s 636 police and fire pension funds stem from cities underfunding them. Devaney said his group is waiting until the bill’s final language is drafted before taking a position. Who’s to blame for the shortfall in some of the systems is a major flashpoint, with the mayors blaming overly generous benefits passed by the General Assembly.

Devaney said he was “incredulous” that Morrissey did not think the bill went far enough.

“They’re solving it (pension problems) on the backs of benefits for future police officers and firefighters,” Devaney said. “Without question, it’s (changing benefits for current employees and retirees) unconstitutional.”

Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin said there probably are “things in there both sides feel are despicable” but said the bill is “a good start where we’re at today.”

Davlin said the coalition of cities seeking the changes would not seek to change benefits for existing police and firefighters. But he hoped the General Assembly would consider legislation aimed at finding more efficiencies in the systems in the spring.

Although no specific figures were available, the city of Springfield could realize savings quickly because the number of police and fire it employs is so low, it will have to hire new employees who would fall under the new system, Davlin said.

“We’re going to reap the benefits faster than any other community,” Davlin said. “We’re going to be doing more hiring than anybody else.”

Chris Wetterich can be reached at 788-1523.

What Senate Bill 3538 does:

-- Changes the standard retirement age for police and firefighters from age 50 to age 55

-- Allows police and firefighters to retire early at age 50, with a 6 percent reduction in their pension for each year they retire before age 55.

-- Leaves intact current provisions allowing firefighters and police to retire with maximum pension benefits of 75 percent of their salaries after 30 years of service. Police will continue to contribute 9.91 percent of their salaries and firefighters will continue to contribute 9.45 percent of their salaries.

-- Caps the maximum salary upon which a pension can be based at $106,800. That number will increase annually at half the urban consumer-price index.

-- Seeks to end the “spiking” of salaries through late-career raises and promotions by basing pensions on the employee’s final average salary, which will be calculated by using an employee’s highest paying eight years out of the last 10 years they worked. Today, police and fire pensions are based on the employee’s salary on their last day of work.

-- Cost of living increases will be based on 3 percent or half the urban consumer-price index, whichever is less. Today, COLAs are an automatic 3 percent.

-- Requires cities to have the systems 90 percent funded by 2041.

-- Starting in 2015, it allows the pension funds to petition the state comptroller to subtract funds from tax money owed to the cities by the state if a city does not make complete payments to the system.

-- Requires the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability to assess the status of the 636 police and fire pension funds. It will also study the feasibility and desirability of pooling those funds together. Mayors believe that the pension funds would be more solvent if they were combined into one or two funds, similar to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, which provides pensions for non-public safety workers in local governments. COGFA’s report is due Jan. 1, 2013.

An Opportunity to Reform Workers’ Compensation

If someone wrenches his back while hanging holiday lights at home, should his employer be forced to pay compensation just because he aggravated that same injury while at work?

And, is it logical that a state arbitrator’s opinion about the severity of a workers’ compensation injury is more influential than a medical doctor’s opinion and guidelines approved by the American Medical Association?
Of course not.
However, those two scenarios reflect the reality of a broken, biased and needlessly expensive Illinois workers’ compensation system that is overdue for reform.
Finally, some legislators – who have heard the Illinois Chamber’s call for workers’ compensation reform and seen the steady exodus of companies and jobs to states where business costs are lower – are willing to demonstrate leadership in addressing employers’ concerns.
Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) announced last week that he has formed a bipartisan committee, the Special Committee on Workers’ Compensation Reform, which is an important first step in pursuit of meaningful legislation.
The group will conduct two hearings – Nov. 29 in Springfield and Dec. 8 in Chicago – before drafting legislation. The stated intention is to pass legislation out of the Senate before the close of the current General Assembly the first week of January.
It’s vital for the Illinois Chamber and our members to educate the six Senators on the committee – Cullerton, Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont), Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale), William Haine (D-Alton), Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) and Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) – about why strong workers’ compensation reform is absolutely essential for Illinois.
What You Can Do
Now is the time to tell your stories about how a costly workers’ compensation system filled with fraud and subjective decision-making has driven up costs for many businesses and compelled others to relocate out of state.
Until state leaders hear from employers like you, they will assume that the campaign to reform workers’ compensation isn’t a widespread concern. Your letters and e-mails directed to Senators Cullerton and Rodogno are extremely effective ways to build momentum toward real reform.
When you talk with legislators to let them know about your company’s struggles with workers’ compensation, remind them that Illinois has the third-highest workers’ compensation costs in the country, according to the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ national benchmarking study. Just four years ago, Illinois was 20th, according to the study. In those four years, Illinois’ workers’ compensation costs have jumped 15 percent while the national average has plunged 20 percent.
You can find more information about the Chamber’s battle for  workers’ compensation reforms in the Employment Law Council’s paper “A Case for Workers’ Compensation Reform in Illinois.”

The Illinois Chamber wants to hear about your frustrations with workers’ compensation and collect opinions regarding what you believe should be our priorities for reform legislation. Please send your stories and comments to jaydeeshattuck@gmail.comso the Chamber can share your workers’ compensation experiences with state leaders, the media and others.

 

Tell us about your most egregious examples of workers’ compensation judgments that have little basis in logic and hurt your business. Talk to us about how much your workers’ compensation insurance has gone up. We are especially eager to have comparative data and practical examples of disparities companies have experienced when comparing Illinois locations with those in other states.

Your input will help make it impossible for political leaders to ignore the need for significant changes in Illinois workers’ compensation statutes.
What Reform Looks Like
The Chamber’s goal is to persuade legislators to draft legislation that reduces workers’ compensation costs. Legislators should put these reforms at the top of the list when they’re considering changes:
In Illinois, employees can claim workers’ compensation if their injury was aggravated in any way by work, even if the injury took place somewhere else.
Therefore, we demand that the workplace must be more than 50 percent responsible for the cause of an injury before a workers’ compensation claim is approved. In fact, when Missouri changed to this standard recently, the workers’ compensation costs for businesses dropped significantly.
The Illinois workers’ compensation system does not follow the AMA guidelines but instead allows an arbitrator to conjure up numbers that are not as medically informed. We must incorporate the American Medical Association’s guidelines for disability, which are the standard for workers’ compensation claims in most states.
The 2005 law authorizing utilization review was designed to prevent the use of unnecessary medical procedures.  However, costly procedures and treatments in workers’ compensation cases continue to be a problem because utilization review is inconsistently applied in Commission rulings. California’s experience has proven mandatory utilization review is a better way to control costs.
Wage differential claims create tremendous abuse. It is reasonable to allow changes in wage differential cases for changes in economic circumstances, provide credit for previous wage differential claims and cap benefits to retirement age instead of providing awards for a lifetime.
Illinois law should acknowledge that workers have a responsibility to be alcohol and drug-free in workplaces. Impaired workers are a danger not only to themselves and property, but also to their fellow workers. A number of states, including Missouri, eliminate or dramatically reduce workers’ compensation benefits when injuries are caused by intoxication.
Employers should be able to initially direct choice in physician selections by an injured worker. Employer-directed care helps assure that quality care is provided and that the employee returns to work in a timely fashion.

Now is Our Chance

Businesses are well aware that the Illinois workers’ compensation system has been stacked against employers for far too long. For example, insurance companies often choose to settle cases rather than spend the resources to fight the system, even when employers are eager to challenge the claim. Meanwhile, insurance rates continue to rise and insurance companies continue to exit the state market altogether because they can’t make adequate margin on sales.
It is well known that employers have left the state or have declined to relocate to or expand in Illinois because of the high cost of doing business. Those businesses, and others, might think it logical to have a defeatist attitude when it comes to Springfield politics, and assume that no real reform will take place. To the contrary, the Chamber sees this potential legislation as a genuine opportunity to educate state leaders about the runaway costs associated with workers’ compensation in Illinois and to achieve meaningful change.

Our task is to make sure this round of reforms achieves significant bottom line savings. The last time the state addressed workers’ compensation was in 2005, but those changes proved inadequate and did not lower costs. Meanwhile, our neighboring states offer much lower costs and are successfully luring employers.

 

We hope you’ll join the campaign to fix a broken system and restore the prospects for job growth in Illinois.

 

Employers are encouraged to attend the Senate hearings and listen to the proceedings.  The first session will be at 1 p.m. next Monday, November 29 in Room 212 of the Illinois Statehouse. The Chamber staff also will provide a briefing for members that day at 11 a.m. at our offices at 215 E. Adams in Springfield.

 

10 Things the HR Department Won't Tell You

If everything’s going smoothly, you probably won’t interact with the folks in human resources much between the day you’re hired and your last day with the company. But every day in between, it’s their responsibility to make sure you’re doing your job well. Which means they know a lot more than you might think. We checked in with human resources experts to see what your current employer is keeping tabs on—and how your next employer could be judging you based on a whole lot more than the résumé you submitted.(read more)

Employees Will Shop Less Online But Take Bigger Risks During 2010 Holiday Season

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Employees in the US plan to spend less time shopping online from a work-supplied computer this holiday season than they did a year ago, but more of them are engaging in risky online behavior (read more)