With 2011 coming to an end, companies are both scrambling to finish current projects and laying out their business plans for next year. Whether you are looking for contract work for a short project, would like to invest in a full-time job, or are just starting your career in the new year, you need to have the right skills and the right experience to be the tech savvy guy or gal the nation’s growing companies are looking for.

Through our recent research, we identified the 5 major innovative areas that are key for your tech future:

• Cloud Computing: including salesforce CRM users and marketing automation, such as Eloqua or Marketo.
• Big Data: including data storage, warehousing analytics and Business Intelligence (BI).
• Mobile: application development for iPhones, iPads and Androids as well as a high demand for HTML5.
• User Engagement: continued growth of user adoption of internal and external facing projects and particularly UI, UX and front end development.
• Consumerization of IT: This trend is more culture than tech-based. Society is blurring the line between personal and business. Morgan Stanley found that "two thirds of CIOs are currently supporting personal tablet use internally. This has been the fastest adoption of a device in the history of IT! It has been predicted that upcoming in 2012 more than 50% of CIOs will indeed support tablet use in their business plan."

With new technologies rapidly emerging, a common question amongst IT Pros is: What do you do if your skill-set is becoming outdated? Here are a few tips for getting back ahead of the curve:

1. Parlay. It is important to look at the type of development you do and how it can parlay into another language that will continue to be used. Let's say that you are a Flash/Flex developer and you notice that widespread demand for your skill-set is going down. Flash/Flex is a front-end development, and while it is not a projected skill for 2012, a major front-end skill set is HTML 5. Look for companies who are getting rid of the flash/flex and bringing on the HTML 5. This way you will be a knowledgeable liaison who can help with the transition.
2. Get Training. Be willing to enhance your current skills to adapt to the demand. With the knowledge already in place from flash/flex, a few courses on HTML 5 can help ramp you up to be a developer in demand. Many companies are using training as a strategy to retain top tech talent. However, if your company doesn’t have it in its budget to foot the bill, try attending free webcasts or justify the cost of training as a personal investment.
3. Be Proactive. Along with the addition knowledge and training, enhance and expand your portfolio by striving to create content that showcases specific expertise in your niche field. In addition, volunteer for extra projects at your current job that can showcase and expand upon your current skills.
4. Make the Connection. Get involved in the tech community by working in a tech lab and/or participating in hackathons. By connecting with other tech savvy individuals like yourself and igniting your competitive instincts, you will build your current network and knowledge base. For those that prefer to expand their network online, check out Gild.com and the new Skill builder App on LinkedIN.

If you specialize in one of the hot technologies, are you in the clear? Not so fast. There’s a new outlook in IT, one in which the workplace has flattened. It requires flexibility and adaptability to the ever-changing demands of the tech industry. That means that whether you’re an HTML5 or UX developer, you need to learn to be innovative and agile moving forward.

It may seem like a full time job in itself to keep up with rapidly changing technology trends, so be smart about how you enhance your skill-set. For further advice, check out our recently released Webcast: Hiring the Right Tech Talent and our 2012 Technology Outlook Guide for a more in-depth guide of trending technologies for next year.