Amazon is Coming to Town

There's a contest of sorts currently underway in which cities large and small, scattered across the United States from sea to shining sea, are desperately seeking to outdo each other in courting the favor of one of America's most dynamic companies. Everything e-tailer Amazon, which has numerous other ventures under its corporate umbrella, will soon choose from among its many suitors a city or county to serve as the site of its second U.S. headquarters.

That's right, Amazon has apparently gotten so big that it needs a second headquarters. According to a brand new report in the Washington Post — which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos — the company is seeking a site with 8 million square feet of available real estate. Given the colossal promise of economic development and jobs sure to accompany the backup HQ, is it any wonder there's a welcome mat almost wherever you look?

There's some concern that the lucky municipality eventually touched by Bezos' golden scepter will wind up in a true blue "be careful what you wish for" scenario. The original Amazon headquarters has provided readily quantifiable benefits to its home city of Seattle, but the city and its taxpaying citizens have also borne a flood of collateral expenses. It ain't cheap to become the hub for an operation the size of an Amazon headquarters.

At one time or another in your IT career, there will be an Amazon-sized opportunity. You won't necessarily be weighing the pros of economic manna from heaven against the cons of massive infrastructure development. Big chances come along for almost everyone in any profession, however, and there's really no way to tell when or where fortune's favor will alight. All you can do is try to be prepared.

For career IT professionals, one excellent means of getting to, and then staying on the leading edge of technology is certification. The right certification can put you in a prime position to be among the skilled IT workers that almost every industry is desperate to find. And staying certified can help you stay at the front of the hiring line. You may not know when or where to expect a bolt of career development lighting, but starting down a certification path today can ensure that you're ready when it strikes.