We can't survive without WAN architects. But to the CEO, those titles are just a bunch of acronyms. To the chief financial officer, such positions aren't impressive enough to warrant salaries higher than room temperature. To be a success, you need a flashy title. Now junior programmer II, there's a title that'll get an executive's attention.
Marketable Skills Stay away far away.
Java may seem like the way to get ahead. Those Object guys only look like they're pulling down the big bucks. If you've got technical talent, you're cooked. You're too valuable to move up the management chain. If you ever find yourself meeting around the mahogany table with the big cheeses, the last thing you should do is start furiously taking notes in some 79-cent spiral notebook.