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LIFE-LONG LEARNING MODULE C

CAREERS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

What's Your Dream Job?

The field of information technology can be a great place to work, and the opportunities you have are enormous. Even in today's sluggish economy, IT job opportunities are still growing at a steady pace.

However, to prepare for a career in information technology you must in fact "prepare." You need to carefully select your classes and devote your time and energies to making the best grades.

You also need to be aware of what jobs are available, what skills and certifications you need, and how you can best position yourself to land your IT dream job. After getting your job, you must constantly improve your skills and update your knowledge to keep pace with technology.

In this Life-Long Learning Module, we'll discuss career opportunities in the field of information technology and what you can do to prepare for them, as well as excel in them. Today IT specialists are among the highest paid of all occupations.

Click on the links below to learn more about how you can prepare for your chosen profession:


Job Titles, Descriptions, and Salaries

Job titles and descriptions in IT change as IT changes. Sometimes it's difficult to distinguish among various types of jobs. You might wonder what's the difference between a systems administrator and a systems developer. Many fields are so new that some job titles seem to overlap or perhaps not make sense to you as you look for specific jobs.

The demand for labor changes too as economic circumstances change. Business struggled to hire enough IT professionals during the "dot-com boom" of the late 1990s. IT professionals received soaring salaries, great incentive plans, and high bonuses. However, when the dot-com frenzy ended, many IT professionals in the hottest dot-com regions found themselves looking for jobs because companies downsized or completely disappeared.

However, in general, IT is a good area to be in if you're looking for a job. The demand for skilled IT professionals keeps growing nationally and internationally and the type of jobs available becomes more varied. Each has its own set of responsibilities and comes with a big paycheck.

Below are some job titles, descriptions and the average salary nationally in 2002, according to Computerworld magazine's "16th Annual Salary Survey" which ran October 28, 2002 (www.computerworld.com). The complete survey can be found here.

Keep in mind that these salaries don't include performance bonuses. Also, salaries do vary according to the type of business (Consulting, Finance, Health Care, etc.) and its geographical location (East Coast, Midwest, etc.).

Job TitleJob Description
Salary
Senior Management Positions
Chief Information Officer (CIO) Top IT executive for the whole organization. $122,950
Director of Systems Development Top IT executive responsible for overseeing the development of technology solutions. $112,076
Internet Technology Strategist Researches and plans the integration of Internet technologies to support and extend organization initiatives. $95,213
Director of IT/IS/MIS Top IS/IT/MIS executive for a business unit or division. $90,417
Chief Security Officer Top IT executive responsible for system, data, application, and physical security in the business. $90,267
Middle Management
Application Development Manager Directs development teams responsible for creating applications. $85,291
Database Manager Directs the group that's responsible for database design, programming and maintenance. $85,044
Project Manager Defines and manages project system requirements and procedures to complete them. $81,981
Information Security Manager Responsible for maintaining the security of computer systems, network applications and databases. $79,241
IT/IS Manager Manages the daily operations of IT/IS departments and units. $73,621
Computer Operations Manager Manages computer systems, data processing and communications groups. $72,124
Help Desk Manager Manages help desk and support technicians. Establishes organizational support policies and procedures. $68,256
Network Manager Manages an organization's LANs and WANs. $65,697
Entry-Level
Systems Architect Designs advanced system requirements to solve business problems. $77,375
Software Engineer Responsible for system software, operating systems and related software integration. $71,489
Database Administrator Responsible for daily operation and optimization of an organization's databases. $68,398
Information Security Specialist Implements and maintains the security of computer systems, network applications and databases. $64,243
Network Administrator Administers, defines, updates and maintains networks. $62,626
Programmer/Analyst Develops, tests and maintains basic application programs for computer systems. $59,947
Web Application Developer Responsible for programming Web sites, application code, page links and content links. $54,723
Help Desk/Technical Support Answers technical support questions. $43,737

Realize that you'll most likely start at an entry-level job with a salary lower then these. Depending on the business, you may work five to ten years before approaching middle management.

More Salary Surveys


The Skills You Need

As you prepare for a career in the IT field, don't limit your skill development to just technology.

To prepare for an IT job, you need sets of skills in technology, business, and communication. You can learn the technology and business skills in classes, but communication skills may be more difficult to acquire.

And technology specialists do need communication skills. The myth of the "lone coder" sitting in a cubicle is just that—a myth. If you can't communicate with your customers, no one will visit your Web site to buy your products. Or your boss will soon learn that you can't work in a project team.

You also need to understand what your colleagues in finance, accounting, marketing, human resource management, production and logistics, and other areas do. You don't need to be an expert in all areas of business, but you do need to understand the basics.

In today's business environment, you need to be a "jack of all trades and master of one." The one you've chosen to master is technology. But you need skills in many other areas.

Below, we list skills we recommend that you have. We've also included a few Web resources to help you learn more about each.

Technology

  1. Programming language: Pick at least one in which you will specialize and another that you'll be familiar with. Top jobs today require expertise in C++, Java, VB, and C#, among others.
  2. Systems Development Life Cycle: Understand how all the pieces fit together, including project management, software testing, implementation, and maintenance.
  3. Data Modeling: Know the steps in performing good data modeling, especially for relational databases. Along with that, we recommend that you have at least some exposure to Oracle and SQL server.
  4. Requirements Analysis: Knowing how to listen to user requirements and convert them to technology specifications is a must.
  5. Security Protocols: Know how to protect sensitive technology areas. Focus on a particular area (application security, network security, system security, etc.) and make sure you have a basic understanding of how to create secure solutions and protect information.

Beyond those five, technology requirements differ according to the job and company. If you want to get into a lot of Web work, then you'll need expertise in XHTML, design, XML, PHP, and JavaScript. If you want to get into networking, then you'll need expertise in network operating systems, communications protocols, and client/server architectures. Moreover, you'll want to consider certification in a specific area that interests you.

We certainly recommend that you think about what you want to do in the technology field, and then search for job postings. Those postings will tell you what specific skills you need, including certifications (see below).

Business

  1. Team Skills: You can't avoid it – you'll be working in teams the rest of your life. You need to gain valuable skills in conflict resolution management, running meetings, setting objective goals, etc.
  2. Project Management: Managing projects from human resources, time, and budget points of view is another must. People who can effectively manage projects (and teams) usually quickly get promoted.
  3. Basic Accounting and Finance: Everything in business goes back to simple debits and credits, balance sheets, income statements, statements of cash flow, and the like. Attend every one of your accounting and finance classes, and do well in them.
  4. Service Operations Management: We're becoming a service-based economy. Even many of the "services" we provide in the technology are in fact services and not products. Building services is much different than building products.

Beyond those, you need to learn as much as you can about every phase of business – marketing, business law and ethics, real estate, statistics, etc. This will make you the "jack of all trades."

Communication

  1. Communications Skills: You must learn to effectively communicate with people. These skills include writing, group speaking, one-on-one interactions, and even body language. Effective communicators are always successful no matter what their careers.
  2. Interpersonal Skills: You must understand how to work with people who have various viewpoints, agendas, beliefs, etc. that may clash with team members' viewpoints or your own.
  3. International Awareness: Learn a foreign language, or, at a minimum, participate in a study abroad program. The world is global, so you need to always be aware of diverse cultures and business practices.
  4. Communications Skills: We can't stress this enough – see #1.

Searching for Jobs

Finding the job you want does take time. However, you can prepare yourself by using available resources to give you an edge over others, as well as making sure you're prepared before starting your search.

First, take advantage of your school's career placement center. Specialists in that center work full time matching employers and students.

Second, maintain a network with your friends. Some of your classmates may graduate a year or two before you. Keep in touch with them and learn what job opportunities are available at the organizations for which they work.

Third, get involved in organizations that get you involved in your chosen career. Many professional IT organizations have student chapters. Moreover, you can usually attend professional chapter meetings and events if you're a student member. We've listed a few organizations below.

Fourth, attend computer trade shows and conferences. These are held all over the country all the time. Even if you have to buy a plane ticket to attend one, it's probably worth it. You'll learn much about your chosen professional and meet others who are already "out there" doing what you want to eventually do. We've listed a few to get you started.

Finally, we highly recommend that you use the Web for your search. We've provided links below to two sets of career Web sites. One has postings for all types of jobs. The other lists sites that specialize in IT jobs.

The Web really is a great place to look for employment. Thousands of Web sites offer searchable databases of job opportunities and internships. Knowing which sites to visit and how to build an electronic and scannable resume are important.

IT Organizations – Student Chapters

Computer Trade Shows and Conferences

General Career Sites

IT-specific career sites

Web and Scannable Resume Resources


Learning Beyond Your Education

In a few short years, you'll graduate with degree in hand and look for a job. We've discussed some of the jobs you can look for and skills that can help you get one, and we've provided resources to help in your search.

But getting a job is just the beginning. In the 21st century, you must continue to learn new skills and acquire knowledge in order to be successful in your chosen career. We think it's so important to continue learning that we've placed these lifelong learning modules online for you to use and benefit from for years to come.

Because technology continues to change, you must be prepared to learn and change with it. Many IT professionals consistently attend training sessions and conferences. Others seek industry certifications in specific technologies. Yet others seek to get an advanced degree to improve their knowledge and skills, as well as help them earn promotions.

Ultimately, you have many choices as to how you continue to learn beyond your undergraduate degree. It's up to you what you'd like to do. As long as you continue learning more about your field of study, you'll remain a valuable part of your organization.

We can't list every place or opportunity available to you to obtain training. Instead, we've provided some links to resources about online degrees, virtual universities, and technical training and certification. Among the three you should find something that interests you. Of course, check with nearby colleges and universities as well.

You'll also want to check with your company to see if it recommends or pays for certain types of training or graduate degrees. Many do.

Graduate College and Online Degree Guides

Virtual Universities

Training and Technical Certifications


Thoughts from the Authors

From Stephen…

To quote a favorite movie of mine (Bridge on the River Kwai), "Be happy in your work." If you can say that you are truly happy in what you're doing, you've got it made. If you can't, maybe you need to think about a career move. Right now, you may be hating the technology classes you're taking. If so, change your major and go into something else. You'll be working for the next 30 to 40 years. Why be miserable.

To quote a favorite musician of mine (Meatloaf), "If you're only killing time, it'll kill you right back." You have a golden opportunity right now to set the stage for the rest of your life. Dedicate yourself to your studies. Learn all you can. Join a student organization that focuses on your field of study. Do an internship. Volunteer for community activities on the weekend. All of these will further your career. Turn off the TV and participate in life!

To quote a favorite author of mine (myself, said with a grin), "There are those of us in the world who make sure that it goes around – the rest just make sure it doesn't go around too fast." Be one of those people making the world go around. Don't be the dead weight that slows progress. Don't count on social security when you retire. Make your millions the old-fashioned way – earn it.

From Maeve…

To quote a Kenny Rogers song ("The Gambler") "every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser." No matter how much you start with you can make a mess, and no matter how little you start with, you can make it work for you. Some people start off with more analytical minds, with better memories, with quicker reflexes than you have. So what? You've got skills and abilities that others don't have. All of us in the teaching profession have seen many, many cases of students with great talent and ability who did not live up to their potential. Perhaps they weren't motivated, maybe they didn't have the perseverance, it could be that they were distracted by other circumstances in their lives. Whatever the reason, ability alone is not enough, you have to back it up with determination and hard work.

Incidentally, I'd like to go on record as disagreeing with the next line in that Kenny Rogers song "the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep." As a way of dying, it's not so bad, but as a way of living, it's awful. Believe me, you can hope for a whole lot more than that!

Hopes and dreams are the start of success. When you combine hope and dreams with a plan they become a strategy. And a strategy maps out the road to success. A strategy involves goals and ways to attain them. Success, like accidents, don't just happen, they are caused!

From Alan…

To continue our line of quotations, I'd like to share a line from one of my favorite poets, Edgar Arlington Robinson. In "The Master" he writes from the perspective of a person who realized later in life how important his teacher was. He notes that the teacher knew "that we were learning while we laughed."

Learning has to be fun. This doesn't mean you're going to be chuckling out loud studying for a mid-term or writing a research paper, but you should be happy with the entire process. Learning is difficult at times, and if you don't enjoy what you're doing it's really not worth it. When people ask me why I do everything that I do (teach, research, write textbooks, play the tuba, program and build computers, etc.), I tell them that I simply enjoy learning.

In today's information age, knowledge is power. In order to do well in life, you'll need to keep learning. This might mean getting another degree, going to organized training, or reading books and articles relevant to your field. The moment you stop learning is the moment you've stopped advancing in your career. Without current expertise in your field, you won't have as many options to choose from. As the great Obi Wan Kenobi once said, "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck." You have to make your own destiny.








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