Example Wei

Pyramid of working in an IT department

Management System development

Technical service

Operations

End-user computing

Management

-

Directs the planning, research, development, evaluation, and integration of technology.

System development and programming

-

Analyzes designs, develops, and implements new information technology and maintains and improves existing systems.

Technical service

-

Evaluates and integrates new technologies, administers the organization’s data resource, and supports the centralized computer operating system or servers.

Operations

-

Operates the centralized computer equipment and administers the network including both data and voice communications.

End-user computing -

Assists end users in working with existing systems and in using software and query languages to obtain the information necessary to perform their jobs.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY JOBS Management

Job Title E-commerce administrator

Network administrator Project Leader Project manager

Function

Usual Education Required Supervises the development and Bachelor’s degree in execution of internet or e-commerce Management Information system; works with the company’s Technology marketing and customer service divisions. Install configures, and maintains Bachelor’s degree in LANs, WANs, intranet, and Internet Computer Information system; identifies and resolves Systems or Electrical connectively issues Engineering Technology Coordinates project; performs Bachelor’s degree in systems analysis and programming Management Information task Technology Oversees all assigned projects; Bachelor’s degree in allocates resources, selects team, Management Information conducts performance appraisals Technology

Annual Salary Range $ 59,000 to $125,000

$51,000 to $70,000

$ 62,000 98,000

to

$

$81,000 $110,000

to

Usual Education Required Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Technology Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in computer Information Systems

Annual Range $122,000 $254,000

Salary

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or computer information systems Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering

$40,000 $105,000

to

$47,000 $106,000

to

degree in $41,000 Information $105,000

to

Bachelor’s degree in $40,000 Computer Science or $106,000 Computer Information Systems

to

System development and programming

Job Title

Function

Vice president of IT/chief information officer(CIO) Application programmer

Directs the company’s information service and communications functions Converts the system design into the appropriate computer language, such as Visual Basic.Net 2003, Java, and C++ Uses data modeling techniques and tools to analyze, tune, and specify data usage within an application area Specifies, designs, implements, tests, and documents high-quality software in a variety of fields, including robotics, operating systems, animation, and application Works closely with users to analyze their requirements, designs and develops new information systems, and incorporates new technologies Installs and maintains operating system software and provides technical support to the programming staff

Database analysis

Software engineer

Systems analyst

Systems programmer

Bachelor’s Computer System

to

$30,000 to $93,000

Technical writer

Web developer

Web programmer

Works with the analyst, programmer, and user to create system documentation and user materials Analyzes, designs, implements, and supports Web applications; works with HTML, JavaScript, and multimedia Analyzes, designs, implements, and supports Web-related applications

Associate’s or bachelor’s $37,000 to $84,000 degree in Computer Information System or in English Bachelor’s degree in $54,000 to $82,000 Computer Information Systems Associate’s Computer Systems

degree in $48,000 to $84,000 Information

Technical service Usual Education Required Database Creates and maintains the data Bachelor’s degree in administrator dictionary, manages security of the Computer Information database, monitors the performance Systems of the database, and check backup and recovery procedures Desktop publisher Produces documents such as Certificate newsletters, brochures, and books by combining text and graphics Graphic Create visual impressions of Certificate designer/illustrator products and advertisements in the fields of graphics, theater, and fashion Network security Configures routers and firewalls; Bachelor’s degree in specialist specifies Web protocols and Computer Science or enterprise technologies Computer Information Systems Quality assurance Reviews programs and Bachelor’s degree in specialist documentation to ensure they meet Computer Information the organization’s standards Systems Web administrator Oversees Web site performance; Bachelor’s degree in maintains link between company’s Computer Information Web server and internet access Systems provider Web graphic designer Develop graphical content using Bachelor’s degree in Photoshop, Flash, and other Computer Information multimedia tools Systems Webmaster Maintains an organization’s Web Bachelor’s degree in site; creates or helps users create Computer Information Web pages Systems

Job Title

Function

Annual Salary Range $61,000 to $98,000

$37,000 to $43,000 $36,000 to $49,000

$55,000 $100,000

to

$47,000 to $73,000 $83,000 $143,000

to

$48,000 to $72,000 $51,000 to $82,000

Operations Usual Education Required Computer operator Performs equipment-related Associate’s degree in activities such as monitoring Computer Information performance, running jobs, backup, Systems and restore Data communications Evaluates, installs, and monitors Bachelor’s degree in analyst data and/or voice communications Computer Information equipment and software; maintains Systems or Electrical connections to the Internet and Engineering Technology other WANs

Job Title

Function

Annual Salary Range $26,000 to $48,000

$38,000 to $74,000

End-user computing

Job Title Computer technician

Help desk specialist

Function

Usual Education Required Install, maintains, and repair Associate’s degree in hardware; installs, upgrades, and computer Information configures software; and Systems or Engineering troubleshoots hardware problems Solves procedural and software Associate’s degree in questions in person and over the Computer Information telephone for hardware, software, or Systems networking

Annual Salary Range $32,000 to $63,000

$35,000 to $49,000

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION Benefit Career

Description Certification accomplishments are one of the first listings an employer notices on a resume. Certification provides a benchmark, or a means, to measure a person’s skills. It can set an individual apart from other potential candidates who may be vying for a similar advancement or position. Often, a professional studies and takes training to move into another area of the computer industry. Even for those not currently looking for a

Professional

career change, certification can serve as insurance. Certification is a personal achievement that adds credibility among peers and employers. To identify certifies individuals, sponsors award certificates of accomplishment. Certification also authorizes the person to use the product’s official logo or symbol on items, such as business cards and Web pages. These emblems represent a person’s skill and knowledge in a concise form. As an additional bonus, some certification training can

Salary

be used for college credit. Numerous salary surveys have shown that certification is one of the top factors influencing raises. Companies often pay bonus as an incentive for certification.

Individuals with more than one area of expertise can command even higher salaries.

BENEFICIARIES OF CERTIFICATION

Beneficiary Customers

Description Customers receive better service from employees with certification(s). They gain confidence in a company when its IT professionals have earned a certification. Multiple certifications show that the professional can deal with many aspects of a problem, using several areas of expertise. As an added benefit, certification implies motivation to expend extra effort to go beyond basic job requirements, which often

Employers

benefits the customer. An industry-sponsored study indicates that certified workers are more productive and knowledgeable than no certified employees. Certified help desk specialists are able to handle more support calls. Companies with certified personnel experience less network downtime. As an added bonus, users are more satisfied with the company’s work, and the professional employees within the company have higher morale and job contentment. Certification is an incentive for employees to upgrade their skills

Industry

continuously. Certification is a form of industry self-regulation. It sets computer professionals’ competence standards and raises the level of expertise and knowledge in the IT industry as a whole. This, in turn, enhances the reputation of the professionals within the industry. As more people become certified, the industry professionals are perceived as reliable and capable support for the computers on which society has come to rely.