CAREERS IN INFORMATION PROCESSING

Information processing is defined as the collection of data into an organized and readable format. It is the process of changing raw data into information that can be used to make decisions and solve problems. Careers that process information are referred to as information technology (IT) positions. IT uses computer hardware and software to collect, maintain, protect, process, and distribute information. Careers include positions that fall within three broad categories: hardware, software, and management.

IT HARDWARE CAREERS

Careers in the IT hardware area include product design, development, manufacturing, service, and repair. Engineering degrees, particularly those of electrical engineers, are the basis for product development teams in all hardware areas. The development of motherboards, random-access memory chips, networking products, graphics and sound cards, and disk drives define modern computer development. Ergonomics engineers provide expertise on design, look and feel, physical interface, and usability for all new products in IT.

Individuals who are interested in assembly, service, and repair of IT hardware components may be able to obtain nondegree jobs. These jobs normally require industry certification that includes A+, Net+, Comptia, or on the-job training from specific vendors as well as specific industry certifications offered by Oracle, Cisco, Sun Microsystems, and Microsoft. Skills required for hardware careers include hands-on capability, being comfortable with test and evaluation equipment, and the ability to troubleshoot a problem to successful conclusion. The ability to write clear and concise engineering evaluations and trouble reports separates the most successful hardware engineers from their peers.

IT SOFTWARE CAREERS

Careers in software design and development fall into two categories: programmers and analysts. Programmers work in one or many programming languages each of which has specific software applications. These languages may work only on mainframes, only on personal computers, or only on networks. The more languages programmers are fluent in, the more valuable they are to their employer, but every programmer must be exceptional in at least one language. Languages in vogue in the first decade of the twenty-first century included .Net, C# (C sharp), Java, Visual J++, XML, Perl, and Ada. Programmers usually have a degree in computer science or advanced mathematics, but it is

not unusual to see exceptionally gifted teenage programmers who have not completed high school. Programming ability, more than education, is the requisite for employment. Most organizations that hire younger programmers will pay for their collegiate education and advanced degrees.

Programming requires specific skills to be successful. Programmers must be precise and detail oriented. They must have the patience to find one bad line of code among millions and recognize the error and how to fix it in the most expedient manner possible. The very best programmers are both creative and logical, using both sides of the brain to accomplish their tasks. All programmers must have exceptional time management skills since they are always under a deadline. Finally, programmers must be able to operate in teams. Programming teams are the de facto standard in twenty-first century IT.

Software analysts are programmers who advance to the point of analyzing new customer needs or product requirements and define specifications for new software or software upgrades. They develop needs analysis documents that specify software tools or features that will improve or enhance existing software. When completely new software is needed, a client request is often ill-defined. It is up to the software analyst to interpret this request and develop a strategy to create software that meets the needs of the client. Software analysts must be able to think outside the box, see possibilities that do not exist in available software, and create a development plan that programmers can use in the creation of the new software.

IT MANAGEMENT CAREERS

Management positions in IT departments include jobs at all levels of the design, development, implementation, evaluation, and sales cycles. Product and process managers are responsible for design, development, and production of IT hardware and software components. Once the components are available for sale, sales managers are responsible for placing the product with customers. Once the customer has the product, network managers, support managers, and security managers become responsible for usability, upkeep, and safety.

Managers and team leaders with extensive experience may choose to work independently as consultants. Consultants may work for specific consulting organizations, such as Deloitte & Touche, Gartner, and EDS, or develop their own contacts and work on specific projects as independent contractors. In an era of IT layoffs, with jobs being outsourced to foreign workers, more and more skilled IT personnel are choosing the consultant role. This provides them independence, increased salary, increased responsibility, and the opportunity to showcase their skills. The downside of independent consulting is the lack of guaranteed work, no corporate-paid benefits, and the uncertainty associated with getting the next contract.

OUTSOURCING AND OFFSHORING

A significant trend in the new millennium is the outsourcing of programming, help desk, software support, and related services. Workers in such countries as India, China, Taiwan, and Pakistan are receiving multiyear contracts to take over these functions for large- and medium-sized organizations. The impact of these job losses directly affects low- and mid-level programmers and support personnel whose jobs have been sent overseas. Two reasons are routinely given for these job losses: first, significantly lower employee salaries and second, the availability of highly skilled and available workforces. Organizations who outsource these primary functions report mixed results. While costs for employees and management are substantially reduced, response time, customer satisfaction, and the ability to directly oversee projects appear to be lacking. Outsourcing as a management decision will undoubtedly continue at least until foreign workers begin to demand comparable salary, benefits, and lifestyle.

SUMMARY

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that between 2002 and 2012 the following occupations would show the most growth in new jobs:

• Network systems and data communications analysts
• Network and computer systems administrators
• Medical records and health information technicians
• Computer software engineers
• Database administrators
• Computer support specialists and systems analysts
• Computer programmers
• Information security specialists

Even in an era of outsourcing and offshoring, the IT industry still provides lucrative, challenging, and interesting career opportunities. Students who acquire the requisite education, skills, and industry training can find rewarding careers in all areas of information technology.

see also Information Processing

Mark J. Snyder

Lisa E. Gueldenzoph