Post on 25-Jul-2020
Technology in Action
Alan Evans • Kendall Martin
Mary Anne Poatsy
Tenth Edition
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
0
Technology in Action
Technology in Focus:
Careers
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Rewards of Working in
Information Technology
• There are many reasons to work in the
field of information technology
– Exciting
– Ever-changing
– Attractive to new graduates
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IT Workers Are in Demand
• Computer-related jobs expected to be
among fastest growing occupations
through 2020
• 2012 US News and World Report of best
careers
– Software developers ranked second
– 5 of the top 25 were IT careers
• Average starting salary increased by 4.1%
in 2011
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IT Workers Are in Demand (cont.)
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IT Jobs Pay Well
• Salaries depend on
– Skill set and experience level
– Size of employer
– Geographic location
• Research salaries in geographic area
where you expect to work
– Salary.com
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IT Jobs Are Not Going “Offshore”
• Job outlook includes risk of jobs being
outsourced
• Outsourcing is process where business
hires third-party firm to provide services
• Offshoring occurs when outsourcing firm is
located outside the United States
• Outsourcing and offshoring can produce
cost savings
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IT Jobs Are Not Going “Offshore” Jobs That Will Stay in U.S.
• Customer interaction
– Jobs that require direct input from customers
or that involve systems with which customers
interface daily
• Enablers
– Jobs that involve getting key business
projects accomplished, often requiring
technical skills and good people skills
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IT Jobs Are Not Going “Offshore” Jobs That Will Stay in U.S. (cont.)
• Infrastructure jobs
– Jobs that are fundamental to moving and
storing the information that U.S.-based
employees need to do their jobs
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Jobs That Will Likely
Remain Onshore
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Women Are in High Demand
in IT Departments
• Women make up about 25% of IT
workforce
• Many IT departments are seeking to
diversify their workforces
• Salary gender gap is smaller than in most
other professions
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You Have a Choice of
Working Location
• IT jobs are available in various settings
– Office-based
– Field-based
– Project-based
– Home-based
• Look for job that suits tastes and
requirements
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Where Do You Want to Work?
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You Constantly Meet
New Challenges
• Playing field is always changing
• Software and hardware being developed
• Need to keep skills up to date
• Keeps jobs from becoming dull or routine
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You Work in Teams
• Not locked in lightless cubicles
• Most don’t work alone
• People skills are highly prized
• Good leadership and team-building skills
will be used
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You Don’t Need to Be
a Mathematical Genius
• Some careers involve some math
• Not mathematically inclined: You can
explore many other IT careers
• Employers value creativity, marketing, and
artistic style
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IT Skills Are Portable
• Portable from industry to industry
• Can switch without learning a new skill set
• Combining courses makes you more
marketable
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Challenges of IT Careers Stress
• Most IT jobs are hectic
• Average work week is 45 hours
• On call for another 24 hours
• Demand for on-call hours has been
increasing
– Because of 24/7 availability
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Stress from Multiple Directions
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Challenges of IT Careers Women Are in the Minority
• Majority of IT jobs filled by men
• Some women feel like they would not fit in
• Some gender bias does exist
– Some women thrive on the challenge
– Others find it difficult to work in that
environment
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Challenges of IT Careers Lifelong Learning Is Required
• To keep up with vast shifts in technology,
you might need to
– Take training courses
– Do self-study
– Take college courses
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Choosing Your Realm of IT
• Careers currently available
– Chief information officer (CIO) has overall
responsibility
– Other responsibilities fall into two units
• Development and integration
• Technical services
• In large organizations, responsibilities are
distinct
• At a small company, you might do many
jobs Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 21
Choosing Your Realm of IT Working in Development & Integration
Web Development
• Web content creators
• Interface designers
• Web programmers
• Customer interaction technicians
• Social media directors
Systems Development
• Systems analysts
• Programmers
• Project managers
• Technical writers
• Network administrators
• Database developers
22 Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
Working in Technical Services
• Information systems
– Network administrators
– Database administrators (DBAs)
– Web server administrators
– Telecommunications technicians
• Support services
– Helpdesk analysts
– Computer support technicians
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Get in the Game: Careers
in Game Development
• Jobs follow two paths
– Game designers
• Create 2D and 3D art, interfaces, special effects,
game levels, and scenarios
– Game programmers
• Code scenarios
• Ensure accuracy
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Preparing for a Job in IT
• Get educated
– College and university degrees
• Computer science
• Management information systems
• Information technology
– Technical (or trade) schools
• Build skills rapidly
• Qualify for job in specific field
• Best to attend a degree-granting college or
university Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 25
Preparing for a Job in IT (cont.)
• Investigate professional certifications
– Provide consistent method of measuring skill
levels
– Software and hardware vendors and
professional organizations establish
certification standards
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Preparing for a Job in IT (cont.)
• Get experience
– Internship or part-time job
• Do research
– Learn about company and industry before
going on an interview
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Getting Started in an IT Career
• Find an internship
– School placement office
• Start networking
– Word of mouth
– Professional organizations
• Check corporate websites for jobs
• Visit online employment sites
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Getting Started in an IT Career
(cont.)
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Getting Started in an IT Career
(cont.)
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Getting Started in an IT Career
(cont.)
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mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall