IT Career Choices
Database Development and Administration
Network Design and Administration
Programming/Software Engineering
Technical Support
Web Development and Administration
Database Development and Administration
These individuals participate in conceptual, logical data
modeling and physical design,
database implementation, maintenance, and support.
Sample Titles
- Data Analyst
- Database Analyst
- Database Developer
- Database Administrator
Certifications: Oracle DBA and MCDBA
As a database administrator, you will first gather data to
determine user requirements.
You may also gather the information to design reports and forms so
users can create
data queries and interpret the results. You'll determine
needed changes either to new
systems or existing systems as they grow, and test everything
before it's put into
operation. To keep data secure and protected from catastrophic
events, you create
security procedures and implement backup and recover processes. You
need to be
creative in your approach to problems and willing to help everyone
get the data they
need while maintaining system security and reliability.
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Network Design and Administration
These individuals analyze , operate, administer, maintain, test,
and implement the
network interconnections of devices, systems, and/or communication
services to
meet the functional objectives of the business.
Sample Titles:
- Network Security Analyst
- Network Special
- Network Operation Analyst
- Communication Analyst
- Network Administrator
Certifications: Network+, MCP, MCSA, MCSE, CCNA, CCNP
Network technicians make sure the network hardware and software
are operating
properly so people in your organization get the information when
they want it.
Using cable, fiber optics or even wireless communications, you
connect users to
your company's computer system. You will through understand
networking technology
for local area network's (LANs), and for connecting to
larger networks and the internet.
You will learn to quickly identify, document and solve problems.
Because you work with
the users all the time, you know the needs of your company and can
recommend
improvements based on user needs and technology advances.
You will probably need to keep measurements on how the network
is performing and chart
network usage and downtime to help plan for the future. You
document the network
configuration and prepare backup plans and procedures. You will be
responsible for adding
users, make sure they have access to files and network connected
equipment they need,
while maintaining security and confidentiality of other files and
data. You install upgrades
with a minimal amount of disruption.
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Programming/Software Engineering
These individuals analyze, design, develop, test, implement, and
maintain computer
applications systems to meet functional objectives of the
business.
Sample Titles:
- Applications Analyst
- Applications Engineer
- Programmer /Analyst
- Software Design Engineer
- Systems Analyst
- Test Engineer
Certifications: MCSD, MCAD
Computer programmers design and create software. You may
analyze, design, develop,
test and maintain computer and Internet-based applications.
Possibly you'll write
specialized applications or make custom programs to satisfy a
user's particular needs.
Not all programmers write code all day. You may evaluate the
project requirements,
participate in design meetings, determine the best solution to a
problem or feature and
develop detailed design specifications. You use development tools
and programming
language in creating and testing the software.
You must also be good at documenting your work so others will
know what you did and
how. And of course, you have to test your work with real users to
make sure it's free of
errors and meets specifications.
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Technical Support
These individuals provide customer and technical support through
analysis and problem
solving to facilitate installation, implementation, maintenance,
education, and
documentation of a variety of technologies.
Sample Titles:
- Customer Service Representative
- Technical Support Engineer
- Product Support Engineer
- Call Center Support Representative
- Help Desk Technician
- Technical Support Representative
- Support Specialist
- Systems Coordinator
Certifications: A+, Network+, MCDST
As a technical support representative, you are a vital part of
the contact between
customers and your company. Educating users is a part of your job,
as well as solving
hardware or software operation and application problems.
Experience with the problems users face in daily operation is a
valuable asset. When a
problem occurs, you listen carefully, ask the appropriate questions
to gather needed
information and then take steps to solve it. Dealing directly with
customer issues, you
one of the best sources of information on the product, and are
consulted for
information about what customers want and what gives them the most
trouble.
You may start out at the help desk, walking users through the
steps required to solve a
problem over the telephone. As your experience and training
increase, you may work
with hardware and software installation and configuration.
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Web Development and Administration
These individuals apply general web design methodologies to web development
Sample Titles:
- Web Administrator
- Web Designer
- Web Site Developer
- Web Master
- Test Engineer
Certifications: iNet+, CIW Associate, CIW Web Developer
You may play a vital role in your company's presence on
the World Wide Web. You may
use web page development software to create or change web pages,
inserting text
content, graphics and interactive modules that are often supplied
by others in your
organizational team.
Before you start, you will probably to many stakeholders in your
company who
depend on the organization's web presence. You'll
also look at successful models and
research software tools to help design the look, feel and
navigation.
In some organizations you may be responsible for making sure the
web pages and
updates get installed, and work with the hardware associated with
the web pages.
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