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CSUSM MIS 304 - IT Jobs as a Profession

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IT Jobs as a Profession MIS 304 Management Information Systems Fall 2009 Instructor: Fang Fang By: Alex Talampas, Jordan Boshers, Brandon Ashbaugh, Steven Davis, Chris Boos December 11, 20091 Introduction Students today are faced with a few dilemmas. First, there’s the rising cost of education. Second, college professors aren’t as available as they once were due to mandatory furlough days. And finally, there is the overall state of the economy and current unemployment rate. Faced with an unprecedented drop in state support and a $584 million budget deficit, the California State University Board of Trustees increased undergraduate, credential, and graduate student fees for the 2009-10 academic year (CSU Trustees Increase, 2009). The cost of a continuing education has always been a barrier for some, but now that problem has been made worse with the recent fee increase. Of course students may apply for financial aid, but that loan must be repaid and federal assistance does nothing for the amount of money that must now be borrowed. Approximately 85 percent of CSU’s budget costs are employee salaries and benefits, and the CSU has asked all of its 47,000 employees (except Public safety personnel) to furlough as a way to protect the maximum number of jobs while generating essential salary savings (CSU Trustees Increase, 2009). Staff furlough days are a double-edged sword, however. While students do not have class when their professor is off, they lose out on any help they might have obtained had class been in session. It’s important to note that professors are not allowed to work on furlough days, at all. Even checking school email is prohibited.2Today’s college graduates are faced with a challenging economic environment. As of November 2009, the U.S. unemployment rate was at 10 percent (Bureau of Labor Force Statistics, n.d.). This is up from 4.1 percent 10 years earlier. Faced with mounting debt and rising unemployment, it would seem that the future of tomorrow’s workforce is in jeopardy. But there is some good news, at least for MIS majors. CNN Money has released its list of the 50 Best Jobs in America, and 11 of them are in the fields of Information Technology/Systems (Best Jobs in America, n.d.). We have put together a list of some of the possible positions an MIS major may qualify for. This list is not comprehensive, and it should not be considered a career path – there are many paths an MIS major can take. But it does include some of the most common positions as laid out in a typical medium-to-large sized business. This list has been grouped by skillset: hardware/technical group, software group, middle management, and upper management (executive level). We start at the entry-level (Helpdesk Coordinator) and work our way up to the executive level (CIO/CTO). Helpdesk Coordinator The Helpdesk Coordinator is an entry-level position in IT. It functions as the first point of contact for all technology related issues. As with any position in an organization, interpersonal skills are a must but they are even more important for a Helpdesk Coordinator. Issues can range from the simple (forgotten password) to the complex (network performance).The ability to relay information to another employee (sometimes without the help of face-to-face communications) without the use of technical jargon, can3sometimes mean the difference between a satisfied employee and a not-so-satisfied, i.e. frustrated, employee. A two-year degree in Computer Information Systems is recommended but not required (K. Foster, personal communication, December 11, 2009). At the very minimum, Helpdesk Coordinators must have some sort of training or IT-related certifications. Some common certifications include the CompTIA A+ and/or N+ and the MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer). Those wishing to move on from the helpdesk usually have one or two choices: if their goal is management, then they may apply for a Helpdesk Manager position. If their skillset is more technical, then they may move on to become a Network Administrator. Helpdesk Manager The Helpdesk Manager is a middle management position in IT. This position serves as the business point contact for all helpdesk related issues (K. Foster, personal communication, December 11, 2009). For example, if a manager in Marketing needs to install a particular software package for their department, they may begin this process by contacting the Helpdesk Manager. Other responsibilities include: ensuring all helpdesk staff have the necessary tools and training, and ensuring all issues are managed to resolution. A Helpdesk manager will have at least five years experience working in IT support or customer service. Also, they will have knowledge and certifications similar to that of a Helpdesk Coordinator. A four-year degree is required, and it should be with an4emphasis in Computer Science or Information Systems (Helpdesk Manager Qualifications, n.d.). Network Administrator A Network Administrator is an IT professional in charge of the maintenance of the computer hardware and software systems that make up a computer network. This includes activities such as the deployment, configuration, maintenance and monitoring of active network equipment. The Network Administrator is typically a mid to senior level of technical/network staff in an organization and is not typically involved with direct user support. The Network Administrator will concentrate on the overall health of the network, server deployment, security, ensuring network connectivity throughout a company's LAN/WAN infrastructure, and all other technical considerations at the network level of an organizations technical hierarchy. Network Administrators are considered Tier 3 support personnel that only work on break/fix issues that could not be resolved at the Tier1 (helpdesk) or Tier 2 (desktop/network technician) levels. In some companies, the Network Administrator may also design and deploy networks. Usually, though, these tasks would be assigned to a Network Engineer if the company is large enough.The actual role of the Network Administrator will vary from company to company, but usually includes tasks such as network address assignment, assignment of routing protocols and routing table configuration as well as configuration of authentication and authorization – directory services. It often includes maintenance of network facilities in individual machines, such as


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