Computer careers are not as prevalent and as stable as they once seemed. When the dot-com bubble burst many computer careers disappeared. While online job boards are filled with calls for computer careerists, these jobs vary in complexity, pay and stability.
Facts
The highest-paying computer careers are still mostly ones that require a government security clearance. The computer field has been for some time flooded with potential hires. Because of this, companies are no longer willing to wait the 1 to 2 years for a security clearance to go through and pay the large fees associated with the clearance, when they can find someone who already has a clearance, Employers will in many cases find someone with a clearance and then teach them the technical know-how.
History
Before the advent of the microprocessor in the late 1960s and the PC revolution in the early 1980s, computer careers accounted for very few jobs. In the 1990s the computer field boomed as companies found more uses for computers and more employees had computers. The dot-com explosion during this decade increased the need for more computer careers as a torrent of companies either created an online presence or started an online-only business. In 2000 the bubble burst and many online companies found that they couldn't make a return on their money. Part of the reason for this was that Internet advertising hadn't quite come of age.
Types
There are several major types of computer careers. The most profitable is computer programming. Computer programmers are still in high demand and can command a good salary if they are good and quick.
Related to programming is database administration. Database administrators are like programmers but work with manipulating data specifically. Because so much information is kept on computers, database administrators are in extreme demand.
Network administrators are also important and needed everywhere because everything is run on networks. However, there have been more and more people studying and receiving network certifications in Microsoft, Cisco and other platforms.
Computer technician, while a necessary computer job, but is near the bottom of the food chain because many people have the know-how to fix personal computers, and the job is far less complex because PCs are relatively inexpensive to replace.
Degrees and Certifications
Getting a degree in any field, but especially in the computer field, will go a long way toward getting a computer career. Because the market has been flooded for so long, those without degrees may find it harder to obtain careers in the field or find it harder to advance. Getting certified with certain technologies used to be viewed as even more important than a degree because it showed you had real-world knowledge. However, it became apparent that many people who got certifications were good at studying for and passing the certification tests but had no real-world know-how.
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certification is a popular one, but many who passed it become known as paper MCSEs because they passed the test but couldn't put their knowledge to use in real-world situations.
No comments:
Post a Comment