I.T Professionals Can Improve Their Prospects

 

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

 

WESTPORT, Conn., Feb. 10, 2009 — The recession is
heightening competition for a dwindling number of IT jobs,
while exerting downward pressure on compensation. Many IT
professionals — both employed and unemployed — are
considering changing careers, but are naturally concerned
about wasting their investment in their education and
experience. That concern should be dispelled by reading
Debugging Your Information Technology(TM) Career (Elegant
Fix Press — http://www.janiceweinberg.com/book.html), which
features 20 alternative fields where computer professionals’
technical knowledge will be advantageous. An added bonus:
Most of these fields offer strong protection from both
offshoring and recessions.

Janice Weinberg, the author, is a career consultant
(http://www.janiceweinberg.com) formerly with IBM and GE,
whose IT background enabled her to identify the 20 careers.
While most of them aren’t usually thought of as computer
jobs, computer proficiency is a key qualification for
success in each. For example:— An architect’s knowledge of best practices in systems
  design would be a strong asset in a technology due
  diligence position.
— A software engineer who supported CRM applications
  would bring desirable qualifications to the technology
  partnership function of a company marketing CRM software.
— A NOC manager who upgraded a change-management function
  would bring a valuable customer’s perspective to a role
  as a change-management software product manager.
— A network security administrator should perform very well
  as an underwriter responsible for reviewing applications
  for cyberliability insurance policies.
— An application development manager would bring highly
  relevant experience to a position as a professional
  liability insurance broker serving the computer industry.
— A business analyst who guided logistics staff in defining
  their IT requirements could parlay that experience into a
  position selling logistics software.
— Any IT professional who can assess the commercial
  potential of new computer technology could qualify for a
  position as an equity analyst covering the computer
  industry.

Most of the careers can be entered without further education
beyond a BS in a computer-related discipline. Several — for
example, business continuity planner — require a
certification. Some readers may be motivated to become
forensic accountants, healthcare administrators or
technology attorneys. Many of the fields can be springboards
for new consulting practices — or new revenue sources for
established consultancies.

As Weinberg describes each career, readers will:

— Realize why computer expertise is an advantage in
  delivering top performance
— Be able to imagine themselves in the field by reading the
  hour-by-hour Typical Workday
— Understand whether — and to what extent — a recession
  could undermine job security, while learning strategies
  for minimizing or avoiding any negative impact

Although most of the fields are quite insulated from
offshoring, where vulnerability exists, Weinberg suggests
actions to reduce one’s exposure.

The Information Sources section in each career chapter will
ensure that readers who want to pursue opportunities in the
field don’t overlook useful resources.

Readers will learn which of the careers offer opportunities
for building consulting practices. They’ll also learn
job-hunting strategies tailored to specific fields,
including guidance in:

— Selecting those aspects of their experience to highlight
  in their resumes and interviews for greatest impact
— Using their knowledge of particular organizational
  functions and industries to find employers engaged in
  related businesses
— Identifying the appropriate executive to contact — which
  may reflect an organization’s size and other factors

While there are many books providing IT career advice,
Weinberg’s gives new — and much broader — meaning to the
term “computer job,” demonstrating that an IT professional’s
knowledge constitutes precious currency in a world dependent
on computer technology.