Computer

IT; just two simple letters which describe a monumental mass of technology related topics, but when the phrase ‘IT Jobs’ is mentioned, just how many IT jobs does this describe?

The precise amount of IT Jobs aren’t exactly known however, more are being created every day with the rapid growth of technology worldwide.

So what are the most popular IT Jobs to date? Every day for the next two weeks, we shall post 5 of the top 50 IT jobs and the pathways to employment within the roles.

50. Systems Analyst

Average Annual Salary (UK): £31,000

This role typically analyzes an organization’s computer systems and procedures; makes recommendations for process improvement; interacts with partners/ vendors and with programmers or programmer / analysts. Educational background might be technical, though this is more of an analytical than technical role that is focused on the business aspects of technology, including: analyzing the cost of system changes; the impact on employees; potential project timelines. Needs to interact with department managers on IT requirements; incorporate feedback from both internal and external users into business requirements documents; incorporate feedback from designers; contribute technical requirements; advise technical teams on their and their technology’s role in the organization; provide guidance to programmer / developers with use cases.

Academic Pathway:

To work as a systems analyst you will normally need an HND or degree, backed up with industry experience. Relevant subjects include:

• Computer science
• Information management systems
• Business information systems
• Maths and operational research.

Alternatively, you could take the Information Technology Management for Business (ITMB) degree. The degree has been developed by The Tech Partnership and employers to meet specific industry skills shortages, for example in project management and business awareness.

If you have a non-IT related degree, you could complete a postgraduate IT conversion course, although companies may still want to see relevant work experience. Employers recommend that you look for a course which focuses on business skills as well as technical ability. You would be expected to have a working knowledge of programming skills and analysis methods. Some of the most common are:

• SQL
• VBA, C# (C-sharp) and Java
• Agile software development
• SAP business software applications.

49. Business Systems Analyst

Average Annual Salary (UK): £31,000

This role focuses on specific computer systems – compared to a Business Analyst, who will analyze a broader range of processes and systems for an organization. Typically, it requires analytical skills and is business-focused, so often requires a BA background, not necessarily a B.Sc.. It does, however, require an understanding of computer systems and information, and more technical reporting and documentation procedures. Usually, understanding the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle), UML (Unified Modeling Language) and other technical concepts and skills are often a requirement.

Academic Pathway:

There are different ways to become a business analyst and the route you take will depend on your qualifications, and particularly on your experience.

Many analysts have a technical background, for example in software development or programming. This is helpful as new IT systems and digital technologies often form a major part of an organization’s development plans.

A qualification at degree or postgraduate level can also be useful, in subjects like:

• Computer science
• Business information systems
• Computing and systems development
• Business management

Employers may also look for recognized certification of your skills from a professional body, like the International Institute of Business Analysis UK (IIBA) or The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS).

48. CRM Business Analyst

Average Annual Salary (UK): £24,000

This is typically a less technical role which may require a marketing or business degree — often a master’s — combined with statistics, but usually requires certain technical knowledge such as database and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software, specifically. Typical responsibilities / skills: analyze customer relationship data – especially within product channels – using CRM software, and recommend strategy changes for building customer loyalty; define organizational procedures based on the data; document new procedures for internal use — typically for staff in sales, marketing and support.

Academic Pathway:

The minimum educational requirement for a CRM analyst is usually a Master of Business Administration degree, although some employers may accept a bachelor’s degree in a subject such as business, management, marketing, economics or computer science, according to Education-Portal.com. CRM analysts also require experience in marketing, customer service, customer relationship management or market research. They must have strong analytical skills in addition to knowledge of analytical or database software, particularly CRM or business intelligence systems.

47. Software Systems Engineer

Average Annual Salary (UK): £41,000

Typical responsibilities / skills: development and upgrade of computer systems; either interact with data and system security staff or define necessary procedures for them to follow; design, develop and test software when necessary — often middleware; document procedures for internal use, and provide various system and operations documents; participate in various review meetings, including design, program and test reviews with inter-departmental co-workers; define a process for change management.

Academic Pathway:

For entry level, like a large amount of sophisticated IT Jobs, a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, mathematics, software engineering or a similar area will be acceptable. However, employers do tend to prefer Master Degrees.

46. Solutions Architect

Average Annual Salary (UK): £59,000

A Solutions Architect role is similar to other architect roles and can go beyond the scope of IT. Experience with hardware and software systems is common requirement, as is an understanding of business operations. This role is sometimes but not always synonymous with a Director or CTO (Chief Technical Officer) position. Typical responsibilities/ skills; understand the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle); have broad technical knowledge of computer systems; conduct process flow analyses; transform business/ customer requirements into technical requirements (functional design document); understand and have experience with databases; interact with developers and bridge different IT architect roles.

Academic Pathway:

Solution Architects usually need a bachelor’s degree or higher related to information technology, software engineering or computer science. Undergraduate programs typically provide coursework that covers different operating systems and hardware compatibility training.

A master’s degree is usually needed for a specialization in systems architecture. Some employers may prefer applicants to have a Master of Business Administration in Information Systems. Graduate coursework includes advanced computer architecture theory, systems design, project management and software engineering. Some colleges also provide graduate-level certificate programs in systems architecture to complement undergraduate training. Courses are similar to those in the master’s degree program, but certificate programs might require less time and have fewer requirements.

 

 

Sources:

 

Computersciencezone.org

Payscale.com

Glassdoor.com

Google.co.uk

Wikipedia.org

Nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk

Cwjobs.co.uk

Computersciencemajor.org

Study.com

Targetjobs.co.uk

Bayview.silkroad.com

Accenture.com

Work.chron.com

Jobs.bhf.org.uk

Snagajob.com

Kp.taleo.net

Uk.dice.com