Careers in IT

Webmaster

A webmaster is the designation given to the person responsible for designing and maintaining the coding and proper functioning of a website. In the case of a personal website, the webmaster is most often the person who owns the domain. Small businesses often employ someone in-house to be the webmaster, or they might hire an independent contractor who works part-time on the project from his or her home or office. Large companies might contract a third party to handle their online presence. In these cases the webmaster is not responsible for content, only for design and function.

Computer support specialist

Computer support specialists help people use computers. When something goes wrong, support specialists figure out why. Then, they try to fix it. Many support specialists answer questions over the phone or by e-mail. Others also help people face-to-face. To answer a problem over the phone, the specialist takes the person through the necessary steps to fix the problem using their own computer. Computer support specialists also install printers, software, and other computer tools. Then, they teach people how to use them. Sometimes, they write instruction books.

Technical writer

A technical writer prepares clear, concise written documentation which communicates technical information to a target audience. Some common examples of technical writing include user manuals for software, documentation guides for industrial machinery, and design or engineering specifications for construction projects. This is a very diverse field, and according to the American Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is rapidly growing.

Software engineer

A software engineer is in charge of assembling extensive amounts of code into working applications, as well as updating and fixing problems in existing software. A software engineer is also referred to as a programmer, because the main duties of a software engineer involve programming computers. Software engineering maybe compared with computer science. While a software engineer works on actually developing working software solutions, a computer scientist focuses on the theoretical construct of software and hardware development.

Network administrator

The position of network administrator is sometimes advertised as systems administrator, LAN administrator, network operations analyst, network technician or information systems administrator, but no matter what the exact job title, this IT professional is responsible for the day to day operations of the network infrastructure of the organization. Depending on the organization, this network infrastructure will consist of such elements as individual desktop PCs, specially designed thin clients or workstations, file servers, mail servers, application servers, backup servers and more. The many duties of the network administrator include installing and configuring new equipment, including desktop PCs and servers, troubleshooting day to day problems and unusual issues with networked equipment, and evaluating the need for upgrades or replacements of current computer hardware and software solutions.

Database administrator

The Internet and electronic commerce generate lots of data. Computer databases that store information on customers, inventory, and projects are found in nearly every industry. Data must be stored, organized, and managed. Database administrators work with database software to find ways to do this. They identify user needs, set up computer databases, and test systems. They ensure that systems perform as they should and add people to the system as needed. Database administrators often plan security measures. Data integrity, backup, and security are critical parts of the job.

System analyst

They figure out how to use computers to get things done. They tell businesses and other organizations which computers and software to buy, and they decide how to get those tools to work together. They start their work by asking what they need their computers to do. After that, they plan a computer system that can do the tast well. A system can include many computers working together and different types of software and tools.

Programmer

Computer programmers write, test, and maintain the detailed instructions, called programs, that computers follow to perform their functions. Programmers also conceive, design, and test logical structures for solving problems by computer. With the help of other computer specialists, they figure out which instructions to use to make computers do specific tasks. Many technical innovations in programming use advanced computing technologies and sophisticated new languages and programming tools, for example they have redefined the role of a programmer and elevated much of the programming work done today.