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Discouraged IT Pros are improving prospects

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WESTPORT, Conn., March 4, 2009 — The recession is
heightening competition for IT jobs, while exerting downward
pressure on compensation. Many IT professionals are
considering changing careers, but are understandably
concerned about wasting the investment in their education
and experience. That concern should be dispelled by
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.

Janice Weinberg (http://www.janiceweinberg.com), the author,
is a career consultant 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 or project manager who supported
  CRM applications would bring desirable qualifications
  to the technology alliance function of a company
  marketing CRM software.
— A network security administrator should perform very
  well as a cyberliability insurance underwriter or broker.
— A business analyst who guided logistics staff in
  defining their IT requirements could parlay that
  experience into a corporate development analyst role at
  a company marketing 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 additional revenue sources
for established consultancies.

As Weinberg describes each career, readers will:

— Learn about the nature of the work and the types of
  organizations – whether corporate, nonprofit or
  governmental – where one can be employed in the field
— Realize why computer expertise is an advantage in
  delivering top performance
— Be able to truly imagine themselves in the field by
  reading the hour-by-hour Typical Workday
— Understand whether a recession could undermine job
  security and, if so, why

When discussing the vulnerability of particular fields to
recessions, Weinberg recommends career-management steps to
minimize or avoid any negative impact. Since job security
can also be affected by offshoring, the Offshore Outsourcing
Situation and Outlook section of each career chapter should
be of considerable interest. Many of the fields are quite
insulated from offshoring for a variety of reasons, as
Weinberg explains.

Readers will learn job-hunting techniques tailored to
specific fields, including guidance in:

— Selecting the most relevant aspects of their experience
  to highlight in their resumes and interviews for greatest
  impact
— Applying screening criteria to identify employers most
  likely to be receptive to their candidacy
— Using the size of an organization and other factors to
  determine the appropriate executive to contact

The Information Sources section of each chapter will ensure
that readers don’t overlook useful resources when they
search for additional information. Depending on the field,
these may include books, credentialing organizations,
professional associations offering networking opportunities,
and directories of companies/executives to approach for
employment.

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.

 

 

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