Jobs for Computer Systems Analysts: Working with Computer Systems

Computer Systems Analysts Careers

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The average value of the Bachelor degree needed to become a Computer systems analysts is $1,788,602.00.

Computer Systems Analysts careers are exciting and apt for any person who is interested in information technology as well as business processes. They are the folks who provide information technology solutions to businesses and organizations. Whether you take health care, waste disposal, equipment manufacturers, physicians, or even legal services, every body requires the services of computer systems analysts.

Points of Interest

If you have wondering about a computer system analyst career, it would interest you to know that

Employment in the field is expected to increase by 20 per cent by 2018. You would need computer programming skills, along with design capabilities and an ability to look at the whole picture, while still keeping track of details. You have a variety of field areas to choose from including, but not limited to, education, science, business, and engineering.

Nature of the Work

A computer systems analyst is the person who arrives at an information technology pathway for an organization to achieve its goals. After all, computers, information technology, and the internet are the order of the day. The computer systems analyst designs and develops the relevant software systems required for the task and acquires the required hardware for the software to run on.

For example, if you are working for a telecommunication company who is looking at a method to convert or upgrade a certain percentage of its clients to a completely new service and need software for the purpose; software which would take the client requirements, send them on to relevant authorities, notify the technicians, and make the relevant changes to the customer data base. You would be the one who decides on the software as well as hardware which would be used for the purpose. You would also oversee its implementation, testing, as well as its continued performance and any improvements and customization if necessary.

Computer Analyst

Doing the job would require you to list down the company’s, clients, and user’s requirements and the ultimate goal of the system, by meeting up with the managers or authority in charge of the task, as well as the end users. You would have to decide on the inputs that will go into the software as well the outputs and the way in which the outputs should appear so that it is easiest for the users. You would also use tools such as structured analysis, data modeling, mathematical model building, information engineering and similar tools to ensure that the plan will work and is the best suited to the requirement. You would also need to use accounting tools and do financial analysis such as cost-benefit and return-on investment analyses to help management understand the economic feasibility of the project. You may make suggestions regarding commercial products available for the purpose or if one doesn’t exist, design, develop, and implement one.

Workflow

Once the management approves the system, you would have to work with computer programmers to develop the system.

This would mean giving them flow charts and process diagrams etc so that they can write the code for the software. You also coordinate testing and help with debugging, that is removing faults in their programming. Specialized computer systems analysts who do in depth debugging and fault finding are usually called software quality assurance analysts.

After implementation and testing you would be explaining to the end users as to how to use the system.

You would have to keep monitor the system for any hitches and do (or coordinate) trouble shooting in case of problems.

You would also be working on improving existing systems and suggest, design, develop, and implement any design advancements and changes. This may also include programming to improve software running on a computer and developing custom applications to address a particular need. You may suggest new hardware and software for improvement.

Technology

Since technology keeps getting updated so frequently, you should keep up with the latest data processing methods, computer languages, as well as the hardware.

Since all types of industries need computer systems analysts, typically you would need to specialize into engineering, science and technology, or business so as to provide a solution which is particularly suited to that industry.

Being a computer person you would basically be working at a computer, though you could also have sessions of meetings. You would be susceptible to typical problems which ail computer people such as eye strain, back pain, posture problems, and hand and wrist problems. Exercise, maintaining a good posture etc will help.

You would be working around 40 hours a week with an occasional requirement to put in additional hours. While most computer analysts are office goers, it is not necessary. As internet and technology have become advanced work from home has also become an option provided you meet your organizations’ security requirements. Of course, even in this case you would need to put in an occasional (such as twice a week) appearance at work.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

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Education

Though some organizations do offer job based on experience, in most cases a bachelor’s degree is a must. You should also have the relevant experience and specialization depending on the field. It would help you to have a masters or an associate degree. These degrees would further your career prospects and may accelerate your growth.

You would typically be required to be tech savvy, programming savvy, as well as be able to have some idea of systems design. It would help to be able to translate tech language to layman language since you would also need to communicate with management professionals.

For business related fields, employers look for people who have bachelor’s degree in the related areas such as management information systems. Masters in Business Administration, with specialization in Information Technology are also sometimes sought after.

Scientific or technical employers would look for bachelor’s degrees in computer science, advanced mathematics, engineering, or physical sciences.

Additional Training & Education

The degrees are requirements but may not be sufficient in themselves. It would help you to get additional training, such as in financing courses or other courses relevant to the organization or field you are applying for. Also, proficiency in computer languages would help a lot; so would computer networking and database management skills.

If you come from a computer unrelated field, you may still get a job as computer systems analyst by taking appropriate courses on computer programming, databases, and networking.

Continuing education is a requirement for anybody, but for a computer systems analyst it is almost a must. With the technology advancements which happen every day, keeping up with the latest information technology and computer tools as well as business needs and advancements comes with the job description. Many companies offer on job training to their employees. Universities and educational institutions also offer courses for the purpose.

Software and hardware vendors offer training courses. And professional computing societies conduct seminars on latest advancements. Attending these will also help you keep up.

While there is no licensing requirement for the job, certifications are offered by many hardware and software vendors. The certifications could get you better pay and in some cases are considered a must. These would definitely help towards advancing your career growth.

High School

For any career, it would help to start as early as possible. If you want to be a computer systems analyst it would help you to concentrate on certain areas in high school such as advanced mathematics and science. These would help you with programming as well as logical thinking. It would also help to sign up for computer science courses which are offered in the summer. Pre university courses or additional courses on the subject will also help.

If you could get trained on business systems and economics, this would contribute a lot in future to getting a job in the business world; so would having good communication and inter personal skills and these could be improved by signing up for additional courses and even soft skill courses.

Other Qualifications

Other than the necessary technological and business degree, you would also require strong analytical and problem solving skills. Logical reasoning will also be required.

Since you must work with a lot of people such as the management, your team, and the users to arrive at the goal, you would need good interpersonal skills and leadership qualities. An attention to detail as well as ability to take the whole picture into account is also required.

Advancement

Without relevant experience you will be starting at a junior analyst position, but can advance to senior and lead analyst positions through the years. If you have good management and business skills, or gain them over the years, you may also advance into management positions and may eventually end up the Chief Information Officer of an organization. You may also be able to start your own company or consultant firm or work as independent consultant.

Employment

IT Computer Tech

As many as 154 industries employ computer systems analysts. The highest employment is in computer systems design and related areas which accounts for 23.74 percent of the total workers in 2008.

You could also find employment in management of companies and enterprises (employed 7.16 per cent of the workers in 2008), educational services (5.13 per cent), professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers (3.72 per cent). Data processing, hosting, and related services (3.29 per cent), management, scientific, and technical consulting services (2.97 per cent), public and private hospitals (2.61 per cent), depository credit intermediation (2.22 per cent), and software publishers (2.15) form other options.

You could also be self employed in all of these areas. This accounted for 5.70 per cent of the total workers. More and more industries are hiring temporary consultants who will have the contract for the duration of a project.

If you are interested in a government job you should sit for the relevant civil service examination. For private employment you could contact large computer manufacturers or software publishers. The placement office in your college will also help you with finding a job.

Job Outlook

With increase in the reach of computer, internet, and other information technology tools, the job prospects of the computer systems analysts are also increasing. You now have wireless internet, different networking technologies, as well as mobile computing. All these are contributing to an increased demand for computer savvy individuals who know systems development and integration. Information security specialists are also on high demand.

The health care industry is also driving a demand for professionals in the area with requirements for hospital information systems, the inclusion of e records of patient, telemedicine etc.

While outsourcing will definitely occur due to lesser costs in other countries, the numbers may be less. This is because of the degree of specialization that is required in the job, as well as the requirement for proximity to job locations. While job growths may be tempered due to off shoring, there will still be considerable growth compared to other industries.

Projections

In 2008, 532,200 workers were employed as computer systems analysts. In 2018, this is expected to grow to 640,300 workers.

In the period between 2008 and 2018, the job scenario for computer system analysts is expected to rise by 20.3 per cent with computer systems design and related services expected to rise around 40 per cent and management, scientific, and technical consulting services expected to increase by a whopping 85.5 per cent. Jobs in data processing, hosting, and other services are expected to grow 66.1 per cent. Specialized design services will grow by 45.7 per cent. Jobs with software publishers will grow by 42.2 per cent.

Earnings and Wages

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (based on May 2009 survey), the mean annual wage of professionals in the field is $80,430. Around 50 per cent earned more than $77,080 per annum. The hourly wages range between $38 and $57, though at times (in 10 per cent of cases) it was as low as $22.66.

The top paying industry was drugs and druggists’ Sundries Merchant Wholesalers which was paying an hourly mean wage of $47.08 and an annual mean wage of $97,940. Computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing were paying $94,930 as annual wage and $45.64 hourly wage. Professional and Commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers who employ around 22,560 computer systems analysts were offering $92,770 as annual wage and $44.60 as hourly wage.

The wages and earnings also varied depending on states and metropolitan areas with the top paying states being Virginia, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maryland. Virginian and New Jersey also had the highest concentration of workers. Workers in Virginia got a mean annual wage of $92,300 and an hourly wage of $44.38, while the lowest paying of the lot, Maryland paid an annual mean wage of $87,750 and hourly wage of $42.19.

On the whole, the earnings and wage scenario is rather good.

Related Careers

Computer systems analysts have a profession which is related to both business as well as computers. Related career areas include:

Computer and Information Scientists
Research Computer Programmers
Computer Systems Security Specialists
Computer Operators Computer
Support Specialists
Network Systems and Data Communication Analysts
Database Administrators Network and Computer Systems Administrators
Operation Research Analysts

Sources of Additional Information

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