Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Internet Careers
The bankruptcy of some Internet start-up companies in the early 2000s, called the
dot
-
gone
era
by some, has resulted in layoffs for some firms. Executives of these bankrupt start-up
Internet companies lost hundreds of millions of dollars in a few months. Yet, the use of the
Internet to conduct business continues to grow and has stimulated a steady need for skilled
personnel to develop and coordinate Internet usage. As shown in Figure 2.10, these careers
are in the areas of Web operations, Web development, and Web administration. As with
other areas in IS, many top-level administrative jobs are related to the Internet. These career
opportunities are found in both traditional companies and those that specialize in the
Internet.
Internet jobs within a traditional company include Internet strategists and administrators,
Internet systems developers, Internet programmers, and Internet or Web site operators. Some
companies suggest a new position, chief Internet officer, with responsibilities and a salary
similar to the CIO's.
In addition to traditional companies, Internet companies offer exciting career opportu-
nities. These companies include Amazon.com, Yahoo!, eBay, and many others. Systest, for
example, specializes in finding and eliminating digital bugs that could halt the operation of
a computer system.
68
Often, the people filling IS roles have completed some form of certification.
Certification
is a process for testing skills and knowledge resulting in an endorsement by the certifying
authority that an individual is capable of performing a particular job. Certification frequently
involves specific, vendor-provided or vendor-endorsed coursework. Popular certification
programs include Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Certified Information Systems
Security Professional (CISSP), Oracle Certified Professional, Cisco Certified Security Pro-
fessional (CCSP), and many others.
69
certification
A process for testing skills and
knowledge, which results in a state-
ment by the certifying authority that
confirms an individual is capable of
performing a particular kind of job.
Other IS Careers
To respond to the increase in attacks on computers, new and exciting careers have developed
in security and fraud detection and prevention. Today, many companies have IS security
positions such as a chief information security officer or a chief privacy officer. Some univer-
sities offer degree programs in security or privacy. The National Insurance Crime Bureau, a
nonprofit organization supported by roughly 1,000 property and casualty insurance com-
panies, uses computers to join forces with special investigation units and law enforcement
agencies as well as to conduct online fraud-fighting training to investigate and prevent these
and others are also working from home in developing new information systems.
In addition to working for an IS department in an organization, IS personnel can work
for large consulting firms, such as Accenture (
www.accenture.com
),
IBM (
www.ibm.com/ser-
because consultants are assigned to work on various projects wherever the client is. Such roles
require excellent project management and people skills in addition to IS technical skills.
Other IS career opportunities include being employed by technology companies, such as
Microsoft (
www.microsoft.com
),
Google (
www.google.com
),
Dell (
www.dell.com
),
and many
others. Such a role enables an individual to work on the cutting edge of technology, which
can be extremely challenging and exciting. As some computer companies cut their services
to customers, new companies are being formed to fill the need. With names such as Speak
with a Geek and Geek Squad located in many Best Buy stores, these companies are helping
people and organizations with their computer-related problems that computer vendors are
no longer solving.
Finding a Job in IS
There are many traditional approaches to finding a job in the information systems area,
including on-campus visits from recruiters and referrals from professors, friends, and family
members. Many colleges and universities have excellent programs to help students develop
