Recession-related layoffs and hiring freezes, coupled with offshore outsourcing, have heightened competition for IT jobs, while exerting downward pressure on computer professionals' compensation. These factors are causing many IT professionals to consider changing careers, but they're understandably concerned about wasting their investment in their education and experience. Recently published "Debugging Your Information Technology Career" demonstrates that computer professionals can leverage their experience to enter many fields other than traditional IT careers, while reducing or eliminating their vulnerability to offshore outsourcing.
The author, Janice Weinberg, is a career consultant formerly with IBM and GE, whose IT background -- in systems and application programming, marketing, sales management, and strategic planning -- enabled her to identify the 20 careers she describes in the book. While most of them aren't usually thought of as computer-related jobs, computer proficiency is a key qualification for success in each. For example:
* A software architect's knowledge of best practices in systems design would be a strong asset in a technology due diligence position.
* A business analyst who guided manufacturing staff in defining their IT requirements could become a technology partner manager for a company marketing manufacturing software.
* A network security administrator would bring valuable knowledge to a position as a broker or underwriter of cyberliability insurance.
* A software engineer who supported finance and sales departments could become a global procurement project manager overseeing those functions.
* Any IT professional who can assess the commercial potential of new computer technology might qualify for a position as an equity analyst covering the technology sector.
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 healthcare administrators or attorneys specializing in computer law. Many of the fields can be springboards for consulting practices -- or new revenue streams for established consultancies.
Readers will learn job-hunting techniques tailored to specific fields, including guidance in identifying employers and selecting those aspects of their experience to highlight in their resumes and interviews for greatest impact.
The author, Janice Weinberg, is a career consultant formerly with IBM and GE, whose IT background -- in systems and application programming, marketing, sales management, and strategic planning -- enabled her to identify the 20 careers she describes in the book. While most of them aren't usually thought of as computer-related jobs, computer proficiency is a key qualification for success in each. For example:
* A software architect's knowledge of best practices in systems design would be a strong asset in a technology due diligence position.
* A business analyst who guided manufacturing staff in defining their IT requirements could become a technology partner manager for a company marketing manufacturing software.
* A network security administrator would bring valuable knowledge to a position as a broker or underwriter of cyberliability insurance.
* A software engineer who supported finance and sales departments could become a global procurement project manager overseeing those functions.
* Any IT professional who can assess the commercial potential of new computer technology might qualify for a position as an equity analyst covering the technology sector.
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 healthcare administrators or attorneys specializing in computer law. Many of the fields can be springboards for consulting practices -- or new revenue streams for established consultancies.
Readers will learn job-hunting techniques tailored to specific fields, including guidance in identifying employers and selecting those aspects of their experience to highlight in their resumes and interviews for greatest impact.
