Careers and Coursework for Getting Jobs 101

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Careers and Coursework for Getting Jobs 101

• Gregory Rose
• Professor of MIS
• WSU Vancouver

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid
• Unemployment rates were (eWeek 5/10/2007, Supply of IT Pros Down, Though
  Demand is Up)
• Problem is low enrollment in IT education due to
  2001 downturn still skewing perceptions
• Employment of computer and information systems
  managers is expected to grow 16 percent over the
  2006-16 decadeEmployment of computer and
  information systems managers is expected to grow
  faster than the average for all occupations
  through the year 2016. (Occupational Outlook
  Handbook, 2008-09 Edition - http//www.bls.gov/oc
  o/ocos258.htm)
• 40 of 550 executives polled in October 2008 by
  McKinsey indicated they were planning on
  increasing their investment in strategic IT in
  2009 even in the face of the economic turmoil.
• Based on experiences from the dot-com bust in the
  early 2000s, many companies are less willing to
  undergo the "pain and disruption" of severe IT
  cutting, he said. Many companies realize that the
  cuts in IT spending in areas that could help
  businesses grow, become more productive, and more
  efficient aren't worth the savings
  (http//www.misjobsite.com/articles/i/ad4019/blogs
  /information-technology/execs-really-want-4089-of
  -spend-for-it-investments.htm)

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• "Computer and mathematical science occupations
  are projected to grow 30.7 by 2014, employing an
  additional 967,000 people."    Occupational
  Outlook for the U.S., 2004-2014 (Source United
  States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
  Statistics (http//www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro
  .t02.htm)
•  "At a time when the nation needs more engineers
  to stay competitive, ASEE's new numbers show
  declining enrollments, particularly among women .
  . .engineering graduation and enrollment rates at
  U.S. universities are not keeping up with the
  country's increasing demand for engineering
  talent . . . on a per-capita basis, less than 5
  percent of all undergraduate degrees were awarded
  to engineers in 2004-05, compared with almost 8
  percent in 1985  Trouble on the Horizon, ASEE
  Prism, Vol 16, No. 2, Oct 2006 (www.prism-magazine
  .org/oct06/feature_trouble.cfm)

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• Report shows that in 2006, the high-tech industry
  continued growing, adding nearly 150,000 net jobs
  for a total of 5.8 million in the United States. 
  This growth is faster than the 87,400 jobs added
  in 2005.  These two years of growth represent an
  increase of four percent.
• "We are pleased to see the rebounding of the tech
  industry," said William T. Archey, President and
  CEO of AeA.  "This is the second year in a row
  that tech industry employment has added jobs. 
  Not only do these jobs make critical
  contributions to the U.S. economy, but they also
  pay extremely well.  The average tech industry
  wage is 86 percent more than the average U.S.
  private sector wage.  (April 24, 2007)
  http//www.aeanet.org/pressroom/prjj_cs2007_us1.as
  p

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• Cyberstates 2007 Key Facts
• U.S. Tech Industry Adds Jobs in 2006
• U.S. high-tech employment totaled 5.8 million in
  2006.
• Tech employment was up in 2006 by nearly 147,000
  or by 3 percent.
• This is on top of the growth of 87,000 tech jobs
  added in 2005.
• The software services industry added 88,500 jobs,
  up for the third year in a row.
• The engineering and tech services industry added
  66,300 jobs in 2006, putting it at an all time
  high.
• The unemployment rate for electrical engineers
  was 1.9 percent in 2006 and 2.5 percent for
  computer and math occupations.
• The tech industry paid an annual average wage of
  75,500 in 2005, 86 percent more than the average
  private sector wage of 40,500.
• http//www.aeanet.org/pressroom/prjj_cs2007_us1.as
  p

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• Job Outlook      http//www.bls.gov/oco/ocos258.h
  tm Employment of computer and information
  systems managers is expected to grow faster than
  the average for all occupations through the year
  2014. Technological advancements will boost the
  employment of computer-related workers as a
  result, the demand for managers to direct these
  workers also will increase. In addition, job
  openings will result from the need to replace
  managers who retire or move into other
  occupations. Opportunities for obtaining a
  management position will be best for those with
  computer-related work experience an MBA with
  technology as a core component, or a management
  information systems degree and strong
  communication and administrative skills.

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• Job Outlook      http//www.bls.gov/oco/ocos258.h
  tm Despite the downturn in the technology sector
  in the early part of the decade, the outlook for
  computer and information systems managers remains
  strong. To remain competitive, firms will
  continue to install sophisticated computer
  networks and set up more complex Internet and
  intranet sites. Keeping a computer network
  running smoothly is essential to almost every
  organization. Firms will be more willing to hire
  managers who can accomplish that.

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• From http//msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/caree
  radvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid1010SiteIdcbm
  snhp41010sc_extcmpJS_1010_home1GT19965cbRecur
  sionCnt2cbsid53e7874cfb004ef0909cb6ffcba5ec8c-2
  32807082-JW-5
• Software DevelopersHow much can you make? A
  shortage of skilled software developers meant
  companies were willing to pay top dollar to
  recruit and retain these professionals. As a
  result, software developers were projected to see
  the greatest salary gains of any job
  classification in 2007. Average starting salaries
  were expected to rise 5.1 percent, to between
  60,250 and 94,750.What are the typical
  duties? Software developers code, test and debug
  programs. They also work with analysts, engineers
  and quality assurance testers to coordinate and
  document application development and testing.

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• From http//msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/caree
  radvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid1010SiteIdcbm
  snhp41010sc_extcmpJS_1010_home1GT19965cbRecur
  sionCnt2cbsid53e7874cfb004ef0909cb6ffcba5ec8c-2
  32807082-JW-5
• Web DevelopersHow much can you make? Average
  starting salaries were expected to be between
  54,750 and 81,500 annually in 2007, an increase
  of 4.2 percent over 2006 levels.What are the
  typical duties? This person gathers business
  requirements, develops specifications for
  web-based applications and provides technical
  assistance to web administrators. A web developer
  also may integrate Web sites with back-end
  systems and write test plans and report results.

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• From http//msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/caree
  radvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid1010SiteIdcbm
  snhp41010sc_extcmpJS_1010_home1GT19965cbRecur
  sionCnt2cbsid53e7874cfb004ef0909cb6ffcba5ec8c-2
  32807082-JW-5
• Data Warehouse ManagersHow much can you make?
  Starting salaries increased 4.2 percent in 2007,
  to the range of 85,500 to 113,500
  annually.What are the typical duties? Data
  warehouse managers design, develop and maintain
  data warehouses and data mart systems. They also
  work with database developers, administrators and
  managers to ensure that data systems conform to
  enterprise data architecture and strategy.

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• From http//msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/caree
  radvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid1010SiteIdcbm
  snhp41010sc_extcmpJS_1010_home1GT19965cbRecur
  sionCnt2cbsid53e7874cfb004ef0909cb6ffcba5ec8c-2
  32807082-JW-5
• Project ManagersHow much can you make? According
  to a 2006 study by the Society for Information
  Management, the top three skills sought by
  employers for midlevel IT hires are planning,
  budgeting and scheduling -- the exact
  qualifications strong project managers possess.
  Consequently, project managers starting salaries
  in 2007, were expected in the range of 72,750 to
  106,250 per year.What are the typical duties?
  Professionals in this role manage the overall
  coordination of IT applications development
  projects, from planning through implementation.
  The job also entails setting project scope,
  priorities, budgets, deadlines and deliverable
  schedules, as well as facilitating discussions
  among various project stakeholders.

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• From http//msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/caree
  radvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid1010SiteIdcbm
  snhp41010sc_extcmpJS_1010_home1GT19965cbRecur
  sionCnt2cbsid53e7874cfb004ef0909cb6ffcba5ec8c-2
  32807082-JW-5
• Applications ArchitectsHow much can you make?
  Starting salaries in 2007, were approximately
  80,000 to 112,750 annually.What are the
  typical duties? Applications architects design
  application components such as the user
  interface, middleware and infrastructure. They
  also may provide technical leadership to the
  applications development team, perform design and
  code reviews, and ensure that uniform,
  enterprise-wide, application design standards are
  maintained.

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
• From http//msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/caree
  radvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid1010SiteIdcbm
  snhp41010sc_extcmpJS_1010_home1GT19965cbRecur
  sionCnt2cbsid53e7874cfb004ef0909cb6ffcba5ec8c-2
  32807082-JW-5
• Applications ArchitectsHow much can you make?
  Starting salaries will increase 4 percent in
  2007, to the range of 80,000 to 112,750
  annually.What are the typical duties?
  Applications architects design application
  components such as the user interface, middleware
  and infrastructure. They also may provide
  technical leadership to the applications
  development team, perform design and code
  reviews, and ensure that uniform,
  enterprise-wide, application design standards are
  maintained.

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Careers in MIS

• National trends are solid (cont.)
  http//www.bls.gov/oco/ocos258.htm
• Earnings for computer and information systems
  managers vary by specialty and level of
  responsibility. Median annual earnings of these
  managers in May 2004 were 92,570. The middle 50
  percent earned between 71,650 and 118,330.
  Median annual earnings in the industries
  employing the largest numbers of computer and
  information systems managers in May 2004 were as
  follows
• Software publishers 107,870
• Computer systems design and related average
  starting salaries in 2005 for high-level
  information technology managers ranged from
  80,250 to 112,250.
• According to a 2005 survey by the National
  Association of Colleges and Employers, starting
  salary offers for those with an MBA, a technical
  undergraduate degree, and 1 year or less of
  experience averaged 52,300 for those with a
  masters degree in management information
  systems/business data processing, the starting
  salary averaged 56,909.
• In addition, computer and information systems
  managers, especially those at higher levels,
  often receive more employment-related
  benefitssuch as expense accounts, stock option
  plans, and bonusesthan do non-managerial workers
  in their organizations.

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Careers in MIS

• Pacific NW
• Latest graduate to contact me started with
  64,000 as a systems analyst
• Anecdotal evidence abounds
• Places to Visit to see this
• Salary.com
• Portland.craigslist.org
• http//portland.craigslist.org/sof/
• http//portland.craigslist.org/sad/
• http//portland.craigslist.org/tch/
• http//www.boeing.com/employment/college/collegeCa
  reerGrowth.html
• Software Association of Oregon Job
  Site http//sao.jobamatic.com/a/jbb/find-jobs/
• But area is short on graduates
• The need for scientists and engineers continues
  to increase while college enrollment in these
  fields continues to decrease. Oregon ranks 30th
  in the number of engineering graduates and 31st
  in the number of science and engineering graduate
  students. OCKED. Renewing Oregons Economy
  Growing Jobs and Industries Through Innovation
  Dec 02

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Careers in MIS

• Pacific NW
• Washington State Info (http//seattletimes.nwsourc
  e.com/html/opinion/2003331634_prosperity31.html)
• Our educational priorities are out of sync with
  the needs of our economy. Our graduates are not
  prepared to fill the jobs our employers are
  creating.
• Employers in Washington are among the most
  technologically advanced in the world. Not
  surprisingly, the people who work here are also
  among the best-educated. We lead the nation in
  per-capita employment of engineers, and are in
  the top 10 states for per-capita employment of
  computer scientists, life scientists, technology
  workers and many other advanced fields.
• Unfortunately, according to the National Science
  Foundation, Washington is 36th out of the 50
  states in per-capita production of bachelor's
  degrees. Even worse, we're 38th in graduating
  students in science and engineering fields, the
  very fields we lead the nation in employing. And
  when it comes to graduate students in these
  fields, we rank 42nd out of the 50 states.

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Education in MIS

• WSUV Opportunities
• Certificate in Ecommerce (MIS 250, 322, 374 or
  372, 375)
• Minor in MIS (add MIS 171 and 271)
• Bachelors Degree in MIS (add MIS 325, 372, 420,
  and 448)

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MIS Courses
Programming Classes
Take 1st or 2nd year if possible
MIS 171 Web Technologies Innovations
MIS 271 Intermediate Business Programming
MIS 250
MIS 325 Enterprise Business Programming
MIS 420 Business Intelligence
MIS 322 Systems Analysis Design
MIS 375 Global E-Commerce
MIS 374 Information Technology Infrastructure
MIS Certificate

MIS Minor
MIS 372 Data Management
MIS 448 Global IS Project Management

MIS Major
Note MIS372 can be taken instead of 374 for the
certificate
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Education in MIS

• Pacific NW Opportunities
• Professional Groups get networked, educated,
  and hired
• http//SAO.org/
• http//www.acm.org/chapters/chifoo/
• http//www.becpdx.org/
• http//www.pmi-portland.org/
• http//www.aeanet.org/AeACouncils/ORCouncilStart.a
  sp
• http//www.simnet.org/Template.cfm?sectionChapter
  -Portland
• http//www.ieee-or.org/home
• National resource
• http//www.misjobsite.com/