WESTPORT, Conn., July 7, 2008 — 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. That concern should be dispelled by "Debugging Your Information Technology(TM) Career" (Elegant Fix Press – http://www.elegantfixpress.com), which demonstrates that computer professionals can leverage their experience to enter many fields other than traditional IT careers, while reducing or eliminating their vulnerability to offshoring.
Janice Weinberg, the author, is a career consultant (http://www.janiceweinberg.com) 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. 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 very hot product these days.
- 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.
As Weinberg describes each career, readers will:
- Understand why computer expertise can be a significant advantage
- Be able to imagine themselves in the field by reading the hour-by-hour Typical Workday
- Understand how a recession could undermine job security, while learning strategies for minimizing or avoiding any negative impact
- Learn whether offshoring is affecting employment in the field, as well as what the future vulnerability will likely be
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.
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.
CONTACT:
Janice Weinberg
203-226-6745
Email
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