| Throughout our lives we all look back at the | | | | information has altered our world so expansively |
| choices we've made and reflect upon their impact | | | | that computer applications and technology touch |
| on who we are and what we have become. | | | | our lives every minute of |
| Some results are easier to measure than others. | | | | every day. In fact by the time we get to work |
| We can easily measure many of our choices by | | | | each morning, most of us have more interaction |
| our wealth, position, and possessions. Others may | | | | with microprocessors than we do with the people |
| be more difficult to quantify and might include | | | | around us. No other innovation has advanced so |
| love, happiness, reputation, and knowledge. The | | | | rapidly and affected society and culture so |
| one saving grace for us as human beings is the | | | | completely as the computer. It touches all aspects |
| opportunity to grow and change through the | | | | of our modern existence but none more than |
| choices we make continues throughout our lives. | | | | the work place, the job market and ultimately our |
| Even as adults we have the desire and the need | | | | careers. For those who wish to take advantage |
| to | | | | of opportunities opened by this series of events |
| keep learning, shifting, and adapting to the world | | | | and are contemplating a career change towards |
| around us. As we learn from our earliest childhood | | | | the IT industry, some interesting facts may help |
| days, we are in fact in charge of our own | | | | in deciding which road is right for you. |
| destiny, each of us playing the cards of fate on a | | | | According to department of Labor statistics cited |
| daily basis through the roads we take. One of the | | | | in Changing Channels, Career Facts, 45% of all |
| earliest decisions we face, perhaps at a time | | | | jobs in 2004 will be in areas that did not exist in |
| when we are least prepared is that of our career. | | | | 1994. Of the ten occupations with the fastest |
| At a young age we cast our lot in the direction of | | | | employment growth, four are computer related. |
| some 'mysterious' life long ambition. Some are | | | | Database administrators, computer engineers and |
| lucky and are able to grasp the brass ring on the | | | | systems analysts occupy the top three positions |
| first try. Others, like myself may find that a | | | | with the demand projected to more than double |
| career choice made years ago has turned out to | | | | by 2006. The number of core domestic IT |
| be less gratifying than expected, forcing us to find | | | | workers is expected to near 2.6 million in 2006 |
| completion in searching out new trends and | | | | not including an additional 250,000 to replace those |
| acquiring new skills. | | | | exiting the profession. Additionally, 75% of |
| This is not unusual in today's workplace | | | | systems analysts and scientists, and nearly 80% |
| environment in which some experts explain that a | | | | of computer programmers are under the age of |
| career change is more likely to be the rule rather | | | | 45. Future projected growth for the dot-com |
| than the exception. David Madison suggests in his | | | | industry looks bright as well. Deloitte Touche's |
| article Successful Career and Job Changes that | | | | dot-com CEO Tohmatsu reports that the industry |
| today's average college graduates, in reacting to | | | | is "full of confidence", with an average expected |
| situations that require new skills or understanding, | | | | growth rate of 160 percent in the coming year. |
| will reinvent themselves with four careers by the | | | | Peter Williams, the national leader of Deloitte's |
| age of retirement. This trend can already be seen | | | | ebusiness practice and dot-com specialist stated, |
| by the fact that the average American has been | | | | "the key to success, as with any fast-growing |
| in his/her job for only four years. So why do so | | | | business, is having quality people and being able to |
| many people find themselves toying with a career | | | | maintain vitality through periods of exponential |
| change? There are many possibilities to consider. | | | | growth. The shortage of skills is a global |
| It may be due to the fact that the workforce is | | | | phenomenon and is worsening in an increasingly |
| living longer and working harder resulting in job | | | | tight employment market." |
| related burnout and a loss of passion for one's | | | | Sadly many people considering career changes |
| chosen vocation. Perhaps changing livelihoods is a | | | | feel cut off from taking advantage of the job |
| natural response to personal and professional | | | | market statistics related to the new e-conomy |
| growth. Careers are like trees, spawning fresh | | | | by thinking their previous careers and working |
| branches of interest and curiosity that often lead | | | | know how are out of step. Terms like HTML, |
| us in new directions. Others may be fueled by | | | | ASP, JSP, DNA, COM and the thousand other |
| statistics that lure change with the potential of | | | | acronyms that fill want ads seem like some |
| increased financial growth and opportunity in | | | | underground geek code rather than intelligible |
| burgeoning new fields. | | | | requirements needed by those to fill positions in |
| Of course no matter how bright the statistics | | | | the escalating IT field. When in actuality, |
| may seem, evaluating the risks and benefits | | | | experience in Human Resources, Economics, |
| involved in changing careers, whether real or | | | | Finance, Accounting and other traditional disciplines |
| perceived, should be done on an individual basis. | | | | may be more valuable than you think. Many |
| Remember, when faced with a career choice, one | | | | participants in the IT industry are graduates with |
| will appear to be familiar, comfortable and safe, | | | | degrees and experience in fields other than |
| while the other will undoubtedly be unexplored and | | | | Computer Science and Technology, yet have |
| daunting. It is up to you to decide which one will | | | | managed successfully to migrate through entry |
| lead to your happy ending. Making a conscious | | | | portals and opportunities to change their careers |
| choice in favor of a career change is not an easy | | | | and become successful participants. |
| task. First off there is the fear of leaving that | | | | Susan Pieper-Bailey in her article Jobs for the |
| ever-faithful friend, the paycheck. Sacrificing the | | | | New Millennium: Interview with George Bailey |
| familiarity of rules, procedures and colleagues in | | | | states one thing to remember is that a career |
| the workplace also plays its part in concerns to | | | | changer in today's IT marketplace is not a job |
| be reckoned with. However, if you are stagnant | | | | seeker but rather "human capital" and not a cost |
| on the job with no career growth in sight, you | | | | but rather an "investment." Employers are not |
| might consider making the leap into uncharted | | | | only concerned with technical know how, but also |
| territory in order to promote your skill set, your | | | | in having a well-rounded individual who is familiar |
| salary, and ultimately your personal well being and | | | | with the business environment in which the |
| self esteem. If you are still unsure, ask yourself a | | | | computer system will be operating. The fast |
| few questions that may help indicate if it is time | | | | paced development of technology within the |
| for you to move on. Is Sunday night the worst | | | | industry itself also demands that job seekers |
| night of the week simply because of your dread | | | | have good people and communication skills to |
| of having to return to work the next morning? | | | | facilitate team efforts in meeting the challenges of |
| Do you feel that your job prevents you from | | | | a work environment where the competition and |
| increasing your skills and has caused you to stop | | | | requirements seem to change by the minute. |
| learning? Do you feel out of the loop, and that | | | | George Bailey of Price WaterhouseCoopers |
| your participation in the workplace is primarily in | | | | believes that jobs for the new millennium will |
| fielding one-sided communiqués from your | | | | require that individuals have "broader experience. |
| boss or higher ups? Do your co-workers and | | | | You can't get ahead anymore by being narrow." |
| family comment that you look drained and | | | | Finally above all, a strategic element that must be |
| discontented? Is your salary and status slipping in | | | | possessed by any individual seeking a career in IT |
| relation to that of your professional peers? | | | | is passion. Excitement and innovation involving the |
| (FORTUNE.com: Career Tools: Is It Time to Move | | | | Internet is the fuel that is propelling us all into the |
| On?) If you've answered yes to a number of | | | | next generation of technology affecting the way |
| these questions you might want to brush up your | | | | we conduct business and our daily lives. |
| resume and start looking for new opportunities to | | | | |
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