Two Career Paths for Computer System Analysts

The US Department of Labor has a new edition of its Occupational Outlook Handbook that is a much-needed update on employment in all industries and on employment prospects for anyone who is curious about the future of a particular profession. One of the fastest growing career options is for the position of computer systems analyst, which is not a surprise. What is interesting about this particular professional pursuit is the divergent career choices that are available for a college graduate with a related degree. Systems analyst jobs are expected to grow by 20% by 2018.

According to the Labor Department, for more technically complex jobs in a technical or scientific environment, employers often seek applicants who have at least a bachelor's degree in a technical field, such as computer science, information science, applied mathematics, engineering, or the physical sciences. These employees may find careers in consulting on new IT systems or networks, or on scaling up an existing system. Analysts who specialize in helping an organization select the proper system hardware and software are often called system architects or system engineers.

For jobs in a business environment, employers often seek applicants with at least a bachelor's degree in a business-related field such as management information systems (MIS). Increasingly, employers are seeking individuals who have an MBA with a concentration in information systems. These employees engage in structuring and implementing accounting systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems and other business-oriented data systems that can be implemented at any level from a local distribution center to a multinational corporation.

Some business professionals with experience may find themselves engaged in building a financial database even though they hold an accounting degree. A systems analyst assignment has sent many business administration professionals back to school to obtain for courses in network design and in software management.

Increasingly however, firms are contracting for major database changes such as network expansion or a change in software platforms. That's why the positions for systems analysts will grow rapidly; even now 25% of professionals in this field are working for consulting firms. The Labor Department also projects substantial growth in computer systems design and analysis for government agencies.

Relevant experience is important to most employers, which is why people who have worked with computers and have analytic skills can qualify for some of these positions, even though they hold a business degree or engineering degree. The variety of career environments and specialties will be expanding along with general growth in the systems analyst field.