Career guides to help you find the job you love

Technical/systems architects are all about efficiency, cost-effectiveness and innovation. A technical/systems architect usually works alongside designers and developers to provide made-to-measure IT solutions to companies and organisations.

A typical project will involve meetings to define a client’s exact IT needs, creating a plan to provide those needs and producing progress reports as that plan becomes a reality. Read More

Software testers are vital in an industry which includes the mantra that software is only as good as its testers.

So, if you fancy working out as many ways to break a product as possible, then a job as a software tester is for you. You’ll work on any number of different scenarios, all designed to test the software to its limits and all aimed at producing the best, bug-free product possible. Read More

Software developers might get to work on the creation of an entirely new system, but more often than not they’ll be required to modify or re-work ‘off the shelf’ software, writing code that can link previously incompatible systems.

Responsibilities include providing code and cost proposals for system work, liaising with designers and analysts, pre-launch system testing, preparing training manuals and working on the maintenance of a system once it’s live. Read More

Programmers don’t just write code. They’re part of the design process as well, working with managers and analysts to fully understand a project before getting to the coding, or re-coding, work required. System testing and creating a full, well-documented record of the entire process is also part and parcel of a programmer’s role.

Having a strong record of writing in specific languages such as Visual Basic, C++, Java, etc is the most obvious skill required, but the flexibility to work on your own or as part of a team, deadline management and good communication skills are also important attributes. Read More

Network support engineers work on the design, installation and maintenance of a network.

If a network crashes, it’s the support engineer’s job to fix it – and work out ways to prevent it happening again. Key work areas include the installation of software, hardware, security and anti-virus protections, providing technical support, the set-up of new accounts, passwords and network permissions and staff training. Read More

Network managers are the main administrators of a system or network, overseeing who gains access to email, internet, security and file systems, preventing attacks and occasionally writing programmes.

Other duties include staff training and technical support, system monitoring, back-up management and setting up new user accounts across local, national and global networks. Devising and refining system recovery plans in the event of a major IT meltdown is another key part of the job. Read More

A Network/Systems analyst works with programmers, designers and managers to help create IT systems. The work is hands-on from start to finish – after design and construction, network analysts test and evaluate the new systems before helping to train users.

Project management, people and problem-solving skills are important, as is programming knowledge. Network analysts don’t write code, but they commonly have experience using major computer languages such as SQL, C++, Visual Basic and Java. Read More

IT support workers, contrary to popular belief, don’t spend their time sighing and asking whether you’ve actually turned your computer on.

The job does involve plenty of customer/user support, so patience, problem-solving and people skills are important. But much of the work revolves around installing and configuring systems and networks and discovering trends and underlying issues that can help you diagnose and solve hardware and software problems. Read More

IT managers oversee the design, development and construction of IT systems, either in-house or as an external IT consultant.

Projects can range from the complex and long-term, such as a major new client database, to simpler, short-term jobs like the installation of a new phone system. Read More

IT administrator jobs are rarely in short supply thanks to a new rule of thumb in the workplace these days – for every 50 employees you’ll find one IT administrator.

The job is a varied one. You’ll be helping people set up user accounts and working on back-up and security issues one day and looking into (and hopefully diagnosing) network problems the next. Read More