Becoming a computer systems analyst

[csovereign]

I am a 36 year old stay at home mom, with eight years paid work experience working with databases and data in research and MIS positions, and bachelors degrees in economics and mathematics. I have been out of the work force for almost four years.

I am considering re-entering the workforce as a computer systems analyst, otherwise known as a programmer analyst, system developer or system architect, I guess. Before I invest time and money retraining and gaining experience, I want to be confident that I will have made a sound decision.

Before I move forward, I would like to know the answers to these 9 questions:
1. How many hours on average each week does a computer systems analyst work?
2. Am I too old to start in this career?
3. Should employment prospects be good in the next 15 years?
4. Is there ageism in this profession?
5. How long will it be before I start earning at least $38K a year?
6. How does one gain entry into this career?
7. What kind of people excel in this career?
8. What is the career path?
9. Are jobs only plentiful in big cities?

If you are a practicing computer systems analyst (or have a similar position), would you mind briefly responding to some or all of these questions?

 

[Stella740pl]

csovereign,

I would like to point out, the way I see it, that having degrees in economics and mathematics and experience with databases, you might spot a better position than as a freshly retrained computer systems analyst, at least in big cities in USA. IT is not as booming as it did eight years ago, and not as hot any more as back then. During the eight years you were out of work force, a lot of IT positions were outsourced.

Moreover, you might spot an IT position, even an analytical position, with the training you already have, if you point out you strengths in the fields you already know and refresh your DB knowledge. Most likely, with a salary higher than $38K.

Is there some reason you want to start anew?

You can look for a position as an analyst/ business analyst, and your starting salary probably would depend on how well are you prepared for your interviews and how well you can sell yourself. Very often (depends on geographic locality, etc.) you might start with a salary noticeably higher than $38K a year - don't sell yourself too short. Check first what positions you are qualified for are paying in your area. You are not a novice but not old (yes, ageism does exist in many areas), you most likely won't take any more maternity leaves (am I right?) - and you have an experience and education. Just take some time to refresh your knowledge and make a market/salary research on Internet.

Also, with your interrupted work history and having small children, you might want to look into positions with local governments and other governmental agencies (like in health/education/transportation, etc. structures). You might get a very reasonable salary, reasonable hours/work week, and nice benefits.

Good luck!

 

[Stella740pl]

During the eight years you were out of work force
Sorry, it's four years. Still a valid point, I guess.

 

[jmd0252]

IHMO,,, a business analysts would be a better fit,, as a systems analysts you may be expected to write code. From your description I cannot tell if you have code writing experience. The database experience could be helpful, if it is Oracle or SQL Server. For the salary, a lot depends on where you live, and the industries that are in your area. You have to be able to show, how your experience, and education helps the business. You are never too old, but be warned, you may be competing with younger people willing to work lots of OT, to get a job done. How that fits in your situation, kind of depends on you. You may want to look for a company that offers "flex time". Promotions, career paths, etc, really depends on your geography, and who is above you in the food chain of the compnay.

 

[benlinkknilneb]

My Title: Systems Analyst.

1. How many hours on average each week does a computer systems analyst work?
I work 40-45's. If I work extra (a full Saturday), my boss gives me a day off during the next week. However, I am on call any time except scheduled vacation, although I haven't received very many calls. I am expected to work when I am needed; if there's no need for me to be here on a weekend, I don't come in. If there's something broken that I need to fix, I'm expected to get it done before it interferes with the company's profitability... if that means a 50-60 hour week, that's what I work. However, as I stated above, management here is very concerned with fairness, so we don't take advantage of each other. It works better that way.

2. Am I too old to start in this career?
Doubt it. Unless you're like 90. Companies like IT people with abilities outside of computing. More mature people have a better chance of having developed those skills. If you know your stuff, you're never too old.

3. Should employment prospects be good in the next 15 years?
Maybe. Depends on a lot of things. We just got over the dot-com bubble, so there's quite a bit of competition for jobs. As long as you really earn your degree/cert (as in, you really know your stuff and you're not just blowing smoke), you shouldn't have too much trouble getting near the top of the resume stack.

4. Is there ageism in this profession?
Judging from what I've seen in previous threads here on tek-tips, you'll likely suffer more from sexism that ageism. Computer people have the stereotype of being pasty white males with their pants jacked up above their belly buttons. "Geek girls" are harder to come by, and unfortunately, don't get the respect they deserve in many companies. Mature, experienced people are valuable because they know how to work with others (plus they've had more real-world experience with the technical side).

5. How long will it be before I start earning at least $38K a year?
I make $42k in South Carolina, USA, 1 year after graduating from college.

6. How does one gain entry into this career?
In my experience, internship. I wrote code for $10/hour for almost 2 years. Once they saw what I could do, they were much more interested in me and I believe I got in based on their previous experience with me. The trick is to get your foot in the door.

7. What kind of people excel in this career?
Be a team player. Know your stuff inside & out. Being a bit of a self-starter helps.

8. What is the career path?
Whatever you make it. I'm happy being a computer guy, although if I learned enough about our company's primary business (manufacturing) they would allow me to move into any position I wanted that had an opening. Our VP was originally an accountant... our training director was an IT guy. Within IT, you can move up into project management, over into sysadmin, up into IT management (CIO, etc.)... you name it.

9. Are jobs only plentiful in big cities?
I live in a small town of ~50k people. There aren't lots and lots of jobs, but there are always jobs for experienced professionals who really know what they're doing.


The important thing is that you do something you'll enjoy, and that you do it in a company that works *with* you instead of taking advantage of you. Those are hard to find.

Ben

There's no place like 127.0.0.1.

 

[Stella740pl]

csovereign,

Maybe I should add to my response to answer some of your questions.

My title used to be programmer/analyst in my previous jobs, it is different now, but my core responsibilities are the same - I design and program database systems, support and/or enhance them; analyze and process data in different ways.

I should note that I currently work for a local governmental structure.

1. How many hours on average each week does a computer systems analyst work?
Usually 35-45. One of my previous jobs (for a private company) required us to work several hours of unpaid overtime every week or two, when it was your turn to be on call. On other positions (for private companies and now for a public employer) overtime was either paid or compensated with time off, and not mandatory, just the opposite. I have been always required to justify the need for overtime in order to get it paid - say, an urgent assignment.

4. Is there ageism in this profession?
Well, even though both ageism and sexism do exist to a point, at all jobs I worked always with many women and experienced senior professionals. A well qualified person will find job independent of age and gender. It seems to be some age limit for entry level positions - but don't sell yourself as an entry level; with your education and experience you can do better!

5. How long will it be before I start earning at least $38K a year?
My salary was never less than $40 (I won't say how much it is now, but it is noticeably better ) since I met the 3 conditions: immigrated to USA, started to work as programmer/analyst or in similar positions, and found employment with a decent size company.

6. How does one gain entry into this career?
Well, I have a Masters Degree in Applied Mathematics/Computer Science from a foreign school. So I started my career abroad. Upon my graduation, I was employed by the company for which I was working as an unpaid intern for a couple of years while in school. It was harder to start over in the new country – basically, to prove that your foreign education and previous experience are worth something. But the timing was good.

9. Are jobs only plentiful in big cities?
I don’t know. I have never lived or worked outside of big cities.

Hope this helps.

 

[Stella740pl]

csovereign,

Are you still there? Do you read your thread, even though do not log in? Did you get answers to your questions?

 

[Kozusnik]

From another point of view...

1. How many hours on average each week does a computer systems analyst work?
Depends on what crappy application your company has purchased. If they have purchased/written a decent app, then 40-45 hrs is about average.

2. Am I too old to start in this career?
No. I'm 32, my co-workers are mostly older than me. I'm trying to hire another person about your age.

3. Should employment prospects be good in the next 15 years?
I think it will get better. I'm tired of calling a vendor and end up talking with someone in India who barely speaks English. I think most people feel this way also. (No offense to the people of India...I'd rather be able to understand the vendor however.)

4. Is there ageism in this profession?
Ageism can play a part, but at 38, I don't think it's an issue. As for sexism. I hope you don't have to deal with it. The person I referred to earlier is female. I know she's the best for the job. She'll probably get it.

5. How long will it be before I start earning at least $38K a year?
I live in a small city in northern WV. I make about 60k.

6. How does one gain entry into this career?
From database design, depending on your understanding of system functionality and tuning. You may want to start in an entry level position. I'm not sure what your expertise is as a sys admin. You have to know the apps, hardware, and OS pretty well.

7. What kind of people excel in this career?
That's a tough one. If you know a system (almost any system) AS/400, Alpha Servers, RS/6000, HP, etc, you'll probably be fine to excel at learning other systems.

8. What is the career path?
Depends on what you make of it. I don't want management, but it's the next logical step for me. If the stepping stone opens up and you want it...you gotta go for it.

9. Are jobs only plentiful in big cities?
Probably. Most people in smaller towns tend to stay at their jobs whereas in larger cities, the job market is more plentiful allowing people to change jobs frequently.

I hope I've been able to help. Don't get discouraged, it sounds like you're interested enough to perform wherever you go.

Mark

 

[Glenn9999]

5. How long will it be before I start earning at least $38K a year?

I thought I should address this question. The answer really depends on where you are and what the wage structures are. With the last job I had, I would have been lucky to see anything beyond $28K, and anything close to $38K would have been upper management salary.

So YMMV on the salary answers.

 

[langleymass]

1. How many hours on average each week does a computer systems analyst work?

I'm not sure.

2. Am I too old to start in this career?

I don't think so, but many employers will think you are too old.

3. Should employment prospects be good in the next 15 years?

Why do you use the word "should"? The more important question is: "Will they be good?" For non-Americans, the answer may be yes. For American born and raised here, it is most likely no.

4. Is there ageism in this profession?

Yes, and some women also say there is sexism.

5. How long will it be before I start earning at least $38K a year?

I would estimate at least three or four years. It took me seven years.

6. How does one gain entry into this career?

It's not what you know--it's who you know. Politics is everything in IT.

7. What kind of people excel in this career?

See answer #6.

8. What is the career path?

You'll start out with a help-desk job at about $10 per hour, get downsized a few times, maybe get a better job, and then quit the whole industry by 2012.

9. Are jobs only plentiful in big cities?

See answer #3. But it does depend somewhat on the big city. There are more jobs in Austin than there are in Pittsburgh, for example.

 

[langleymass]

Kozusnik,

I'm originally from Moundsville. Where are you?

 

[Kozusnik]

Wheeling (Elm Grove).

Nice to meet a local!

Mark