Forum - Ask the Hiring Manager

QUESTION:

Mr. Krueger,

I've been a computer hardware technician in the US Navy for the past four years. For three of those years I've been stationed in Spain. While here I've been going to college full time at night and in May I will receive a B.S. in Information Systems Management (with a 3.2 GPA). I've also managed to become near fluent in Spanish.

In October I will be transfering to the USS John F. Kennedy in Jacksonville, Florida. I will be stationed there for approximately two and a half years. I don't think that I will be able to pursue a masters degree during this time period due to frequent deployments. After this tour I plan to exit the military (at 29 years of age).

My main question for you is - What can I do between now and the day I leave the military to best prepare me for a career in information systems? My programming experience is limited and to be honest programming doesn't really interest me that much. But, I'm afraid that I may need to learn in order to find a good job -- particularly if I pursue a career in systems analysis, which does interest me. Also, I've become interested in finance lately and I believe that finance and information systems often overlap. Finally, I would love to work with an international company that would allow me to live in foriegn lands and utilize my language abilities.

- Do I have the kind of knowledge and experience that employers are looking for? If not, how can I get it?
- What specific jobs in the information systems field would I be qualified for and enjoy?
- What kind of salary can I expect? Will I be considered entry level and be competing with 22 year old college grads?

I appreciate the time you invest in answering my questions and I will be eagerly awaiting your response.

From: Thomas M. Jones, Senior, University of Maryland


ANSWER FROM BRIAN KRUEGER:

Hi Thomas -

Your overall question about what type of initial work opportunities you will be seeking depends very much on your objective. If you merely intend to continue as a computer hardware technician, you will not be entry level. But if your objective is to become a Systems Analyst, you will need to start again at the entry level, since Systems Analyst is not a natural career progression for hardware tech.

You correctly surmised that you will likely need to follow a programming route to get into systems analysis. There are some companies that provide careers that go straight into anlysis/design without ever doing programming (EDS being the most notable of this group), but most technology companies want analysts that have foundational programming skills.

In preparing yourself for your target market, you must first decide what your target is. Once decided, you should evaluate the initial requirements and how you can differentiate yourself from the competition. Although you have little programming experience, you do have several years of work experience in and around computers. That will definitely set you apart. In addition, you have military experience, which will count as a plus for companies that value structure and discipline.

As you get closer to your end date, begin to narrow your field of potential employers. Spend time making contact with, meeting with, and calling individuals in your field. These networking contacts can be in any of the following three categories:

1. Location (individuals you know in your target geography)
2. Industry (individuals in your target indiustry)
3. Job Type/Profession (individuals in your target profession)