IT + Business

Keano

I have been told that the place I am working is to shutdown in the next 2 years. I will have my job until this time next year
They will be paying for new training so I am not too badly off. However, I currently work in the financial sector but have a degree in Software Engineering
I have also done some IT support for my present company but now I find myself in limbo!

I don’t want to forget about IT (I consider myself a techie still in training!) but to give myself more marketability I wouldn’t mind undertaking a business / IT course

I would like future employers to look at my cv and say this guy can be our link. He understands both sides.

Are my making any sense??!! Hopefully I am and some of ye out there may have been and/or in the same boat but have started courses

Cheers for reading the post…

rick_fantastic

+1

Have technical degree in CompSci
Nearly finished MBS in Smurfit

Running an IT Dept for 150users over 10 locations in Ireland and UK

Sick of techie work, want to do Enterprise Application and Technology Consultancy / Change Management

watna

I hire a lot of people with both skills (mostly as contractors). A lot of them work as Business Analysts/ Functional Consultants/business consultants/project managers. Often, on projects IT skills are required but they want someone who can look at business problems and come up with IT solutions or vice versa. A lot of candidates I see have IT qualifications but have done an MBA or business masters etc.

There's a definite market out there for that. Sometime we find it hard to find people with the IT skills but who is business minded and can work on site and lead a team. project manage or understand business requirements.

nellyshark

IT + Business is essentially an eBusiness qualification?

damnyanks

Dont mind that stuff, its pointless.

Realisticaly you should be pushing for the best qualification possible. Even if its not totally related as to what you want to do. You will soon find yourself out of a job. If you're "Just a techie" whats the point in doing a ecommerce msc or a "business studies" type.

If you want it to be worthwhile it has to be something that strecths you not something thats "nice to have"

DublinWriter

Keano A Legend wrote: »

I would like future employers to look at my cv and say this guy can be our link. He understands both sides.

After 20 years in the business, I can honestly say that it's harder for an ex-techie to get into the business/B.A. side of things than it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.

Basically ex-techies aren't trusted. I see big consultancy companies (won't say who!) hiring people on the milk round with 1st class hons degrees in unrelated disciplines like Zoology, Biology and what-not and training them up to be completely useless BAs and PMs.

All the journals in the 70's and 80's spoke with wonder at the concept of the 'Hybrid Manager', someone with a foot in both techie and business camps, who would save the day and be the most prized people in the organisation. This never materialised.

Many techies hit their mid-30's and really start to despise what they once loved doing in their early-20's.

My best advise to you would be to do what you love within I.T. and don't just follow-the-money for the sake of it.

BostonB

watna wrote: »

I hire a lot of people with both skills (mostly as contractors). A lot of them work as Business Analysts/ Functional Consultants/business consultants/project managers. Often, on projects IT skills are required but they want someone who can look at business problems and come up with IT solutions or vice versa. A lot of candidates I see have IT qualifications but have done an MBA or business masters etc.

There's a definite market out there for that. Sometime we find it hard to find people with the IT skills but who is business minded and can work on site and lead a team. project manage or understand business requirements.

I'd have to agree with that. There seems to be a demand for people with experience in IT, who have good people skills and can liaise between IT sector and Business sector. When I was contracting I went looking for pure technical roles but found the business analyst type of role was far more in demand, and really enjoyed the change.