Most people in this field work 40-hour weeks in an office, but some work shifts other than the standard 9 am to 5 pm shift. This field provides varied work opportunities as employees can work for one company or as a consultant to multiple companies. Almost every type of business depends on computers and computer-generated data, so there are plenty of opportunities for job seekers to find jobs that match their interests. Related jobs include technical or computer sales representative and computer course teacher or trainer. The outlook for this group is excellent.
Many employers are worried about a shortage of qualified workers.
This is also an area where the hot skills, hot programming languages, and hot software packages are always changing, so it's incredibly important to keep an eye on trends. Experts say that the hot areas are web development, networking, management and project management, computer support and help desk, and application development. It helps to be familiar with different platforms, including Windows NT and Unix, and client-server applications. It is helpful for people working with computers to be analytical, patient, and persistent because they are often called on to figure out tough problems. Computer workers may be in demand to teach others, so communication skills are important.