Working in Information Technology

Job Titles

The IT sector uses a wide and sometimes confusing range of different job  titles to describe its employees skills. Two people with the same job title might be doing completely different things  depending on which organisation they are based with.

If you don't know your Systems Analyst from your Software Engineer this list of common job titles might help. With each description is a selection of course programmes which, we think, will provide you with the right skills and experience to perform in that role. Salary ranges are, of course, only approximate and dependent on the business sector you will be working in as well as the employer.

Source: Target IT 2006 published by groupgti.com

* Salaries Source: itjobswatch.co.uk 2007

*Salary range:

£31,000-£38,000

Salary range:

£37,000-42,000

Salary Range:

£46,000-£54,000

'Software engineer' is something of a catch-all title. What you'll actually end up doing will probably depend on your age and experience. Juniors might write the basic code, while more senior people are involved in the cutting-edge stuff, designing and developing large-scale systems and applications. You will usually work at one end of the process - either creating the software or helping to test it to make sure it is 100 per cent perfect. The work involves lots of talking to clients and colleagues to assess what they actually want from the software you're designing, which means there is a lot of IT interaction as well as full-on technical work.

Roughly-speaking, a systems analyst designs computer system solutions for customers. The job is a mixture of business stuff, technical know-how and touchy-feely client sales pitches. Like many IT jobs it involves client contacts as well as full-on technical work. A company will approach an IT company with a specific IT need.  It's the job of the systems analyst to assess what the client really needs and design and IT package based on their knowledge of hardware and software applications. Further up the ladder, systems analysts can progress deeper into the technical side of the job, or move across to focus on the client-led business side. 

Unlike most IT jobs, there isn't much fluff around the edges of the business analyst. As you can probably guess, it involves business stuff as well as technical skills. The business analyst's job is a true midfield position - they work with client and company, helping clients develop IT solutions to further their business goals. It's a project-based role that begins with defining a customer's needs and creating a project plan to design IT solutions to meet these needs. A team is assembled, a schedule set and the business analyst oversees the project. Acting as a point of contact between customer and team, they have to understand the needs of the dumbest user and talk the techietalk with colleagues.

Software Engineering,

Multimedia Systems,

Computer Studies,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing,

Computer Games Technology

Software Engineering,

Computer Studies,

Multimedia Systems,

Information Systems,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing

Computer Studies,

Business Mathematics,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing

Information Systems

Mathematics, Statistics and Computing

Salary range:

£27,000-£33,000

Salary range:

£30,000 - £34,000

Salary Range:

£46,000 - £54,000

These are the professional troubleshooters - the SAS of the IT world. When other people are standing around tutting or exclaiming 'bloody computer', the technical support team are bustling around- sorting it all out, either over the phone or under your desk, without even a mutter of complaint. Many technical support specialists work for hardware manufacturers and suppliers, solving the problems of business customers or consumers like you or me. But many work for end-user companies. In fact, any organisation with more than 50 or so computer users is likely to need a full-time technical support person.

Network engineering is one of the more technically demanding jobs in IT. The nature of the work you do will depend on what type of company you work for and what its network requirements are. Broadly speaking, the job involves setting up, administering, maintaining and upgrading networks. It is a highly technical role and you will definitely need a good understanding of IT when you apply and you'll most likely gather a hoard of specialized technical certifications as you move through your career. Despite the tough technical nature of the job, network engineers spend a lot of their time with clients, helping them make informed decisions and get the best out of the technology they are using.

The term 'consultant' can apply as a tagline for most jobs in the IT sector which is why it is so confusing. But in its simplest sense, a technical consultant develops IT systems for people outside their own organisation. The job is essentially to provide client solutions - using technical knowledge to meet clients' needs. An IT consultant is really far removed from the stereotypical view of an IT geek. You can be involved at any or all ends of the project life-cycle: pitching for the contract; working with the client to refine the specification; selecting the team; designing the system; managing part or all of the project; testing; aftersales support... or simply writing code.

Computer Studies,

Information Systems,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing,

Mathematics, Statistics and Computing

Software Engineering,

Computer Studies,

Computer Forensics,

Information Systems,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing

Computer Studies,

Mathematics, Statistics and Computing

Business Mathematics,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing

Computer Forensics,

Information Systems,

Software Engineering

Multimedia Systems,

Salary range:

£39,000-£48,000

Salary range:

£47,000 - £55,000

Salary Range:

£28,000 - £53,000

Sales is, well, all about selling and the job is possibly the least technical role in the IT industry. While you may sell computers, you're much more likely to be extolling the benefits of whole systems or services. Day to day, the job could involve phone calls, meetings, conferences, drafting proposals of tender documents and estimating prices. Like any other sales jobs, there'll be targets to meet and commission when you reach them. Sales bods know their products inside out and back to front and they can supposedly sell them to anyone - ice to an eskimo and all that. They'd have a stab at flogging a computer to Bill Gates if they could.

Project manager is possibly one of the vaguest titles you can have, but it sounds pretty important because of the 'manager' suffix. The reality depends on the project you're actually managing, which in IT could mean anything and everything. Project managers organise people, time and resources, and coordinate projects from start to finish. But while the job sounds pretty woolly, project managers are actually pretty clued up - they deal with the nitty gritty as well as the general, making sure a project meets business and client needs. It's about ideas, initiatives and problems and turning them into solutions. Working with clients and the company to provide the best value to customers

Web developers are some of the only people working in IT who manage to avoid the stereotypes that can plague the IT sector. Web developing is roughly about building websites and making them idiot proof. The job is still viewed as the trendy side of IT years after it emerged and as such it attracts 'mediaaah' types as well as those with technical expertise. These days web development is becoming much more technical and involves some real hardcore programming as well as the creative side of designing new sites. e-commerce is big news these days as the online side of business grows and grows

Business Mathematics,

Computer Studies,

Information Systems,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing,

Mathematics, Statistics and Computing

Software Engineering,

Computer Studies,

Information Systems,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing

Mathematics, Statistics and Computing

Computer Games Technology

Multimedia Systems,

Internet Computing,

Multimedia Systems,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing

Computer Studies,

Business Mathematics,

Information Systems,

Software Engineering

Salary range:

£28,000-£42,000

You never hear about 'computer programmers' any more - these days they all seem to have become 'programmers' or 'analyst programmers' instead. Basically they're the people who write the code. In some industries 'programmer' can be a much more senior role, distinguishing them from the non-technical people. But programmers don't just sit in front of computers with anorak hoods up all day. They'll usually work as part of a team composed of other programmers, testers, team leaders and so on. At more senior levels the emphasis shifts towards the analysis side and managing whole projects. You'll need a very logical, organised approach to problem solving and a thorough understanding of programming

Software Engineering,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing,

Multimedia Systems,

Computer Studies,

Information Systems,

Information Technology and Multimedia Computing,