What are the Job Duties of an Information Technology Professional?

General Information Technology Duties and Responsibilities

Those wondering 'what is an IT professional?' and/or 'what does an IT professional do?' should first know that there are many different careers that fall under the category of information technology. In general, those who work in information technology work with computers, networking and any computer-related needs that an organization may have. These tasks can typically fall under three main areas:

• IT policies and processes
• IT operations
• IT hardware/software and infrastructure

IT professionals work to create the computer, network, and communication systems that an organization needs, and then work to ensure that these systems are working correctly and efficiently. They must ensure that systems stay secure, technology support is available, and that updates are made as needed. However, there are many different types of IT professionals, some of which we explore in more depth below.

Types of Information Technology Professionals

IT professionals include many different job titles for professionals that focus their efforts in one area of IT. All of these professionals have their own specific job duties that work in conjunction with other IT professionals to maintain an organization's computer systems. Some of these job titles may include:

• Computer and information systems manager
• Computer support specialist
• Computer programmer
• Network and computer systems administrator
• Web developer
• Computer network architect
• Database administrator
• Information security analyst
• Computer systems analyst
• Software developer

Information Technology Job Descriptions and IT Duties

IT professionals commonly work full-time and may work in an office setting. Some of these professionals may have the flexibility to work remotely, while others may need to be available around the clock to address IT issues. IT professionals are needed in all types of industries, including education, healthcare, and business. Below we examine some of the specific job duties for a few IT positions in more detail.

Computer and Information Systems Managers

There are several different kinds of computer and information systems managers, including job titles like IT directors and chief information officers (CIOs). Students interested in becoming computer information systems managers must oversee the computer-related activities of an organization, as well as the work of staff members. Computer and information systems managers may be responsible for:

• Setting IT goals for an organization and implementing plans to meet them
• Researching new technologies and possible upgrades
• Weighing costs and benefits of a project
• Directing the installation/maintenance of various computer programs, systems, etc.

Computer Support Specialists

Computer support specialists help people and organizations use computers and technology. These specialists may be computer user support specialists who focus on helping customers use computer hardware or software or computer network support specialists who help test and maintain network systems for an organization. Both types of specialists often need to troubleshoot and help walk users through possible solutions to their problems.

Computer Programmers

Those interested in coding and making computer applications and software work, may consider becoming a computer programmer. Computer programmers write, test, and adjust code, as well as testing computer applications to make sure they are working properly. Other job duties may include:

• Updating programs
• Using coding languages like C++ and Java
• Identifying and fixing broken lines of code
• Making models of how codes should be written