Why Not Consider (guide) a Career in IT?
No commentsBy john mce
Any IT qualifications or experience in IT will help you with a career in IT, but many companies use their own IT tests from typing and calculating to logical problem solving to asses candidates. Increasingly academic qualifications are becoming less important than industry recognised ones or relevant experience, as the rate of change within the industry picks up more and more speed.
IT job titles can be complicated and confusing, but there are basically three types of role; programmer, operator and support staff.
Programmer
Also known as software engineer or developer. To put it simply, a programmer writes in code to get a computer or piece of software to complete a certain tasks. You are likely to be working as part of a team, all working on small individual elements of the overall operation. Only if you were experienced would you be in charge of overseeing a whole program.
Because the computers and software are constantly changing, you’ll be constantly learning new programming languages on training courses, and you will be expected to adapt to these changes.
Big IT companies tend to only recruit IT graduates, although smaller companies may accept an NVQ or relevant experience. Doing a work placement during your academic study will greatly increase your chances of being able to find a job in programming.
Qualification or no qualification, your prospective employees will probably issue an aptitude test, most likely to include basic problem solving using logic.
Web design less technical design & marketing.
Operator
Operators are responsible for setting up and maintaining computer systems. This may be a particular area, such as a network which connects users in an office or a database which users access.
Being an operator is a much more ‘hands on’ IT career. If things need setting up or altering, you will be under the desk moving cables and testing the IT systems.
You don’t need a degree, but any qualifications will help. An aptitude test will probably be carried out by employers, although many will supply training. Look for ‘trainee operator’ positions if you are less experienced.
Support Staff
This is the IT role which does not require a great deal of qualifications or experience. This involves helping other people with their computer problems.
Companies are usually happy for candidates to start at the bottom and learn on the job.
You could be working from a helpdesk, waiting for calls to come in from users needing support or just keeping checking that programmes are functioning correctly.
More important experience for a support role would include customer service and communication, although obviously any additional knowledge of computers would be beneficial.
John McE writes for Arc Consulting, specialist recruitment consultants for the Financial Services Industry, Insurance, IT Recruitment and Healthcare sectors.
Becoming James Bond - Security Services Job Profiles
By john mce
The Security Service protects the country against threats to national security, safeguarding the economic well-being of the country. To defend against terrorism, espionage, crime and proliferation. It also provides advice for national infrastructure such as power, water and transport systems.
There are a range of roles available in the Security Services -
Surveillance Officer - A surveillance officer watches and reports on the movements and actions of those under investigation.
Intelligence officer - An intelligence officer uses relevant intelligence data to assess and investigate threats to national security.
Linguist - Linguists translate and transcribe intelligence information from bugged phone calls, emails and mail, and interpreting it into a social context.
IT Specialist - Providing protection and IT support to the government’s computer systems, networks and communication systems.
There are also a number of very specialist posts, as well as support roles including administration, security, driving and building services.
Desired Qualifications and Experience
There are strict residency and nationality criteria to work for the Security Service. Applicants must be over the age of 18 and have very special skills in relevant areas.
Surveillance officers need a full driving license as well as personal skills and relevant experience, rather than academic qualifications.
Intelligence officers usually need a 2:1 degree in any subject as well as any relevant experience.
Linguists’ language ability is tested during the selection process. Knowledge of certain languages, such as Arab, Sorani, Bengali, Urdu, Punjabi, Mandarin, Somali, Pushto, Persian and Russian, are preferential to others.
IT Specialists are in a better position with qualifications and experience, but the Security Service does administer it’s own IT test.
Training & Development
All staff are greeted with an eight-day induction, and most of the job specifications within the Security Services require that individuals are trained and developed.
For example, a new intelligence officer would complete a development programme which includes on-the-job and in-house training exercises.
A surveillance officer must complete a 75 day development programme which tests physical and mental ability. Passing this test is essential to remain in employment, and move onto the next training stage. It can take up to two years to fully qualify for a surveillance role. There are also many disparate elements which individuals would need to be separately trained for such as photography or bugging technology.
A Linguists training would include on-the-job and in-house development programmes, learning how to use special equipment.
Whatever the position, employees of the Security Services are encouraged throughout to take part in internal and external training courses to serve personal development.
Look for Jobs in Bristol as well as the rest of the Southwest at www.JobsSW.co.uk
Your Online Guide For Growth And Opportunity
Talent Agencies and Related Services
By Dave Southern
A talent agency does a large gamut of tasks from discovering qualified artists and developing their talents to consistently looking for job opportunities for its artists.
A talent agency is an organization that finds work, may it be permanent or temporary, for its pool of professional artists. It is also generally tasked to take care of the careers of artists as well as negotiate their employment contracts. An artist can be a model, dancer, singer, musician, or an actor. Artists may perform in various productions and fields such as print and video product advertisings, commercials, radio, television, theaters, and motion pictures.
A talent agency provides a limelight experience to its fresh artists and facilitates constant link with veteran performers as well as companies, as the industry can be all about maintaining a set of connections. To be taken in by a talent agency, an artist has to present a resume, excellent headshots, and profile, pass the interviews and must meet the talent and personality that the agency requires. A new artist needs to be spirited and equipped as the competition can be extremely tough. Sound advice, further training, research, together with frequent networking with industry players would be very helpful in order to thrive.
There are sundry types and levels of which a talent agency can dedicate itself to. For example, there are talent agencies that focus on modeling. Other agencies may decide to cater to print advertisements and television commercials. Yet, other talent agencies concentrate on acting fields. In other examples, talent agencies may put particular emphasis on impersonators and stand-up comedians. There are talent agencies too that offer the professional expertise of product specialists, tradeshow and convention hosts, and marketing personnel.
Nearly all talent agencies have an Internet existence, making it much easier for talent scouts, producers, and other clients to get hold of the right talents for their specific projects.
An agency may represent thousands of existing and would-be clients, as well. Clients commonly include advertising agencies, casting directors, photographers, production firms, and other direct clients that have their internal production team.
The talent agency persistently looks for opportunities for its artists. It helps artists in acquiring an audition or interview with potential clients. As a rule, the agent would coordinate the specifics of guidelines and wardrobe to be applied for a project. It also discusses talent fees and manages the collection of payments on behalf of its artists for their involvement in certain ventures. A legal talent agency is usually entitled for a 10 to 20 percent commission on the earnings of its talents, depending on the project types. However it is unlawful for an agency to ask for upfront charges for representation.
Ideally, a talent agency should go beyond conventional recruiting. It should work hard and smart in identifying quality artists and developing their knacks not only for strategic targets but for them to grow into becoming great performers.
It is part of the job of a talent agency as well to provide their many talents with trainings, workshops, and exposure that will help them get better, long-term projects. A talent agency may possibly endorse photographers, along with acting, dance, and voice coaches to advance and update the skills of its group of artists.
An agency may also do the mentoring job, an effective way to assist its artists do great and become great. Providing the artists with performance pointers and encouraging advice can to a large extent, help the individuals accomplish impressive performances.
In the United States, a reliable talent agency must be accepted by the SAG or Screen Actors Guild.
For more information on Talent Agencies please visit our website.
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 at 12:25 pm and is filed under careers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
