Mihaylo Career Services
SGMH 1409 • mihaylocareers@fullerton.edu • (657) 278-8738 • business.fullerton.edu/careerservices
Career Resource Guide: ISDS - Information Systems
Information systems (IS) is concerned with the information that computer systems can
provide to aid a company, non-profit or governmental organization in defining and
achieving its goals. It is also concerned with the processes that an enterprise can
implement and improve using information technology. IS professionals must understand both technical and organizational factors, and must be able to help an organization determine how information and technology-enabled business processes can
provide a foundation for superior organizational performance. They serve as a bridge
between the technical and management communities within an organization.
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What information does the enterprise need? How is that information generated? Is it delivered to the people who need it? Is it presented to them in
ways that permit them to use it readily? Are the business processes of the
organization well designed? Do they use the opportunities created by
information technology fully? Is the organization capable of adapting
quickly enough to changing external circumstances? These are the important issues that businesses rely on IS people to address.
Source: California State University, Fullerton ISDS Department
A Systems Analyst typically does the following:
A Systems Analyst will analyze science, engineering, business, and other
data processing problems to implement and improve computer systems.
They may analyze user requirements, procedures, and problems to automate or improve existing systems and review computer system capabilities, workflow, scheduling limitations, and
analyze or recommend commercially available software.
Source: http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1121.00
Sample Job Titles:
Entry-Level
� Systems Analyst
� Business Systems Analyst
� Information Security Analyst
� Network administrator
Skills/Experiences Required:
Mid-Level
� IT Manager
� Network Manager
� IT Project Manager
Pinnacle
� IT Director
� Chief Information Officer
(CIO)
� Familiarity with One or More Software Including
Web Platform Development Software, Configura� Complex Problem Solving Skills
tion Management Software, Development Envi� Systems Analysis
� Understanding of Basic Programming Language ronment Software, Enterprise Application Integration Software, Object or Component Oriented
� Strong Use of Pc & Mac Platforms
Development Software, Program Testing Software
Mihaylo Career Services
SGMH 1409 • mihaylocareers@fullerton.edu • (657) 278-8738 • business.fullerton.edu/careerservices
Career Resource Guide: ISDS - Information Systems
Starting Salaries/Trajectory*:
NACE 2012 average starting salary: $70,400
BLS 2011 average salary: $78,770
Professional Associations/Certifications:
� Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP)
� Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
� The Data Management Association (DAMA)
Supplemental Data:
Entry-level salaries for those who graduate with a degree in Information
Systems vary by the profession you are in:
� The U.S. National Average for an Applications Systems Analyst I has a
median salary of $54,539.
� The U.S. National Average for a Client/Server Programmer I has a median
annual salary of $54,136.
Source: Salary.com
*Note: Salaries are highly dependent on location, company type, and candidate experience/education. For the purposes of this guide, we are
providing average starting salaries as determined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), overall average salaries as
determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as well as supplemental information found from various industry-specific sources.
Industry Research and Tools:
� infoworld.com
� cio.com/topic/3123/Careers
Job and Internship Search Sites:
�
�
�
�
dice.com
Informationsystemsjobsite.com
techcareers.com/
Tech-centric.net/information-system-jobs.aspx
Employers Hiring Our Graduates:
About this guide: This resource guide is intended to provide an introduction to the industry and relay a sampling of the resources
available to candidates. It is by no means comprehensive, nor intended to replace individual research based on specific job targets
and/or recommendations from an advisor.