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Section 5 - The Roles of Various Personnel in Computer Related Professions

This document outlines the roles and responsibilities of various computer-related professions. It describes network engineers who plan and oversee computer networks; computer programmers who write code to develop software; computer support specialists who assist users with technology problems; computer systems analysts who study organizations' systems and design solutions; network administrators who manage computer networks; database administrators who manage databases; systems administrators who maintain computer systems; software developers who design and build software programs; web developers who build websites; and social media specialists who manage companies' social media strategies. It provides average salaries for each role.

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Roshane Phillips
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251 views4 pages

Section 5 - The Roles of Various Personnel in Computer Related Professions

This document outlines the roles and responsibilities of various computer-related professions. It describes network engineers who plan and oversee computer networks; computer programmers who write code to develop software; computer support specialists who assist users with technology problems; computer systems analysts who study organizations' systems and design solutions; network administrators who manage computer networks; database administrators who manage databases; systems administrators who maintain computer systems; software developers who design and build software programs; web developers who build websites; and social media specialists who manage companies' social media strategies. It provides average salaries for each role.

Uploaded by

Roshane Phillips
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SECTION 5 - THE ROLES OF VARIOUS PERSONNEL IN COMPUTER RELATED PROFESSIONS

With the introduction of computers and the internet, numerous jobs have been created to fill various
needs. Below are list of such jobs and the responsibilities that they carry:

Network Engineer
A network engineer is a technology professional who has the necessary skills to plan, implement
and oversee the computer networks that support in-house voice, data, video and
wireless network services. Typically, a network engineer has more education and earns more than
a network administrator. The average Network Engineer salary in USA is $97,500.00 per year or
$50.00 per hour. Entry level positions start at $39,000.00 per year while most experienced workers
make up to $165,750.00 per year.
Computer Programmer
A computer programmer creates the code for software applications and operating systems. After a
software developer designs a computer program, the programmer writes code that converts that
design into a set of instructions a computer can follow. They test the program to look for errors and
then rewrite it until it is error-free. The programmer continues to evaluate programs that are in use,
making updates and adjustments as needed. Computer programmers earned an average salary of
$79,840.00 per year in 2016. This is a good job for people who like to work alone.

Computer Support Specialist


A computer support specialist assists users who are having problems with software, computers, or
peripherals such as printers or scanners. Sometimes called computer user support specialists,
they assist companies' customers, while others, known as computer network support specialists,
provide in-house support to an organizations' information technology (IT) staff. Computer user
support specialists earn an average salary of $50,210.00 per annum and computer network
support specialists earn $62,340.00 per annum (2017).

Computer System Analyst


Computer systems analysts, sometimes called systems architects, study an organization's
current computer systems and procedures, and design solutions to help the organization operate
more efficiently and effectively. Other duties includes:
 Defines application problem by conferring with clients; evaluating procedures and processes.
 Develops solution by preparing and evaluating alternative workflow solutions.
 Controls solution by establishing specifications; coordinating production with programmers.
 Validates results by testing programs.
 Ensures operation by training client personnel; providing support.
 Provides reference by writing documentation.
 Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional
publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
 Accomplishes information systems and organization mission by completing related results as
needed.
Computer Systems Analysts made a median salary of $88,270.00 in 2017. The best paid
made $112,540.00 that year, while the lowest-paid made $68,260.00.
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Network Administrator
A network administrator is responsible for keeping an organization’s computer network up-to-date
and operating as intended. Any company or organization that uses multiple computers or software
platforms needs a network admin to coordinate and connect the different systems. Other duties
include configuring network hardware like servers, routers and switches, upgrading and repairing
computer networks, troubleshooting network issues, assisting network architects with the design of
network models, deploying and updating software, managing servers and their operating systems,
Implementing security measures and basic testing, managing cloud and physical network storage.
Today in America, the median annual salary for network administrators is just short of $80,000.00 per
year, at approximately $39.00 per hour for workers earning an hourly wage in the field.

Database Administrator
Database Administration consists of everything required to manage a database and make it
available as needed. The database administrator (DBA) is the person who manages, backs up and
ensures the availability of the data produced and consumed by today’s organizations via their IT
systems. The DBA is a critically important role in many of today’s IT departments, and by extension,
their organizations overall. For example, consider a commercial bank: the DBA is the person who
ensures that the bank teller has easy, fast access to your information, and can quickly access your bank
balance and transaction history. In this example, the DBA is a system or application-database
administrator—a general DBA role responsible for most aspects of the organization’s databases.
However, this is not the only kind of DBA.

A database administrator's responsibilities may include:


 Installing and upgrading the database server and/or application tools.
 Planning for and allocating the database system’s physical requirements, such as memory, disk
space, network requirements, etc.
 Modifying the database structure using information provided by application developers.
 Creating users profiles, and ensuring system security by careful allocation of user permissions.
 Ensuring compliance with database vendor license agreement, including number of installations,
and taking care of licensing renewals.
 Creating a backup and recovery strategy for the database, and regularly testing the backups to
ensure usability.
 Monitoring technical support for both database systems and related applications.
 Creating reports by querying from database (as per need). These reports can be in the form of
pre-formatted reports using the application frontend, or custom-made ad hoc reports by the
database administrator.
 Monitoring and optimizing the database’s performance using either manual or automated tools.
This may be a DBA’s most important tasks.
 Migrating database instances to new hardware and new versions of software from on premise to
cloud based databases and vice versa.

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Systems Administrator
A system administrator, or sysadmin, is a person who is responsible for the upkeep, configuration,
and reliable operation of computer systems; especially multi-user computers, such as servers. The
system administrator seeks to ensure that the uptime, performance, resources, and security of the
computers they manage meet the needs of the users, without exceeding a set budget when doing so.
To meet these needs, a system administrator may acquire, install, or upgrade computer components
and software; provide routine automation; maintain security policies; troubleshoot; train or supervise
staff; or offer technical support for projects. The average salary for a Systems Administrator
is $85,986.00 per year in the United States.

Software Developer
Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the
applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device. Others develop
the underlying systems that run the devices or that control networks. Becoming a software
developer, also known as a computer programmer, you will be playing a key role in the design,
installation, testing and maintenance of software systems. The programs you create are likely to
help businesses be more efficient and provide a better service.

Software Developer duties and responsibilities of the job


A standard Software Developer job description should include, but not be limited to:
 Researching, designing, implementing and managing software programs
 Testing and evaluating new programs
 Identifying areas for modification in existing programs and subsequently developing these
modifications
 Writing and implementing efficient code
 Determining operational practicality
 Developing quality assurance procedures
 Deploying software tools, processes and metrics
 Maintaining and upgrading existing systems
 Training users
 Working closely with other developers, UX designers, business and systems analysts
Software Developers earned an average salary of $106,710.00 in 2017.

Web Developer
A Web developer is a kind of programmer who specializes in the development of applications
relating to the World Wide Web or distributed network applications, which typically run protocols like
HTTP from a Web server to a client browser using associated programming languages like
HTML/CSS, C#, Ruby and PHP to name a few. The role is responsible for designing, coding and
modifying websites, from layout to function and according to a client's specifications. They strive to
create visually appealing sites that feature user-friendly design and clear navigation. The
average web developer's salary ranges from $36,000.00 to $80,000.00. A senior web developers' pay
ranges from $52,000.00 to $107,000.00 and experience with technologies like C# and Java can result
in an even higher salary.
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Social Media Specialist
Social Media Specialists are responsible for planning, implementing and monitoring the
company's Social Media strategy in order to increase brand awareness, improve Marketing efforts
and increase sales.

A social media specialist may be responsible for a number of interconnecting areas, including
the following work:

 Create social media strategies.


 Expand an employer's presence on social media platforms.
 Develop content topics that appeal to users.
 Create, manage, and distribute content via multiple means.
 Follow and contribute to conversations among users.
 Direct the design of social media landing pages and profiles.
 Manage online reviews and reputation building.
 Work with other departments to promote brand consistency.
 Analyze metrics and adjust strategies to improve marketing efforts.
 Monitor the social media activity of an employer's competitors.

Social Media Specialist Salary:


 Median Annual Salary: $60,000 ($28.85/hour)
 Top 10% Annual Salary: More than $112,310 ($54.00/hour)
 Bottom 10% Annual Salary: Less than $33,690 ($16.20/hour)

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