Eva Said:

What can someone do with a degree in Computer Information Systems?

We Answered:

Have you not worked since you got your degree in 2002?

With the degree and some experience you should be able to have a job as a Network Administrator, System Administrator or LAN Administrator. You should be able to have a very well paying job and a good position.
Forget helpdesk stuff. You should be managing servers, workstations and entire networks for companies.
If you you have this degree and aren't working in the IT field then you are selling yourself short.
You should also work on Microsoft certifications, CISCO certifications and learn Email server administration and database administration like MS SQL server and MS Exchange Server. Get your Windows 2003 MCSE and start learning Cisco routers and switches and you will really be doing good. Keep up the good work.
Buy yourself one really nice blue or black suite for interviews and get a decent resume together.

Angel Said:

Which Computer Information Systems degree should I go for?

We Answered:

Well I think both of them are good choices. Web development isn't going away (well not in the near future). I've been trying to hire a good web developer for the last few months. They're hard to find. Also, security is the host topic, and I don't think that's going away. The problem with security is that there aren't as many jobs available in it - not currently. I don't think there will be as many in it - but it's not a profession that's going away.

If you're not into programming, don't do the web developer then. Or you can use it as a stepping stone. I started out as a developer, and moved into management. It gives you a good background. Being a developer would also give you a good background for security, too.

Claudia Said:

Does anybody know if Web Develpoment is a good career choice?

We Answered:

Hi Chris. Web development is absolutely a good career choice right now, especially for the more technical positions like coders and developers.

It's true that the economy is hitting everyone, and with the layoffs there's a lot of competition out there, but I see web developer jobs listed every single day. On Craigslist, on Monster, on Dice. Go to the Craigslist for the city nearest you and search for "web developer". You'll see tons of jobs, and doing this will also show you what skills the hiring companies are looking for.

You can create search agents on Monster, Indeed.com, Oodle.com and other sites. Search for "web" or "web developer" in your area to see what's out there.

Here's the most important thing: the web is growing by leaps and bounds, it just hit one billion users. We're not going back to the typewriter, the web is going to be more and more central to business. Get good web / tech skills and you'll be in a great position to get a job.

Best, Jo

Lewis Said:

Career prospects for 47 year old IT Analyst in the UK?

We Answered:

I'm a recruiter in the IT industry and in my experience, your age will only count against you if you're unrealistic about what salary you're asking for. The reason a 30-year-old is more likely to be hired than you is because they command a lower salary, yet at that age they've already accumulated some good experience (assuming they graduated at 21 or 22 and went straight to work). Don't sell yourself short either - you have good experience and deserve to be paid well - but be realistic about what you're asking for. Expect to get around the same as what you're currently on, not to get more.

The other thing that will determine how successful you are in finding work is if you're willing and able to travel, and how flexible you are in what location you're based in. There's more work in the Reading/Bracknell/Slough areas than there is in other places, and yet most qualified candidates currently won't travel out of London, so if you're prepared to work in those locations then you should have more luck.

One piece of advice I would give you is that, even though redundancy is a legitimate reason for losing your job, the longer you're out of work the harder it is to get back into work. It may be best to take any job, even if you're not sure that it's quite right, and remember you can still move on again. Don't be tempted to take, say, a month's holiday and then start looking for a job - you don't know how long it will take you to find one.