Sharing experience part 2
Dear professor, I always remember that you asked graduates to share their working experience with current students so here is my story:
“The dream of many Information Technology (IT) graduates is to work for software companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, IBM or Oracle etc. When graduated, I got job offers from Microsoft, Google and a manufacturing company in New Jersey. I chose the manufacturing because it was located not far from Pennsylvania, where my parents live. To work nearby home instead of moving far away to California was a difficult decision for me. Most professors advised me that working for Software Company would be better for my career with better future and higher salary. You were the only professor who told me that nothing is better than staying close to my family to visit my parents often.”
“The manufacturing company has seven factories, many warehouses, and trucks to transport products to distributors or shipyards to ship products to other countries. It employed over hundred thousand workers, mostly in the factories. I worked in the Information Technology department, providing supports to the company. As a new worker, I was given the job of managing daily computer backup, monitor system security, maintain company website, and help users to use our computer systems. That was not what I had in mind for a career in software. After six months to get familiar with the IT systems, I was given responsibilities to monitor daily operations of seven factories, analyzed their workflows, established computer usage supports, and set priorities for the help desks. The job was more supervising rather than technical even it required some technical knowledge. Within a year, I performed well and was given additional responsibilities to work with users to understand their computing needs and system requirements. This works was more challenging for me and I appreciated the training on soft-skills that I learned in the capstone project.”
“The IT department also manages the company e-business. Customers order our products via the website. We also order raw materials from suppliers using this website. The IT system tracks orders; issues billings; monitor truck shipping to and from the factories; check all accounts, receivable and payable; handles employees payroll; supports customer billings; provides database support. My manager wanted me to focus on analyzing these business processes to identify and solve problems. I spent more time in meeting with users than did technical works. Every time I talked to friends who worked for software companies, they told me how much code that they wrote, what products they developed and I felt a little bit envy because my job was differ than them.”
“My responsibilities continued to increase as the company expands operation to several countries. I had to support the development of additional computer systems; provided data security and control, and managed business recovery in case natural disasters happen. After four years, I got promoted to IT system manager. My new job involved review and approve all systems programs prior to their implementation; evaluate the company's technology use and needs; recommend improvements, such as hardware and software upgrades. I also managed operational budget and expenditures. In this position, I often met with department managers, supervisors, suppliers, computer vendors, and others, to resolve problems. I also hired workers, trained and supervised them and had 50 IT workers worked for me.”
“In manufacturing workplace, managers often handle multiple projects with different priorities. They are very busy dealing with a wide range of issues, both inside and outside the company. They need to have all information so they can make decision quickly. That is why they depend on the IT department to collect data, analyze them, and organize them into information for them. Some managers are nice and pleasant to work with, some are not. In this job, I learn to work with all types and levels of people, trying to understand their needs, what is the problem, analyzing issues, and, hopefully, fixing them quickly.”
“Problem analysis requires a lot of efforts to understand the complex and interwoven dependencies that are typical in any large company. IT workers have to gather data about systems and analyze data in a systematic way. We have to solve small problems as well as big ones. Sometime it takes few weeks, sometime few months. We receive a constant stream of requests that we must do. We analyze issues, follow-up on complaints, keep the system running, and also 'fix' things when they happen. All of these require a lot of management skills. Every day, I have to deal with an array of IT issues that are the heart of the business. If they are not solved quickly, the business will not be able to operate. Now I know how IT system is so important to the business. Now I appreciate how important is our data to your business. Only at this time, I know how IT is so critical to every company.”
“Let me give you some examples: If a customer fails to pay on time, the computer knows and automatically sends out a “reminding email”. Within three days, if the company does not receive the money, the computer issues a “warning email” and stops all product shipment to that customer. Our company uses a lot of raw materials; over one hundred different types come from over five hundred suppliers. Each day, suppliers ship raw materials to our seven factories in different locations. The computer monitors every truck, every shipment and every order. If the truck is late more than fifteen minutes, we were informed. If more than half hour, the computer sends out request to trucking managers to check on the problem and the factory managers are also informed. A late shipment could delay the assembly line, could impact the manufacturing process and delay shipping products to customers. If we do not ship, we do not get paid. Without some raw materials, production may stop and you have over hundred thousand workers with nothing to do. It could be a disaster. That is why IT systems are so critical. With GPS, our computer can track every truck, where they are and what happen when they are late. Our IT systems and network represent the heart of the business, and IT workers are the ones who know it the best, because they spend most of their time keeping the IT system running. They are always there to solve problems that might arise or figure out new ways to do things.”
“People who do not understand IT often thought computer system costs a lot and IT workers are a group of “Geek” playing computer games. In reality, we work very hard and making money for the company. Imagine that if our IT systems shutdown for one hour, it would cost the company million dollars. Imagine if the entire IT system in the world shutdown for one day. The entire business world will not be able to function.”
“I have been working for this company for eight years. I know more about company business than most people but every day I also learn something new. I keep my technical knowledge current by taking additional training. I always remember your advice that we need to have a lifelong learning habit so I read a lot. I also go to your website at CMU, follow your blog to learn the latest technology trends.”
“Last month, the company president called me to his office; I thought it was just another meeting that he asked me to get him some data so I did not pay attention. To my surprise, my boss and other vice presidents were there. They also invited my parents to come there too. The president announced that since IT was so important to the company, they need to have a Chief Information Officer (CIO) to manage all IT systems and that person is me. How can a young person like me get into the executive ranks? The president said: “You have the knowledge of all business operations; you have demonstrated the ability to handle many tasks at the same time; you remain calm under a lot of pressures; you get along with everyone in this company; you have solved many problems for us and for our customers; and the best thing among all, you still have the most current technical skills. When we update several computer systems, you are the only one who knows all the technical details. Your knowledge about information is precious. There is no one better than you. I and all the managers of this company believe in you!”
“It was a great surprise and I was so glad to see that my parents were so proud of me. At that time, I knew that I have made the right decision. I thought about your advice: “Money will come and go; job will come and go, but nothing is more precious than having parents, live near them, visit them and taken care of them when they are still alive. Make them proud that they have raised a good child.”
“Dear professor, I will never forget that. In my life, there were time I questioned my decision but now there is no doubt that I have made the right decision to get a job that allow me to be near my parents. If I move to California to work for a software company, I will never have this moment. As of my friends, today they are still writing code and managing software projects.”
“Dear professor, those are my experience that you can share with current students. I also have some suggestions: The current IT programs do not teach skills that the industry needs such as communicating and motivating others; delegating tasks fairly and efficiently; resolving various kinds of conflicts; changing their focus from being the person who does the task to the person who gets the task done; understand the company long-term vision and strategies. In my opinion, these skills should be taught. A better way to learn these skills is to have students spending summer working in this kind of environment. We need more skilled workers and I will be back at CMU to hire some of our finest students. I like to see you again.”
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
