1. Gaining Full-Time Employment Unit 2 – Task 20 Abbie Llewellyn

2. Software Developer/Engineer A software developer is a person concerned with features of the software development process. Their work includes researching, designing, applying, and testing software. The work can involve talking to clients and colleagues to assess and express what solution or system is needed, which means there's a lot of interaction as well as full-on technical work.  To make sure you’re the correct person for this job you need to have the ability to solve problems quickly and completely, this would then enable you to complete you’re task of testing the software successfully.  You need to have an understanding of reading forms, spreadsheets, bills, specification sheets and references, this would apply when researching the software as the research maybe presented in many different ways.  As you will be talking to clients and colleagues to gather their opinions you need to have good people skills, take advice and listen to others. Tend to reply and ask questions in a polite manner, sound interested with their response.  http://www.geniusone.com/articles/JobDescriptionSeniorSoftwareEngineer http://www.geniusone.com/articles/JobDescriptionSeniorSoftwareEngineer  http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained

3. Technical Sales Technical sales may be one of the least hands-on technical roles, but it still requires an understanding of how IT is used in business. You may sell hardware, or praise the business benefits of whole systems or services. Day to day, the job could involve phone calls, meetings, conferences and organizing proposals. There will be targets to meet and tasks when you reach them. A technology degree isn't necessarily essential, but you will need to have a thorough technical understanding of the product you sell. Key skills required:  Product knowledge of the software you are trying to sale to other businesses in order for them to consider purchasing.  You will need to be able to persuade customers/other businesses, convince them that your software is the best, this also involves during phone calls, meetings and conferences so you will also need good people skills.  You need drive/motivation whilst taking part in this job, if you get knocked back you will have to be determined to jump back up and carry on with your day to day business.  http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained

4. Software Tester  Bugs/virus’ can have a massive impact on the reputation of an IT firm. Testers try to prevent all the ways an application or system might be used and how it could fail. Testers prepare test scripts and macros, and analyze results, which are fed back to the project leader so that improvement can be made. Testers can also be involved at the early stages of projects in order to prevent any problems before work begins. Key skills required:  Attention to detail will be needed when considering this job, as you will be testing a software that may possibly be sold to thousands of customers/businesses. When testing software you will have to test it many times, over and over again to ensure there are no problems, small problems may occur during this process and that maybe something small and detailed. You will have to consider this and try and improve that problem.  You will need good communication skills/people skills when taking part in this job as you will be testing a software where you may possibly not know everything. You then may have to ask your colleagues for there opinion and consider what they would change. Customers may then also give their opinion of this software and you may have to respond to any of their questions.  http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained

5. Web Developer  Web development is a wide term and covers everything to do with building websites and all the organization that sits behind them. The job is still viewed as the modern side of IT years after it first occurred. These days web development is pretty technical and involves some complicated programming as well as the more creative side of designing of new websites. The role can be found in organizations small and large. Key skills required:  Basic understanding of web technologies (client side, server side and databases), which also consists of a good knowledge of web programming language (HTML and JavaScript are the most important.)  Good communication and interpretation skills are also needed so you can work along side a client and do exactly what they want considering that you’re aiming it at their audience.  You will need to be good at solving problems as during your task many problems may occur and these will need solving. Your job is then being able to fix these problems that you may come across to satisfy the customers and their needs. This will then develop your website which may suit your audience better.

6. Systems Analyst  Systems analysts investigate and analyze business problems and then design information systems that provide a possible solution in response from their business or a customer. They collect requirements and identify the costs and the time needed to complete the project. Key skills include:  Ability to extract and analyze information, as you are taking customers/businesses responses into consideration, you then have to investigate and analyze problems within that response. This consists of making changes and analyzing the changes to ensure there isn’t going to be another problem.  Good communication is also needed as you will be talking to customers and other business, possibly responding to their questions which may consist of patience as the customers may not have the knowledge of technology that you have.  The job needs a mix of business and technical knowledge, and a good understanding of people. Because if you don’t have a technical knowledge of this system, it isn’t very useful having to analyze it as you yourself don’t have the right understanding.  http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained

7. Business Analyst  Business analysts are happy talking with technology people, business managers and end users. They identify problems to improvement to processes and business operations using information technology. The role is project based and begins with analyzing a customer's needs, gathering requirements and creating a project plan to design the resulting technology solution. Key skills required:  Good communication skills are needed as you will be talking to technology people and business managers regularly, this way you will identify the problems and later improve them. The role of this job is to also analyze the customers need’s and opinions to create a better project plan.  You will need to be good at solving problems as during your task many problems may occur and these will need solving. Your job is then being able to fix these problems that you may come across to satisfy the customers and their needs.  Business analysts need technology understanding, but don't necessarily need a technical degree. This involves a good understanding of how the technology is used on a day to day business which you are then able to analyze when there is a problem.  http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained http://targetcourses.co.uk/study-areas/computer-science-and-it/it-job-roles-and- responsibilites-explained