November 24, 2010

What kind of IT jobs can I get in Seattle with a two-year community college degree?

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By Kristen Fife
NWjobs

Q: I am trying to find information about Information Technology hiring prospects in the Seattle area for students coming from community colleges with only a two-year degree.
-CM, Seattle

Kristen says: Luckily, IT is a large field. Depending on the type of degree, there are entry level opportunities in networking, hardware and electronics, database administration, and some software testing jobs. If a student has prior work experience, those job opportunities can expand upon his/her past history. Networking jobs can include network or system administrator and tier one support, such as helpdesk and other technical support roles. Hardware can include anything dealing with electronics, including assembly, repair and working in a computer lab. A database administrator works with the software that stores, sorts and delivers electronic data. Software testing is a good foot in the door for someone who understands how software works, but doesn’t have a formal computer science background. Many “technician” job titles require only an associate degree.

Someone with a two-year degree can also pursue website-building. HTML, the basis for all Web programming, is not a difficult skill to learn. Coupled with some additional technical training, it can lead to webmaster, web producer or content editor job options. Some types of graphic design can also be learned with an associate degree.

IT is a very forgiving field that tends to value hands-on experience more than other disciplines, especially in networking. Most hiring managers prefer bachelor’s degrees for pure software development, but some software testers can learn object-oriented coding on the job over time and move up in their careers. Success depends on aptitude, the ability to learn on the job and the practical application of new skills. Certifications can be advantageous for IT students in these fields, as the testing helps reinforce that students have standardized knowledge and understanding of the field.

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Recruiter's Inbox, entry level, technology

4 Comments

Charles Y Farley on November 25, 2010 1:07 AM | Reply

You'd be better off asking if two PhDs are enough to get a job in IT in Seattleopolis.

Kristen Fife replied to comment from Charles Y Farley

Hi Charles,
It is true that Seattle is blessed with a very high degree of professionals in IT with advanced degrees. That is in part due to companies that specfically hire PhD's such as Microsoft and Google, as well as the fact that UW is considered a top 20 CS (Computer Science) school. The number of pure research and teaching positions are finite in the geograpchi area, which means that a lot of PhD grads find themselves looking at Software Engineering positions. If faced with this situation make sure to stress that you are looking for Software Engineering or Program/Project Management positions when you are applying and interviewing. Thanks for the feedback!
Kristen Fife, Recruiter's Inbox

Alison Koop, UW Professional & Continuing Education on December 2, 2010 5:36 PM | Reply

Job hunts often come down to good networking. If you're considering a continuing education course, one that's scheduled for working professionals (evenings, weekends) will probably provide the best networking opportunities for you. Even better if the course is taught by industry leaders. Several colleges in the Puget Sound area offer such courses.

Serena Banks on December 3, 2010 2:15 AM | Reply

You may also try to find some live projects online and earn some hands-on experience with programming. Kristen is right, there is a very high concentration of qualified professionals in Seattle and therefore the standard set by the companies are also very high. Also, as Kristin has also mentioned that IT industry is more likely to give greater value to practical knowledge than any other field. IMO freelancing can be a good start for you while you can continue upgrading your knowledge.

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