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Career Choices for the Future

Looking at Options

Having experienced several careers already since my high school graduation fourteen years ago, I have had a lot of time to think about what I would like to do with the rest of my life. One thing I have definitely determined is that I want to work primarily out of my home, and I would like to work with computers. Considering my interests and strengths, I have come up with several choices.

1. I would very much enjoy programming my own software to meet the needs of the public, especially those with disabilities.
2. I could also see myself working as a consultant programmer for other companies, coding new programs, modifying and upgrading existing ones, or assisting existing programmers to make their user interfaces more accessible.
3. Although it is not something I would necessarily do full time, I would enjoy working with companies to assist in Web accessibility as well, through education, testing, or design.

Salary Expectations

Since my main interest lies in independent work, finding definite salary expectations can be somewhat problematic. Independent programmers, those who create their own programs, must balance supply and demand and set their prices according to this as well as the work they have put into the program.

Consulting jobs can also vary a lot. Also, accessibility is definitely not a common job category, instead it seems to be bundled as part of other jobs. However, some basic information can be gleaned from current jobs. The CareerBuilder Web site shows entry level programmer positions which range from twenty five thousand to fifty thousand dollars a year. With more experience, average being around five years, the salary rises to up to seventy five thousand dollars a year.

Qualifications

Through my time since graduation, I have acquired a number of skills which will assist in the work I plan to do after obtaining my degree. Most of my current skills are self taught, though some work experience has proven useful as well.

For four years, I worked at a software and hardware company. Two years of that I spent as a sales representative, mostly working with government and educational agencies. I then moved into technical writing, and remained there for another two years.

Although I was not a programmer at the time, my work especially in technical writing gave me a wonderful opportunity to work with the software developers, programmers and project managers for our company's products. This work gave me a good foundation to understand the program development cycle, as well as other issues to consider when developing and documenting software. In addition, I learned skills in teamwork, time management, and written communication.

I consider myself to be relatively creative, and above average in regards to computer knowledge. Along these lines, I have a basic foundational understanding of programming concepts, HTML, scripting, and even a bit of knowledge about certain computer languages. I also learn quickly and enjoy tackling new software or computer concepts.

As strange as it may seem, I also consider my blindness to be a benefit in the type of work I wish to do. While blindness itself may not be a skill, understanding accessibility issues and knowing how to implement solutions certainly is.

Looking Ahead--Skills to Acquire

As I work to complete a degree in Information Technology, my goal is to gain knowledge and skills in the following areas. For some, these will be completely new to me. For others, I will be expanding knowledge that I already have. Both are useful, and in fact, necessary.

References

CareerBuilder, http://www.careerbuilder.com, retrieved 06/09/2008