Christopher Garcia

Formal Report Draft

Writing for the Workplace 1105

TRANSMITTAL
From: Christopher Garcia, College of Dupage Computer Science Student
Subject: Jobs for Computer Science Graduates
Date: 05/5/2018

The attached report explains the differences between a Software Developer and Network
Administrator career. The purpose of this report is to provide students’ knowledge on what jobs
to apply for after graduating. This report analyzes job differences to assist graduates on the pros
and cons of each job. It reveals the rising job outlook of the two careers. The report details
many factors like working for big companies, cities, and teams. The report also includes detail
on the average salary, working environment and required education for each job. I am confident
this will provide the right information and be clear guide to Computer Science students to
choose the career best suited for them. Please let me know if you have additional questions and
concerns at my email garciac812@dupage.edu.

Sincerely,
Christopher Garcia, College of Dupage Computer Science Student

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

COMPUTER SCIENCE JOBS COMPARISON

2018 Jobs Report

College of DuPage Student

Report Distributed May 5, 2018

Prepared for
James Okrasinski, English 1105-005

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

ABSTRACT

This report explains the difference between a Software Developer and Network Administrator.
The purpose of this report is to provide students’ knowledge on what jobs to apply for after
graduating. This report analyzes job differences to assist graduates on the pros and cons of
each job. It reveals the different job outlooks of the two careers. The report details many factors
like working for big companies, cities, and teams. The report also includes detail on the average
salary, working environment and required education for each job. The career you choose may
depend on your strengths, preferences, and personality. It is ideal you pick the career best
suited for you.

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

Table of Contents

TRANSMITTAL EMAIL………………………………………………………………………………..0

COVER…………………………………………………………………………………………...........1

ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………………….....2

TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………………………...3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………….4

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………........................5

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER ………………………………………………………………....6

Education and Skills Required……………………………………………………………....6-7

Job Outlook/Pay ……………………………………………………………………………...7-8

Work Environment………………………………………………………………………….....8

NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR………………………………………………………...........8

Education and Skills Required ………………………………………………………...........9

Job Outlook/Pay ………………………………………………………………………………10

Work Environment………………………………………………………………………….. 10

CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………………....11

WORKS
CITED.………………………………………………………………………………..12

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The computer science field can be frustrating for students because there is an abundance of
exciting career paths one can take. Often times, the information of these careers for students
are vague. Two fields that are very popular in the computer science field are Software
Developers and Network Administrators. These two differ greatly in various aspects, but what
they do have in common is that they are both great careers. Student can spend their time in
college shuffling between the two during and after college. This proposal will explain both jobs
and help you decide what is best for your future career path.

Software developers are the creative minds behind computer/mobile programs. They develop
the applications that allow people to do certain tasks on a computer or another device. They
also can develop the systems that are running the devices. When its comes to the job market,
the job outlook is increasing by 24% and about 299,500 new jobs are projected by 2026. They
make on average $103,560 per year and $49.79 per hour.(Software Developer, 2018). Software
developers usually have a bachelor's degree in computer science. Software developers are
team oriented people who take strong attention to detail and design. They are deemed creative
and keen on their craft. Coding is a skill that you need to be keeping sharp and constantly
improving or you will be left behind in the industry.

Network Administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of networks. They work
with the physical computer networks of a variety of organizations and therefore are employed in
many industries.(Network Administrator, 2018). When it comes to the job market. The job
outlook is increased by 6% and about 24,000 new jobs are projected by 2026. They make an
average of $81,100 per year and $38.99 per hour.(Network Administrator, 2018). Like software
developers, network administrators usually have a bachelor's degree in computer science.
Network administrators are passionate about their craft, which is networking. They organize,
install, and support computer systems including local area network, wide area networks, and
other data communication systems. They often have a wide range of skills that pertain to
networking. It is also a team oriented position and involves designing.

In all, software developers and network administrators have common traits but work in
completely different niches that people are passionate about, coding and networking. In terms of
job outlook, software development has a bigger percentage of new jobs in the future but the
network administrators jobs are increasing as well. Both jobs provide stable careers and
income. Both jobs require team oriented people who can be creative and sharp in their craft. In
a logical standpoint, software development would be the better choice because of the greater
growth of expected jobs. There is less work load for a software developer and a higher
percentage of getting hired and better pay overall.

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

INTRODUCTION

This report analyzes the pros and cons between two jobs in the Computer Science field,
Computer Software Developer and Network Administrators. The purpose of this report is to
explain what the jobs consists of and what option is best suited for individual Computer Science
students.

This section of the report focuses on what they do, job requirements, job outlook, work
environment, salary statistics from 2016-2018. It provides information from websites like bureau
labor statistics and career outlook.

Each section is categorized in to subcategories

• Job Explanation
• Requirements
• Pay
• Job Outlook
• Work Environment

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. They typically develop
applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another advice. Others
develop underlying systems that run the devices or that control networks (Bureau 2018).
Software developers will analyze the needs of the user and then create, test and develop
software that will solve a problem, make things more efficient or make life easier for that target
niche market. After mapping out the design, creating flowcharts and drafting out each step of
the process, developers will create diagrams and models to instruct programmers how to write
the code for the program. This will lead to the development phases of the software where they
will code the software. They then test out the software and implement any changes.

Figure 1

Figure 1 shows the software development life cycle

Software Developer Job Requirements

Software developers usually have a bachelor’s degree, typically in computer science, software
engineering, or a related field. Computer science degree programs are the most common,
because they tend to cover a broad range of topics. Many students gain experience in software
development by completing an internship at a software company while in college. For some
positions, employers may prefer that applicants have a master’s degree.(Bureau 2018).

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

Software developers must be sharp on current tools and programming languages used in the
field.

The key skills to play up when you're looking for a job as a software developer are as follows:

• Expertise in current computer hardware and software

• Ability to use one or more development language (C++, PHP, HTML, etc.)
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Eye for detail and identifying problems
• An understanding of business
• Analytical and commercial experience

(CW Jobs, 2018)

Pay and Job Outlook

When its comes to the job market, the job outlook is increasing by 24% and about 299,500 new
jobs are projected by 2026. They make on average $103,560 per year and $49.79 per
hour.(Software Developer, 2018). The Labor Department reports that software developers made
a median salary of $100,080 in 2016. The highest-paid 10 percent in the profession earned
$157,590 in 2016, while the lowest-paid earned $58,300. The computer systems design industry
and software publishers employ the highest number of software developers(USNews, 2018).

Figure 2
Figure 2 shows the best paying cities for Software Developers

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Christopher Garcia
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Writing for the Workplace 1105

The job outlook for software development is very bright. The health and medical insurance and
reinsurance carriers industry will need innovative software to manage new healthcare policy
enrollments and administer existing policies digitally. As the number of people who use this
digital platform increases over time, demand for software developers will grow. In addition, an
increase in software offered over the Internet should lower costs and allow more customization
for businesses, also increasing demand for software developers.

Figure 3
Figure 3 is a visual projecting employment data 2016 - 2026

Work Environment

Software Developers typically work full time and work for teams. Software developers retrieve,
store, and manipulate data to analyze a system’s capability and requirements. They maintain
the design and maintenance of software system. At times they also oversee the work of
computer technologists, programmers, and technicians. They are responsible in the whole
process for developing software. They meet with clients, determine needs, help develop, ensure
usability, and complete quality assurance.

Network Administrators

Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer
systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks. They
organize, install, and support an organization’s computer systems, including local area networks
(LANs), wide area networks (WANs), network segments, intranets, and other data
communication systems(Bureau, 2018). They organize, install, and support computer systems
including local area network, wide area networks, and other data communication systems. They
often have a wide range of skills that pertain to networking. It is also a team oriented position
and involves designing. In a strong economy, companies implement new networking and
communications technologies to spur a competitive advantage, leading to increased demand for
trained and certified network administrators to install, secure and optimize the new systems(IT
careers, 2018.

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

Figure 4
Figure 4 details the common career paths for a Network Administrator

Network Administrators Job Requirements

Like software developers, network administrators usually have a bachelor's degree in computer
science. There are degree programs that focus on computer network and system
administration. However, because administrators work with computer hardware and equipment,
a degree in computer engineering or electrical engineering usually is acceptable as well.
Programs in these fields frequently include classes in computer programming, networking, or
systems design. Because network technology is constantly changing, administrators need to
keep up with the latest developments. Many continue to take courses throughout their careers
and attend information technology (IT) conferences to keep up with the latest technology. Some
businesses require that administrators have a master’s degree(Bureau, 2018).

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

Pay and Job Outlook

The median annual wage for network and computer systems administrators was $81,100 in May
2017. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more
than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $49,830, and
the highest 10 percent earned more than $130,200.

In May 2017, the median annual wages for network and computer systems administrators in the
top industries in which they worked were as follows:

(Bureau, 2018).
Figure 5

Employment of network and computer systems administrators is projected to grow 6 percent

from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for information
technology (IT) workers is high and should continue to grow as firms invest in newer, faster
technology and mobile networks. Growth also is expected as the use of IT in healthcare
increases. However, an increase in cloud computing could raise the productivity of network
administrators, slowing their growth across many industries(Bureau, 2018). Employment of
network administrators in the computer systems design and related services industry is
projected to grow 20 percent from 2016 to 2026. The increasing adoption of cloud services by
small and medium-sized businesses that do not have their own dedicated IT departments could
increase the demand for network and computer systems administrators within this industry.

Work Environment

Although many network and computer systems administrators are employed by firms in the
computer systems design and related services industry, they work in a variety of settings. Some
might administer systems and networks for financial firms, and others work in hospitals or local
government offices. Network admins are responsible for both the back end—networks, software
and hardware—as well as for the teams and end users they support. That means a network
admin should have a combination of problem-solving and people skills.

Conclusions and Recommendation

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

The science behind computer and computation has always attracted a mass of people from the
career perspective. Jobs in computer technology are numerous ranging from hardware to
software. Every student is an individual with different strengths and weaknesses, not to mention
personality type. Your career is not only a source of income, it should be your passion, your
desire, your dream.

If you enjoy developing and creating new things everyday, welcoming challenges and solving
problems, I would recommend you choose the career path of software development. The
software developer field requires a Bachelor’s degree in some sort of programming or computer
science. This job has an overwhelming number of expected openings because of new
technology and many startups developing and eagerly hiring fresh graduate talent.

If you enjoy working with big team of fellow professionals creating and maintaining new
technology, I would recommend you choose the career path of network administration.Network
admins always deal with something different, take on new challenges having to do with
networks, and coordinating with other fellow professionals. The network administration field
requires a Bachelor’s degree in some sort of networking or computer science. The job outlook
isn’t as strong as software developers but it is still great and growing. This job has many
benefits as big companies are always in need of network administrators.

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Christopher Garcia
Formal Report Draft
Writing for the Workplace 1105

CITATIONS

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,

Network and Computer Systems Administrators,
on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-
computer-systems-administrators.htm

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,

Software Developers,
on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-
developers.htm

How Much Can a Software Developer Expect To Get Paid?

Best Jobs -
https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/software-developer/salary

Software Developer
https://www.cwjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/profiles/software-developer

It Careers
https://www.itcareerfinder.com/it-careers/network-administrator.html

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