syslog

An article I read recently, called "New Rules for the New World of IT Employment", discussed the transformation of IT jobs that has been taking place during the past few years. The article, written by David Foote (http://searchsmb.techtarget.com/), states that "there has been a renaissance and redefinition of IT roles so pervasive that traditional job titles are becoming increasingly meaningless. With the unrelenting pace of change in both business models and technology, it's hard for both current and incoming IT workers to keep up with the skills necessary to succeed in these new positions."

Foote cites some of the forces that are acting upon IT and causing these shifts, such as: the demand for highly specialized experience and skills, confusion about compensation rates, offshoring, industry consolidation, and expanding government regulation. Foote's comment about redefinition of traditional job titles is pertinent especially to systems administrators, who tend to be generalists with highly diverse skills gained largely through self-training and experience. The job titles held by those who perform systems administration vary greatly, and this wide array of titles and descriptions results in confusion and imbalance in areas of responsibility and compensation. As Foote says, "IT pay has traditionally been tied to job titles. However, traditional titles are rarely an accurate reflection of what many IT workers actually do. As a result, the practice of defining equitable pay has become a battlefield..."

A few guidelines defining job duties and responsibilities for systems administrators can provide much-needed clarification. Making sure that your title and job description fairly represent your duties is in the best interests of both you and your employer. If you choose to leave the company, for example, an accurate accounting of your duties will be imperative both for the company in hiring a replacement and for you in constructing a record of your skills and experience. Such guidelines are available, for example, from SAGE, which maintains a brief overview of job descriptions for various levels of administration (viz., novice, junior, intermediate/advanced, and senior) at: http://www.sage.org/field/jobs-descriptions.mm.

These guidelines define basic terms, such as what constitutes a "small" or "mid-sized" site, as well as what are considered appropriate responsibilities for a senior-level administrator (e.g., managing a large site or network, establishing/recommending policies on system use and services, supervising technical staff, and having purchasing authority). An excellent, more detailed, document ("Job Descriptions for System Administrators -- Revised and Expanded Edition" edited by Tina Darmohray) is also available online to SAGE members or can be purchased from the organization. I recommend these guidelines as one more useful tool to help you determine your career goals as well as gauge your progress on the path of systems administration.

Sincerely yours,

Amber Ankerholz
Editor in Chief