Pros and Cons of Becoming an Intranet Programmer
An intranet programmer is a computer programmer that creates and maintains software programs for internal company business. Find out about some of the most common pros and cons of this career.
| PROS of Becoming an Intranet Programmer |
|---|
| Above-average salary ($82,690 per year mean annual wage in 2014)* |
| Employment growth about as fast as the average for all occupations (8% growth between 2012-2022)* |
| Telecommuting is a common option* |
| Increasing demand for computer and internet software should offer new opportunities* |
| CONS of Becoming an Intranet Programmer |
|---|
| Employment typically requires a bachelor's degree* |
| Work may consist of many project coordination activities and gaining input or approval from several areas of a business* |
| Companies may hire employees from countries with lower wages (outsourcing)* |
| Spend many hours in front of a computer, which may lead to eye strain and repetitive-stress injuries* |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Career Information
Job Duties and Descriptions
Intranet programmers create and then troubleshoot problems in software program implementation and usage. This career requires a high level of concentration and patience in testing and fixing errors in programming. The job also entails project management and coordination with other departments from needs analysis to program rollout.
Once the program is 'live' and used in true business situations, there are often changes that arise from user feedback. It's typically the responsibility of the intranet programmer to find the solutions to any errors as well as fix them. Most computer programmers work full-time, and projects can range from a few days to an entire year from start to completion.
Salary Information and Career Outlook
The median annual wage for computer programmers in May 2014 was about $77,000, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). There were about 343,000 computer programmers in the U.S. with about 28,000 jobs expected to be added in the 2012-2022 decade (www.bls.gov). The BLS also stated that the highest and second-highest employing industries were computer systems design and related services and software publishers, respectively.
What Are the Necessary Skills and Requirements?
According to the BLS, you'll need a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field to enter the intranet programming industry. You may be able to enter the field with an associate's degree, and many colleges offer related disciplines like information technology with a concentration in website programming. An internship may be helpful due to many employers preferring experience. You may also need education in specific computer languages like C++ or Java.
Some of the skills you'll need to work in the industry are:
- Analytical and troubleshooting skills
- Customer service skills
- Math skills
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Information processing and quality control analysis abilities
- Deductive and inductive reasoning skills
Job Postings from Real Employers
Requirements from employers in intranet programming vary from job to job, but most will expect that you have a degree and computer language knowledge like SQL, HTML or Javascript. Here are some examples of job openings posted on Monster.com in April 2012:
- A New York City, NY, start-up company seeks a Junior Web Engineer for front and back-end development. You must have experience in HTML, CSS, Javascript and jQuery, and back-end experience in Perl, PHP, Python or Ruby. A general understanding of SQL is required, and the employee will be working with cutting-edge technology. This company offers benefits, stock options and free lunch on Fridays.
- An employer in the Baltimore, MD, area seeks a senior front-end developer to develop and maintain its Web presence. Applicants must possess skills in Javascript, HTML, XML, SQL, AJAX, Oracle, Business Objects, CSS and J2EE. A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree and five years of experience are also required. This position allows working from home when needed.
- A Mountain View, CA, company is hiring a Senior Python Web Developer with experience in SQL, MVC development, HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery. HTML5, Adsense and Google Analytics experience is also desired. This company prefers the applicant also have a background in Web properties on larger consumer facing work.
How to Make Your Skills Stand Out
Some of the ways you can stand out in the field of intranet programming are to gain additional education or certification. According to the BLS, many software or product vendors offer ways to become certified in a specific language, such as Oracle. Some companies will require you have this certification as a condition for employment.
Additional education in the computer science discipline is another way to stand out from other intranet developers. You can pursue your graduate degree in several areas to help advance your career as a programmer, or you could focus on a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree if you have managerial aspirations.
Other Career Paths
Perhaps you're looking for a computer-related job with a higher earning and growth potential. In that case, you might consider becoming a computer systems analyst. The job entails analyzing computer systems and making changes to meet customer needs. Instead of working solely on computer programming, you'll be looking at the overall organizational picture with the aim of increasing business efficiency. According to the BLS, the mean annual wage for this occupation was $82,000 in May 2011. Additionally, employment growth was predicted to be faster than the average for all occupations at 22% in the 2010-2020 decade.
If you aspire to a management position, you might consider becoming a computer and information systems manager. Systems managers have responsibility for planning, directing and coordinating all of the computer activities within a company or organization. This job requires the minimum of a bachelor's degree and sometimes a graduate degree in computer science, computer information science or a related field.The average annual salary of this occupation was $126,000 in May 2011, stated the BLS. Employment growth from 2010-2020 was expected to be about as fast as the average with approximately 56,000 jobs added to the field.
