Systems Analyst
Careers overview
Designs data and system process flow diagrams, charts and specifications to suit different systems and applications, as well as specialising in a variety of programming languages. A Systems Analyst plans and coordinates system feasibility studies, as well as conducting research and analysis and providing recommendations of strategic direction for an organisation's systems architecture.
Average salary
$73,576, based on 2-3 years of relevant IT experience
Case study: Tim, mid 20s
What do you do?
I have a challenging role with contact with many different types of people - both technical and non-technical. My key responsibilities relate to defining requirements, determining cost assessments and detailing high level technology designs.
Describe an average day?
Typically my day begins at around 9am by checking email, responding to questions & asking for clarifications. Typically sending and receiving emails is about 1/4 of my day - there is usually so much happening that it's a big job to understand what is happening and to stay up-to-date. About half my days are spent in meetings with co-workers and representatives from all around Telstra and from other companies working with Telstra (eg. IBM). The rest of the day is usually spent reviewing documents, writing technical and requirement specifications and discussion options with colleagues. Overall, there is a lot of contact with people and a large emphasis on communicating complex ideas to people from many different technical and non-technical backgrounds. No one day is the same.
What technology skills are necessary in your job?
My qualifications include:
Bachelor Engineering (Communications) with 1st Class Honors
Bachelor Applied Science (Computer Science) with Distinction
How did you get to where you are?
I had sessional employment at RMIT as subject lecturer & tutor from 2000-20003, from 2002-2004 I worked part-time as a Network Engineer while I studied and in 2004 until now I've been working full-time at Telstra Corporation Limited in my current role as a Business Analyst.
IT is a rapidly changing industry, both in the organisations to which it contributes as well as in the image which it portrays. My experience is of a rapidly changing, dynamic industry where changes occur on a daily basis. IT is far from the stereotype of the "computer geek" and is a rich industry with people who come from many perspectives - both technical and non-technical.
I've had some key challenges in establishing my career to date. These include learning to appreciate the many different disciplines that must work together for a business to be successful. Each discipline has its own priorities, complexities and approaches to business projects.
What made you decide on a career in IT?
I have always been interested in computers. I wanted a job where I could have contact with different types of people - IT is a multi-disciplinary industry, which means that I'm not stuck in front of a computer all day.
What do you like about your job?
Working on large projects with a marketable outcome - such as the Push-To-Talk and iMode mobile phone products.
Where do you see your career going next?
To date, much of my experience has been technical - designing computer systems. Over the next few years I can see myself broadening somewhat - moving into some of the related business areas such as marketing and product management. While technology will always be my background and passion, I think it is important to understand the business aspects of technology - for instance, what makes a business invest millions of dollars in an IT system? How does the business co-ordinate thousands of people working together on multiple IT systems every day?
What advice would you give to anyone considering a career in IT?
Enrol in a Computer Engineering/IT degree,
Try to gain an appreciation for business,
Get as much different employment experience as possible - volunteer, work experience.
Skills listing
The ideal candidate possesses a combination of skills and experience in a variety of areas. Below is a list of the most commonly sought after skills, with highly sought after examples listed in brackets. This list is meant as a guide only.
Technical skills
- Ability to identify and implement system solutions
- Ability to document and review processes and procedures
- Ability to report on strategic direction of organisation
- Knowledge of relational databases (eg. Oracle)
- Ability to write and interpret specifications
- Knowledge of operating systems (eg. Unix)
- Knowledge of System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
- Project management skills
- Knowledge of data warehousing
Non-Technical skills
- Strong business acumen
- Problem solving skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Uses initiative
- Attention to detail
- Leadership skills
- Lateral thinker
- Ability to make decisions
- Methodical approach
- Proactive
