The work profile of an analyst programmer includes evaluating a business problem and designing software to solve that problem. The programmer analyst should have the necessary knowledge to understand the requirements of the clients and fulfill them by designing software specifically for their task. Based on those needs, a computer specialist defines the scope of the project. It is the job of a programmer analyst to see to it that the product made meets the requirements of the client. If not, he has to redefine the scope of the project and have it executed in a proper way. He has to ensure that the software designed works without any problems. Besides designing the software the programmer analyst should also be able to maintain it effectively. He is responsible for creating applications to deal with human resources, payroll, maintaining the database, interpreting the data, data management, and distribution.
With progress in the networking field, the job profile of an analyst also includes maintaining the networking of a company and ensuring that the sensitive data of the company is not hacked.
A programmer analyst is expected to be good in subjects like mathematics and physics. A bachelor's degree in computer science, Information technology, or management information systems is required. There are not many recognized courses available in the market. It is a good idea to specialize in the field in which you are looking to enter as a specialist.
An analyst programmer is supposed to have excellent analytical skills. He should have the ability to analyze the problems and come up with potential solutions that are both economical and effective. He should be skillful in computer languages and operating systems. He should have a good command on some of the languages and some of them are Java, C++, Netbeans, Visual Basic script, PHP, and other scripting languages. You must be adept at programming. Non technical skills include excellent communication skills. A major part of a programmer analyst's job includes communicating to clients and coders. Good negotiating skills are also required as he is the one who has to strike a deal for the company he is employed with. Good human resource skills are also required as he has to deal with interpersonal communications. He should have the knack of solving problems easily, effectively, and quickly. He should have the ability to make clear and crisp documentation. He should have the ability to deal with hostile clients and meet stringent deadlines. Thinking logically and adapting to ever changing working conditions are some of the things expected from a computer analyst or a programmer analyst.
To become a programmer analyst, you should have experience in high level programming. Some places require a minimum of 2 years of work experience in programming. If you have formal training in network security, it will give you an advantage over others. When in college, look for an internship in a software development company and work under the guidance of a professional analyst. This will prove to be very beneficial as you will learn lots of new things under his hands and gain a significant amount of experience which will prove to be very important in your near future. Always look for developing programs for small problems when you are in high school or college.
The current and future career or employment prospect of an analyst programmer is great. There are lots of companies who have their own in-house IT department and are looking for such analysts who can guide them time to time about the necessary changes required in any particular software and work accordingly. Once you have enough experience and if your work is good then you have a great chance to become a team leader with programmers working under you. You can also start your own consultancy firm and work on a contractual basis with various companies or businesses.
This is a lucrative business opportunity. A mediocre programmer analyst can draw a salary of around $50,000 annually. This figure rises quickly with experience and credentials. There are analysts who a draw salary as high as $75,000 annually.
This sector is not at all bad if you are looking forward to become a computer or programmer analyst.
