My name is Ryan Karran and I am a first year college student studying in Computer Information Systems at New York City College of Technology. I plan to pursue a career in Computer and Information Systems. I want to become a Computer and Information Systems Manager for a variety of reasons. Not only is it a high paying with great working conditions but it also has a low stress level. There are a variety of workplaces that support this type of career and this isn’t just a career. To me this is my passion, something I love doing very much. They say “choose a job that you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” (Confucius). Luckily for me that’ll be a high paying, low stress, and exciting job. In this essay, I plan to inform you about what it is that CIS Managers do along with telling you how I plan to excel in my career in the hopefully near future.

For the career that I plan to pursue, I will require at least a bachelor’s in Information Technology along with some additional training. The name of the degree that I plan on receiving within my next four years is called a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science. The department which offers this degree is called Computer Information Systems and is found within the School of Technology and Design. This major teaches you everything that you could possibly learn about a computer along with how and where data is being transferred. In doing so, you also learn to code in various coding languages along with managing networks and database systems. It also enhances your problem solving and analyzing skills which are not only valuable skills in any profession but valuable life skills. According to the City Tech College Catalogue, my major intends to “provide highly qualified professionals who can understand, apply, manage and anticipate cutting-edge technology along with preparing marketable candidates for positions in the information technology field. Also to provide students with the command of applied skills in technical fields that require a solid foundation in scientific and mathematical theory as well as excellent communications, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, allowing students to anticipate the direction of technology, not just to follow it.” In short, this degree doesn’t just familiarize the student with technology, but it makes them an adept learner and trend spotter.

The first factor that influenced me to choosing this career would have to be the average salary that I could possibly receive. There are two different types of jobs that one can choose when entering this field of work one of which is a government job or a corporate job. The government tends to hire more workers and give employees shorter work hours. Whereas the corporate is much more competitive, has to work longer hours, and must be kept on standby at all times in case of an emergency. Both jobs have their disadvantages and advantages. The average pay for a government job as a CIS Manager is about $101,690 along with the possible benefits one might receive such as government housing, healthcare, and many others. The average pay for a CIS Manager working for a specific company is $133,120. The median salary for any CIS Manager is about $120,950 per year which is approximately $58.15 an hour. About one-third of CIS Managers work more than 40 hours a week in overtime. In choosing which field to work in it depends on the person. If a person would like more leisure time then a government job would be best, but if a person wants to earn more money but have less time on their hands they’d have to go with a corporate job. It’s the classic case of what’s more valuable, time or money. Luckily the pay for any jobs in this career is very good and more than enough to live on.

Another factor that influenced me to choose a career in CIS is the workplace environment. Not only are the hours manageable but with the increase in technology, telecommuting to work has become more common. Essentially, working from home is now a dream come true. While the job may be demanding at times working from home is one of the best benefits this job entails. Working from home gives the person one of the most comfortable environments ever. While some people may say that working from home is a detriment to the company because the employee would feel lazy and slack off just because he’s home is wrong. Many people, including myself work better in a familiar environment. It provides people with the calm and relaxed atmosphere to do their work. Not only that, but it also prevents a lot of social interactions which is very helpful for the people who tend to be more introverted such as myself. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “As network speeds increase, telecommuting is becoming more common. Although few Managers can work remotely, many have to supervise employees who work from home” (Bureau of Labor Statistics Page 2).

My last and most important influence that led me to pursue this career is because of its low stress level. Joe McKendrick’s article, Jobs that demand concentration and split-second decision-making top the list as most stressful, indicates that a Computer and Information Systems Manager is number nine on the list of well payed jobs with minimal stress which can also be supported by Vivian Giang with her article, 15 High-Paying Jobs For People Who Don’t Like Stress. Giang writes how her list, “measures how frequently workers must accept criticism and deal effectively with high stress on the job” (Giang par. 3). Giang also put CIS Manager as the ninth on her list and gave it a stress rating of 64.3 from a scale of zero to 100. As most people know, stress can be very harmful not only to the work environment, but also to an employee’s personal life at home. Stress depletes an employee’s work productivity and leads to major downfalls that can impact other fellow employees within the company. This is a major reason why I would like to avoid stressful jobs and actually do something that I take pleasure in.

In conclusion, a Computer and Information Systems Manager is a job well suited for someone like me. It has a high annual salary of around $120,950 per year along with added benefits depending on what type of job is chosen. This position also offers great working conditions along with flexible schedules and maybe an optional choice for telecommuting. This career has been rated a low stress level job on many websites and has been known to be one of the best high paying jobs with low stress impacts. Upon finishing my bachelors here at City Tech, I plan to get a master’s degree in Computer Information Systems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Hopefully after studying at MIT, I am guaranteed a position at any company that I’ve applied for. Within the next 5 years, I would hopefully have graduated and started working as CIS manager in a private company. Getting moved up into a higher position in this career takes time and devotion to your work so I plan to be able to get promoted to the highest position in my field within at least 10 years once I start working. Employees in this position sometimes may even be able to take over the company as CEO after a large amount of years working within its ranks.

Works Cited

United States. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Computer and Information         Systems Managers. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Washington: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8 Jan 2014. Web. 4 Nov 2015

Hellman, Nathan. Best Technology Jobs IT Manager. United States: U.S. News & World Report.     Web. 3 Nov. 2015.

McKendrick, Joe. 10 Most Stressful Jobs for 2014, and 10 Jobs That Pay Well with Minimal Stress   ZDNet. 3 Dec. 2013. Web. 7 Nov. 2015.

Giang, Vivian. “15 High-Paying Jobs For People Who Don’t Like Stress.” Business Insider, Inc, 6     Nov. 2013. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.