The use of computers has affected nearly every aspect of our lives on a daily basis, from shopping online to watching television shows, from chatting to looking up information for school, from booking travel arrangements to downloading music and a million other things that can be accomplished while online. More Web sites will be created and people will be needed to help these sites run properly. As these sites develop, more jobs and opportunities will be created ensuring qualified individuals will have a financially secure career.
One of the professions that is on the rise is Web administrator, to manage these sites we use every day. What is a Web administrator? Web administrators set up accounts, manage security, ensure the Web servers are running properly, and install many Web software programs, as needed. You can say Web and system administrators are the fuel that keep the sites running; without them, sites would fail. Web administrators have a difficult job with duties such as maintaining the hardware/software efficiency, solving and correcting problems, managing wide-area networks (WAN) or local-area networks (LAN), monitoring the site for future performance issues, and troubleshooting in general. Web administrators frequently interact with employees and customers to address all the issues that are plaguing them.
Web administrator positions are expected to increase over the next decade, because new technologies and advancements will need highly qualified professionals to manage and operate them. Mobile technologies will become more common place in the near future, and companies will need system administrators to manage and run them also. System administrators cover nearly every facet of every industry such as government, health care, education, insurance, software, and finances. Since every aspect of the work force is involved in some capacity of computers, these will all need employees to manage them.
There are so many fields that are involved with system administrators that education will vary depending on the field entered. Obviously college training will be needed: an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in computer sciences would be beneficial in gaining a well-paying job in the future. Interaction with other people is a large portion of the job, and being capable of talking with others calmly will help with your advancement. Staying calm when things get dicey will show you are able to handle many problems at once. Those who do enter a Web administrator field must be able to address, analyze, and solve problems quickly. Staying current with the latest technology will greatly help your chances for employment.
Entry-level work is a great way to start out with basic management duties handling computer systems. After some time, and as you build experience, you will be able to become a senior administrator. While working for a company they could also offer seminars and training programs to further your skills. Understanding technical issues is important, but working with well with others is just as essential. Explaining different aspects of technical issues in simple, easy-to-understand terms is critical. Many people do not understand the technical jargon and need people who know what they are doing to explain things simply for them.
The work hours of a Web administrator are usually 40-hour work weeks, possibly higher, if needed. The average salary is around $41,000. Depending on what type of Web administrator or system administrator job you take, your starting salary can be between $50,000 and $75,000. Currently there are just over 860,000 system administrators employed, and that number is expected to grow to over one million within the next decade. The growth of these positions in the United States will not increase as dramatically as in the previous decade, because companies can outsource and hire from different countries at lower wages. On-site locations are not as important as in other fields. Those who sit in front of a computer all day might find it very difficult, with eye strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and wrist problems.
