IT Employment

economists, but at the moment, entry level jobs in IT are very down and very low paid. Also there are still a lot of people in the career, so unless you enjoy it very much and you're very good, competition for those remaining positions will be fierce. Unless your economic talents predict a turn around in this trend by the time you complete your degree, personally I'd stick with them.

A major in IT is not going to make you that much more valuable in the entry level market than a minor, I daresay the same would not be true for economics.

I suggest you study your local market and watch the trend. However, I strongly advise you not to think of the new learning opportuinity as a means of getting a better job. I know it might eventually help in securing a better job. But, what do you know, maybe once you are in the new dream-job, you might discover that you are running behind and you will start debating other tools to get better and better. Anyway, without having to earn a degree, you can alternatively decide to master a specific technology and get certified. In many cases, technical certification pays. On the other hand, if you feel that earning a degree would make the best choice for your case, don't wait till you graduate to go job-hunting. Start as early as now. It's not that you will qualify to a degree-must position, but you will know what the market expectations are. Furthermore, think how can the new knowledge help you achieve more and be more efficient. It is then, when you can feel confident to take any challenge and have that here-to-make-a-difference attitude rather than the ordinary job hunter one.

I have an Information Systems Management degree and my partner programmer has a degree in Business Administration. As I survey around the office, I find IT people with degrees in a variety of fields. I don't know if our office is typical or not, however. I think the point is that our experience was the primary driver for our being where we are currently and our degrees played a lesser role.

I noticed that you didn't say you enjoyed creating supply and demand charts or other economic-related tasks. You also didn't say anything about economic jobs (I don't know what jobs you get with a degree in economics.) Maybe you should examine what you enjoy and let that be the driver for your decision.

While the IT market is not so hot in many market areas (don't forget that some markets like Washington, DC are doing better than others), things are always changing. It seems to me that you would get more mileage from a Information Systems Management degree than you would get from an Economics degree, but then I don't know that much about the Economics job market. I know that many big business recruiters look for graduates who have excelled and offer them entry level jobs. If your college has recruiters that shop for students with Economic degrees, that should weigh in your decision as well. I'd rather have someone offer me that entry level job than have to go out and try to get it.

Programming is not as arcane as it used to be. It's no longer necessary to have the IQ of a nuclear physicist to be able to build good software, as it was 40 years ago. IT shops demand an understanding of the business they're supporting, good speaking and writing skills, and the ability to function on a team.

Many employers would be just as happy with a degree in business administration as one in IS.

As the posts here show, most people really don't have a clue as to what you're learning in an economics course and what you'll be qualified to do when you've completed it. I'll bet a degree in econ would be just as marketable as one in bus admin. It would be to me if I were hiring right now. You probably know as much as you need to about business and you probably can do some intense reasoning.