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What is an information technology officer and how to become one
There are many information technology services that a business needs to keep working, from email to Wi-Fi networks to servers for storing information. The information technology officer is in charge of making sure all of these components work together smoothly.
The day-to-day tasks of an information technology officer depend on the need of their company's IT system at the time. They could take care of maintenance on the system, implement new programs to meet the client's needs, or work on other technical projects. Often they lead a whole team of IT technicians that keep the servers whirring and the cables connected.
The information technology officer can find work anywhere where there is a complicated information technology system to manage, such as private business or university. Of course, they need excellent technical knowledge to succeed no matter where they work, which is why most information technology officers have bachelor's degrees in computer science or related fields.
What general advice would you give to an information technology officer?
Ranganathan Chandrasekaran
Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Illinois
Several businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and they have rolled back their offers made to students for internships and jobs. Businesses have also resorted to downsizing and layoffs, and we are likely to see that continue, at least in the near term. However, two sectors that are showing promises of a quick turnaround are technology and healthcare.
It might take many months for the economy to get back on track, but the demand for information systems graduates is likely to grow, as a large number of businesses have turned to increased use of technology in this pandemic period. As more companies go digital, we need more professionals to manage the remote-work, technological infrastructure and meet the other demands of the business. Students pursuing education in information systems, computer science, and healthcare are going to be in greater demand.
On the positive side, the uncertainties induced by the pandemic have also helped students to prepare themselves better for a tougher job market. I found many students rise up and use the lockdown period to have a serious introspection and invest their time and effort in upgrading their knowledge and skills. The internship drought and rescinding of job/internship offers brought their dreams crashing down, but I found several students to quickly get over their disappointments, and engage in improving their skillsets utilizing the pandemic lockdown as an opportunity. I am aware of many students, especially in the information systems disciple, who spent time doing online courses, completing certification programs, and take up DIY projects on data analysis, developing analytical and forecasting models, and visualization of various aspects of the pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in massive amounts of data, released by several organizations worldwide, that have provided a stimulant for students to indulge in DIY-projects. I had several students approach me over summer to do some projects, and we have done some interesting projects using public datasets related to COVID-19.
Avg. Salary $108,026
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 16%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%
Asian 14.55%
Black or African American 6.75%
Hispanic or Latino 10.14%
Unknown 5.21%
White 63.14%
Genderfemale 17.56%
male 82.44%
Age - 47American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 47Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Information technology officer career paths
Key steps to become an information technology officer
Explore information technology officer education requirements
Start to develop specific information technology officer skills
Skills Percentages Project Management 6.09% Customer Service 5.63% Database 5.33% Desktop 5.03% Troubleshoot 4.35% Complete relevant information technology officer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New information technology officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an information technology officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real information technology officer resumes.Gain additional information technology officer certifications
More About CertificationsInformation technology officer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific information technology officer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for information technology officers include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP).
Research information technology officer duties and responsibilities
- Manage the conversion from an aging COBOL billing system to a newer UNIX base application by infome.
- Lead disaster recovery exercises, infrastructure hardware/software decommissioning initiatives and redeployment of legacy application retirements/migrations for Fannie Mae (client).
- Create SOX reports to present to management and for external auditors.
- Provide oversight activities to insure compliance with HIPAA and other prevailing regulations.
Get information technology officer experience
Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become an information technology officer. The most common roles before becoming an information technology officer include information technology manager, information technology director team lead and network administrator.Prepare your information technology officer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your information technology officer resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an information technology officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable information technology officer resume templates
Build a professional information technology officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your information technology officer resume.
Apply for information technology officer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an information technology officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first information technology officer job
Are you an information technology officer?
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Average information technology officer salary
The average information technology officer salary in the United States is $108,026 per year or $52 per hour. Information technology officer salaries range between $76,000 and $152,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do information technology officers rate their job?
Information technology officer reviews
Staying abreast of technology and helping an organization define Technology strategy.
Work Life Balance can be difficult based on size of team and infrastructure.
talking to people
outside weather, I work as a network technician and the main problem I always encounter is the cold weather.
The opportunity to render services to client, and managing technology by giving key information to customers.
Not meeting up to expectation of a client.
Updated January 8, 2025
