How will MIS help my career?

Here is how Chapter 13 and this book can help you find a job as an entry-level junior business systems analyst.

1. The Company

Systems 100 Technology Consultants, a Chicago-based professional technology services firm, provides staffing and information technology consulting ser­vices to other U.S. companies and has an open position for an entry-level junior business systems analyst. The company provides business and t echnology consultants to more than 150 firms in financial services, healthcare, commu­nications, transportation, energy, consumer goods, and technology, helping them implement business and technology initiatives cost-effectively.

2. Position Description

A junior business systems analyst is expected to work in project teams through­out all phases of the software development life cycle, including defining busi­ness requirements, developing detailed design specifications, and working with application developers to build or enhance systems and business processes. Before undertaking assignments, new business systems analysts receive train­ing in the background they will need to succeed in their assignments. The first assignment is to work on a contract basis for a startup data analytics company in Michigan serving mid-sized organizations. The junior business systems ana­lyst would work with a team of data scientists to help clients integrate data sources, cleanse and organize messy data, and improve understanding of pat­terns and trends.

3. Job Requirements

• Upcoming or recent college graduate, with BA in Management Information Systems, Finance, Psychology, or related field
• 3 to 6-plus months of corporate work or internship experience, including experience working with a project team
• Strong understanding of technology and systems, and business process improvement
• Strong analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work comfortably in a team environment
• Knowledge and understanding of the software development life cycle and business process improvement
• Knowledge of MS Office applications
• Exposure to SQL desirable but not required

4. Interview Questions

1. What information systems courses have you taken, including MIS, database, data analytics, and systems development? Can you write SQL queries?
2. Have you worked on any systems development projects? If so, what exactly did you do? What systems development practices did you use?
3. Have you worked on any other kinds of projects, and what role did you play? Do you have samples of the writing or output you produced for these projects?
4. Which Microsoft Office tools have you used? What kinds of problems have you used these tools to solve?

Have you any experience with agile software development?

5. Author Tips

1. Review the discussion of business processes in Chapter 2 and Chapter 13 and the Chapter 14 discussion of IT project management and implementation. Be prepared to talk about any systems development experience you have had, including analyzing or redesigning business processes. Also be prepared to discuss contemporary systems development practices.
2. Inquire about how you would be using SQL and Microsoft Office tools for the job and what skills you would be expected to demonstrate. Bring samples of the work you have done with this software. Express interest in learning what you don’t know about these tools to fulfill your job assignments.
3. Bring samples of your writing (including some from your Digital Portfolio described in MyLab MIS) demonstrating your analytical and business appli­cation skills and project experience.

Source: Laudon Kenneth C., Laudon Jane Price (2020), Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm, Pearson; 16^th edition.