Certain positions, such as data entry, are plentiful and relatively easy to land. But if that is not what you want, it is better to hold out even though it might prolong your job search. It takes a lot longer to rise from a data-entry position than it does from a programming or systems-analyst job. That's why the next item to be considered is the position within a company or within a particular data processing department. The goal should be to start as high as possible within a company's management structure. Those who start higher tend to advance faster than those who start lower. I'm not suggesting that job applicants apply for positions that are beyond their training and capabilities, but I do believe in extending one's reach. Data processing presents a particularly difficult problem in this regard. The same job and responsibilities carry different titles at different companies. Still, the basic principle remains the same. Whatever job you are presently holding down says a great deal about you to a prospective employer. It's a reflection of the way you are viewed by your current employer, and it can determine the level of employment you might be considered for in a new company. I'm not talking about titles alone, although a title is important. It is more a matter of your attitude about yourself and about your worth as a professional data processor. Whether you are seeking another job within the field or are looking for your first job, it is important that you not lose sight of the goals you have established for yourself, and that you not jump at whatever is offered out of fear that it is "the only job in town." It may be, of course, at least for the moment, but to settle because of a lack of confidence in yourself can have a detrimental impact further along in your career.
There's something else to consider when deciding what sort of DP (data processing) job to go after, and that is the possibility of turning any job you end up with into one that better suits you. I'm not talking about moving to another job within the company. I am talking about shaping the job you have into one that expands its original horizons. Here's that open-mindedness I mentioned earlier. Simply because the position you have taken has a detailed job description attached to it doesn't mean you can't alter that set of parameters as you go along. Naturally, you have to do a top-notch job in the area for which you were hired, but you can, at the same time, explore other areas of the company that might benefit from your skills and position. Making contacts outside of your immediate department can lead to this broadening of your role and ultimately increase your worth to the company. There is one potential drawback to this, however. If you become too successful at it, you might find yourself spread too thin and neglect your primary responsibilities. Also, when looking for a new job outside the company, you don't want to have your experience diluted to the extent that it confuses a potential employer. But I wouldn't let that relatively remote possibility cause you to clip your wings. Just make sure you keep tabs on yourself, and if you feel you have gone too far, pull back a little.
Obviously, every working man and woman has need for an income that will support a particular life style and personal obligations. Each person looking to enter the data processing field, or to advance within it, should have a firm understanding of monetary needs and should be looking for a job whose salary range matches those needs. Here is where realism sets in, however. I've known too many people who set unrealistically high salary goals, considering the basic pay range within their occupation, and taking into account what they have to offer. On the other hand, there are people who set their sights too low. These individuals are usually dealing from a base of insecurity and feel that if they are paid less, their chances of being laid off or fired are lowered. Neither approach - going for pie-in-the-sky or undervaluing one's worth in the marketplace - makes sense. Some hard-nosed analysis of your training, ability, and experience, coupled with realistic knowledge and understanding of your career path, will enable you to more reasonably match up goals with opportunities.
The question of money is always a sticky one when going after a job. Naturally, the employer wants to hire a valuable new employee at the lower end of the salary range the occupation generally commands. You, the employee, would like a salary at the higher end of that range. During the job-interview phase you will be asking what the job pays and the employer will be asking how much you want. It is best to avoid answering the employer's question for as long as possible, parrying it with "Right now, the salary isn't uppermost in my mind. I'd prefer to find out the potentials of the job and of my role in the company."
The thinking behind this approach is that once you are the person the employer decides to hire, it's easier to ask for a higher salary. You're the one who's been chosen, and the employer is more likely to up the offer, rather than have to start interviewing other candidates again.
Randy Pace and Warner Coffman of our St. Louis franchise suggest that if you reach a salary impasse, and if you really want the job, you agree to accept the lower salary on the condition that you be reviewed in six months rather than twelve. It has been their experience, and the experience of many other data processing specialists in other of my franchises, that this approach will often generate more long-term money than the difference represented between the salary that was offered and the salary the candidate was holding out for.
