Usually, it is persons in GISjobs that will be tasked with using the GIS systems to analyze, interpret, manipulate and present the information in a way that is understandable to whatever audience the information is meant for whether it be government institutions, businesses, not for profit organizations and individuals. Jobs in GIS are diverse and cartographic designers, GIS database administrators, urban planning consultants, GIS project managers, GIS system administrators, GIS software programmers, GIS hardware technicians, environmental engineers, soil technicians, GIS analysts and GIS specialists.
One of the most important success factors for GISjobs is a keen attention to detail. The data and reports generated by GIS staff and GIS applications are used to make crucial decisions that have repercussions on businesses and communities. A seemingly minor mistake can lead to costly consequences. What makes this even more important is the fact that once GIS information has been released, it ends up being relayed from one person or institution to another meaning that the error can be propagated over a wide audience. Other than attention to detail, the GIS professional must have good business acumen that would allow him or her to always keep at the back of their mind the bigger picture and the overall goals of the organization they are working for.
Due to the heavy use of technology that this type of job demands, anyone interested in GISjobs must have an interest and appreciation of information technology and be ready to work with a large amount of data each day. This means that people with an eye for numbers and good mathematical skills would be better placed to excel in jobs in GIS. A GIS professional must also have good presentation skills since he or she will be required to present and explain their data to different kinds of audience. This means that the GIS expert must have the ability to gauge the level of GIS knowledge of their audience and be able to tailor the presentation in a way that their audience can appreciate and understand the data.
When it comes to educational qualification, GISjobs are best suited for persons with a degree in an information technology, communications, statistics, engineering, geography or any other related field. Depending on the particular jobs in GIS that you intend to apply for, you opt to specialize further in a particular niche by enrolling for a masters degree. Often your undergraduate degree will be an important determinant as to the type of masters degree you go for. Many GIS professionals will belong to either one of two schools of thought as far as this goes. One school of thought believes that the masters degree should be in a different but complementing niche while the other believes in continuing along the same line of study as the undergraduate degree.
Other than academic qualification, professional certifications also play an important part in determining the jobs in GIS that one can qualify for. One of the most recognized GIS certifications are those offered by the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI). But you can also go for more specialized GIS certifications that gel well with the area of GIS you want to pursue. For instance, you can enroll for either one of the many certifications offered by Microsoft in the areas of database administration, information security management and software development. These certifications include the Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD), Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA) and Microsoft Certified System Expert (MCSE). These are technical credentials that would prove key for persons targeting more technical GIS roles such as GIS programming.
There are also less technical professional certifications such as the Engineers in Training (EITs) certification, Certified Professional Engineers (PEs), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) credential, Certified GIS Professional (GISP) and Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. Professional certifications are crucial in not only determining whether you are successful when applying for GISjobs, but also in the level of remuneration you can negotiate for.
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