For IT Management Professionals

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August 10, 2006 Is There A Career Future In Enterprise IT? Yes, But It Has Multiple Paths And De-Emphasizes Technology by Laurie M. Orlov, Samuel Bright with Lauren Sessions

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Executive Summary

Are traditional career paths for enterprise IT professionals still feasible in the face of outsourcing, offshoring, and downsizing? Forrester interviewed 55 IT and expert executives to learn their views. The result? Enterprise IT execs are optimistic but not proactive in reinforcing the attractiveness of an IT career. But enterprise IT is as attractive as it has ever been, taking on a less technical and more business-focused shape. The new IT career paths meander into and out of IT. Entrances and exits to and from business groups and ecosystem partners are not only possible but accepted and routine. These IT paths span IT sourcing, architecture, management, and innovation. IT executives must step up to reinvigorate the IT career, getting it done with the help of consortia, partners, and universities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• The Enterprise IT Organization Is Undergoing A Metamorphosis
• Entry Doors To Enterprise IT Aren't Easy To Find
• The Future Enterprise IT Career Path Has Promise But No Straight Lines
• Wake Up, Execs — Do Something To Revitalize The IT Career
• It's Not Just Up To IT — The IT Ecosystem Players Must Also Step Up

WHAT IT MEANS

• Zigzagging Career Has Down-The-Road Implications
• Supplemental Material
• Related Research Documents

This is an excerpt