Reasons to be an IT Major or
at least remember what you have learned

Rachel A. Hoover Class of 2007, Consulting Analyst, Accenture - Milwaukee

I am currently working for Accenture Milwaukee office as a Consulting Analyst in the Business and Systems Integration Group.  My first ever IT course was MANA 120 with Professor Ow in Fall 2005 where I learned all about using Microsoft Access and Excel.  Everything I learned for the Access project was invaluable. While interning at M&I Bank, I was able to implement a tracking device for the company's new and existing customer's which was used as a financial reporting mechanism for the CFO and CCO in their Brokerage Department.  This is what ultimately led me to my role with Accenture. 

I enjoyed the IT experience so much that I proceeded to take another MANA course, this time with Professor Adya. The Project Management course has helped me with my current role, as I am doing a lot of project management work for my current project out in Minneapolis. I am in charge of managing the metrics of our program. This involves scheduling and tracking different timelines for the team through the use of Microsoft Project, tracking their financials and managing their budget. I have also extensively utilized my vlookup and pivot table skills learned with Professor Ow. It is amazing how many companies rely on Pivot Tables to find and conform vast amounts of data. 

I majored in Finance, International Business and Entrepreneurship. I have no doubt that these majors helped me become a successful new graduate, and ultimately lead me to pursue a role with Accenture. However, if it were not for my IT background and extensive use of the MANA 120 coursework throughout other experiences, I would not be working for Accenture today. I really think that the job market for IT majors is really hot in today’s job market. You would be amazed to know how many financial firms, consulting firms and the like hire graduates with a technical or engineering related background over the basic business major. They need people to have the analytical background and they can train you to do the other work. This does not mean that getting a business major will make you a poor candidate, but what I am trying to say is that if you are not passionate about your major or are not sure what field you want to pursue after college, you may want to consider researching the IT major a bit more.

The reason I did not become an IT major is because I did not heed the advice of Professor Ow. He is good at picking out those with a knack for technical capabilities. I did not want to be stuck programming in a DOS environment. What I did not realize is that just because you are an IT Major, does not mean you need to be a programmer. You can do business process analysis, you can help improve business processes; and you can develop, implement and train end-users on various programs. There are endless options with IT that you cannot find with other more specific majors. I do not regret not being an IT major, however if you really want to be a great candidate in the business world, I believe IT is the way to go. The available opportunities for someone with a technical background are endless. The business world is so competitive and I believe that the IT program is one of the few programs at Marquette that really prepares you for what to expect in the workforce.  Even if you do not like IT or do not want to be an IT major, there is no escaping the technology found in the world today.