Every business relies on information to make strategic decisions. To take full advantage of the data available, companies need skilled individuals who are experts in these systems. These experts start by pursuing a Business Information Systems diploma. Discover the various jobs you can pursue with this education, and what you’ll learn during your diploma program.
What Job Can I Get with a Business Information Systems Diploma?
A Business Information Systems diploma equips you to perform a variety of jobs, each with its unique business support role. Consider these seven jobs, and what you may expect in each:
Job #1: Project Management
A project manager works as the glue that holds organizational projects together. On the front end, they identify project goals, objectives, and the project scope. Then they plan out the project tasks, timeline, and the resources required to complete it. Further, they communicate with all of the project stakeholders and keep the project on schedule, checking to make sure everything is staying on track. Daily tasks may include calls and emails, managing budgeting spreadsheets, and writing performance evaluations after the project.
Job #2: Administrative Assistant
Executives and office professionals would be hard-pressed to function effectively without the help of people providing support. The administrative assistant performs many of the essential tasks for companies that don’t require highly specialized skills and training. Just about every industry needs administrative assistants. You may report to a specific executive, work with any number of department managers, or work to support the entire company.
Day-to-day tasks may include creating and organizing digital files, and creating and typing various documents, including reports and correspondence. You may also schedule appointments, answer phones, greet visitors, and organize company travel. Depending on the size of the company, you may also prepare basic financial reports and perform some account keeping. These tasks are crucial to keeping the business running smoothly. They also give you a view into the interworkings of the organization.
Job #3: Desktop Publisher
Have you ever marveled at all the collateral material companies use to market and explain their product or service? All of that is thanks to desktop publishers. These professionals work in conjunction with various teams across the company, including marketing and department heads. Their work also spans both physical and digital mediums. Most companies work with either in-house or contract desktop publishers to ensure everything that’s produced is professional and on-brand.
As a desktop publisher, you’ll focus your day gathering, editing, and publishing various materials. Marketing material isn’t the only thing you’ll produce. You may also contribute to developing visually appealing and on-brand reports for both internal and external release. You’ll work with graphic designers, copy editors, and department personnel to gather the necessary assets for each project. You may use programs like Photoshop and PowerPoint to lay out the information in a meaningful way that draws in the reader. Desktop publishers are also the first editors to review the material and make necessary changes. Once you receive internal approval, you’ll send the files for printing or final publication.
Job #4: Data Entry and Analysis
Companies need more than raw data to direct their decisions but it depends on the accuracy of the data and the insights it yields. Data entry and analysis professionals provide the preliminary expertise in providing these insights to a company. These insights help determine important business decisions about investments, spending, and product releases. Industries that rely heavily on data entry professionals include healthcare, banking and finance, manufacturing, digital marketing, and logistics and transportation.
Some companies rely on manual entry of data, which is the conversion of source documents into a database. However, the job doesn’t stop with just transcribing data from one source to another. Rather, data entry and analysis professionals may also verify data accuracy, check for incompatibilities with the database, conduct some research to find incomplete or missing data, and help generate reports and pull data as requested.
Job #5: Database Management
Most businesses operate using databases for many aspects of their business. It can run inventory, manage payroll, keep track of customers, and leads, and so much more. With a diploma in Business Information Systems, you’ll learn the necessary skills to enter the field of database management and the various supporting roles you may find. While you may find jobs in just about every industry, some examples of industries utilizing database management professionals are the finance and tech sectors, followed by healthcare. You may also find demand in the pharmaceutical, hospitality, and service industries.
Some daily tasks you can expect when working in database management include producing data as requested by various departments in your company, designing and managing various databases, and installing and updating various database software programs. You may also provide data-related support expertise throughout the company.
Job #6: Office Manager
Like administrative assistants, office managers are often the glue that holds a company together. They provide support to the various professionals working for the company, enabling them to produce a product or deliver a service without worrying about running the office. You can find office manager jobs across most industries and in offices large or small. They are leaders that make sure the business has the support it needs.
As an office manager, you’ll likely answer phones, respond to emails, schedule meetings and appointments, order office supplies, and ensure office equipment and amenities like coffee pots are functioning and receiving service whenever needed. You may also find yourself helping to plan, coordinate, and execute company functions, including booking spaces, travel, and catering.
Job #7: Event Manager
Some companies hire for a specific position to coordinate events, which could hold a title such as an event manager or event coordinator. You’re most likely to find an opportunity like this in the film or media, sports, hospitality, wedding, and non-profit industries. You may also find opportunities in larger organizations including manufacturing, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. Many of these industries depend on trade shows, conferences, and other events as their main sales tool.
As an event manager, you’ll find yourself with a wide variety of tasks from one day to the next. These tasks include reaching out to vendors to gather quotes for catering, equipment, or space rental. You’ll work with the marketing team or develop the marketing message for the event to ensure that it speaks properly to the target audience. You’ll recommend and manage the budget and oversee all event logistics. You’ll also oversee issues related to liability and insurance along with post-event evaluation to look for opportunities to improve on the next event.
What Do You Learn During a Business Information Systems Diploma Program?
A Business Information Systems diploma program equips you to enter a variety of roles across many sectors. During your program, you can expect to learn the following three primary categorical skill sets.
Microsoft Office Specialist Certification
Regardless of the specific role you’re pursuing with your Business Information Systems diploma, you’ll need more than a cursory understanding of the standard office productivity suite. Rather, you’ll study to become an expert in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access.
Through your course of study, you’ll prepare for certification as a Microsoft Office Specialist. This designation is a seal of approval Microsoft offers to tell potential employers that you have the skills to effectively use these programs in a professional setting.
For some of the jobs, this means understanding how to program and run macros in Excel, and how to build and manage databases in Access. Access is one of the most widely used database programs, second in market share only to Microsoft’s SQL Server.
Adobe Dreamweaver
Whether your company is large or small, it relies on having a substantial digital footprint to provide solutions as people search to solve problems. While some companies have a special department or outsource to an outside firm, others look to their business information systems professionals to manage digital presence. Dreamweaver is a widely used website development tool designed for professionals who don’t have specialized programming knowledge. Rather, it’s a WYSIWYG platform (what you see is what you get) that allows you to drag and drop various website elements to create a page and site. In some cases, it allows you to easily edit aspects of a professionally designed site.
Photoshop
Photoshop is the industry standard photo editing software. In your diploma program, you’ll learn how to not only touch up photos of personnel, but how to design web graphics, customize videos, and create brand-consistent marketing materials.
Want to Learn More?
Many businesses depend on technology to operate every single day, and they also depend on the skilled professionals who manage that technology. Interactive College of Technology’s Business Information Systems training program teaches our college students how to work with the most widely used business software applications out there.
So, let’s take the first step together! Contact us now to learn more.
