In the Know: Desired Skills for Entry-level Systems Analyst Positions

The undergraduate information systems curriculum seeks to prepare students for entry-level information technology positions. In this study, which is part of an ongoing research program aiming to better align the information systems curriculum with employer needs, the desired skills for entry-level systems analyst, business analyst, and project manager positions are identified based on interviews with information technology professionals. As technology continues to change, it is important to understand the changing needs of employers in this area. Based on the interviews, two categories of desired skills can be defined – soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills are comprised of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, and hard skills are comprised of domain knowledge and technical skills. A discussion of the findings in light of previous work and directions for future research are provided.