The world of IT can seem like a completely foreign universe, even though you share office space with them.
The IT department performs a lot of critical functions that keep your company up and running. If you’re getting ready to expand your IT department, you want to be clear on the different roles and expectations of each position.
Do you want to know more about the most important IT roles that should be filled in your business?
Read on to find out what they are.
1. Sales Engineer
This is a role that is part IT, part sales. Companies that offer complex and technical B2B solutions have a need for a sales engineer.
It’s the sales engineer who helps account executives oversee the implementation of the service. They are also in on the sales process, working with decision-makers to explain how they will benefit from buying technical equipment.
Sales engineers are usually found in the telecommunications industry, selling voice-over IP solutions to large organizations.
2. IT Security
Cybersecurity has to be a priority in your organization. There’s no getting around it. The number of incidents has increased over the last few years and that is sure to continue.
A cyberattack can devastate your business. It can cost your business time, money, and most of all, trust. You may not be able to recover and be forced to shut down, like the majority of small businesses that are hacked.
What you can do is hire an IT security expert who can develop a plan to deal with hackers. They are trained to create plans to prevent breaches, detect when they occur, and respond to them immediately.
They’ll also work with your HR team to develop policies and procedures around the use of IT equipment and devices.
3. Enterprise Architect
What’s your company’s strategic vision and mission? Do you know if your networks and systems are set up to work with your company goals?
That’s what an Enterprise Architect does. They design and implement the entire network and systems of your company. They work with your executive team to ensure that the network supports your strategic goals.
They also analyze ways to save money in the IT department.
Enterprise Architects aren’t used in a lot of organizations yet. That’s beginning to change as more companies realize the importance of having a network aligned with the strategic vision of the company.
4. Data Analyst
Your business is likely to generate a ton of data. You may track touchpoints
The Enterprise Architect will find ways to store and collect that data. The Data Analyst will turn that data into plain language that everyone on your team can understand.
It’s an important IT role because there is so much data, it can be overwhelming. It takes time and energy to begin to try to make sense of it all.
A Data Analyst is a good storyteller. They can look at the numbers, crunch them, and present them in a story. They’ll be able to tell you how your latest promotion went or the demographics that you want to target next.
5. Technical Support
Technical support can work with people inside your company. They can also help your customers if you have a technical product.
A tech support role is important because your staff’s productivity depends on their ability to navigate technology. If they can’t access the printer or their keyboard isn’t working, they may throw in the towel for the day.
Instead, you can use your tech support person to fix the problem quickly, keeping your staff on task.
6. Web Developer
Your business probably depends on a robust website that functions well. A web developer is a magician that can create the backend of your site, like special accounts for members.
A web developer isn’t to be confused with a web designer. A web designer creates the front end of the site, how it appears to the user. They focus on things like the user experience and navigation of the site.
A developer takes that design and turns it into code. That code needs to be clean to enable your site to perform at high speeds.
Ideally, you want to hire a web developer that has superior design skills. That helps your business provide a great user experience and has clean code.
IT Staffing Tips
These are some of the most important IT roles you can have in your organization. How can you make sure that you’re hiring the right people at the right time?
You can start by coming up with an IT hiring strategy. That means assessing your business needs first and conducting an audit of your networks and systems.
If you find that there are a lot of small issues that are impacting productivity, you may need to hire a tech support person first. You may find that your systems are vulnerable to cyberattacks. In that case, you should prioritize an IT security staff member.
When you have a strategy around hiring, you’ll be able to scale up your staff and your systems as your business grows. You’ll want to read more about how you can come up with a hiring strategy.
Filling the IT Roles in Your Organization
Your entire business depends on IT to run. Your employees need a network and systems that are up and running at all times. Your customers and potential customers want to be able to access your website when they want.
If your networks aren’t working, then you’re letting people down. You can make sure that your business is running smoothly by hiring the right people. You need to know the various IT roles to do that.
You also need to have a strategy to hire the right IT people. You don’t want to hire the wrong IT roles that don’t suit your business needs.
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