Additional Information
Telecommunications managers need several years of experience, including
supervisory experience in a related technical profession. Managers must be
able to motivate and develop their staff.
A typical job ad may call for a background with a local telecommunications
carrier, along with experience in customer service and a technical background
in local phone switching, multiplexers and provisioning. A technical background
is an essential foundation.
Telecommunications is increasing an IT-dominated field. Telecommunication
managers often have a university degree in science, electrical or electronics
engineering, or a related field.
"It is important to have a degree in information technology and several
certificates (Cisco certificates, Linux, etc.)," advises telecommunications
manager Janay Doctor.
"More and more, it's becoming part of IT... so you need to know computers
to be in telecommunications as well," says telecommunications manager Laura
Geery-Larson.
"For a young person that is looking to be a telecommunications manager,
I would strongly suggest that they go to school," says Doctor. "It is very
hard to get a position in telecommunications. However, when you have the proper
education and/or some certifications, things are much easier. In all, I think
certifications are better than an actual degree... There are several Cisco
cert[ification]s that will add a jump with a telecommunications career."
Telecommunications in large organizations is increasingly the responsibility
of a senior-level officer such as a chief operations officer or a chief technology
officer, says telecommunications consultant John Glover. These officers are
responsible for both IT (data) and telecom (voice). They also must understand
"big picture" business issues.
"You're certainly going to want to get some formal education," says Glover.
"I would suspect that at some point in time you will either specialize in
one particular segment of the industry, or you will generalize and you will
probably come up with something like an MBA. There are an awful lot of MBA
grads that are ending up being chief technology officers or chief operations
officers."