Computer majors learn plenty of practical knowledge in school, but what computer majors don’t learn in school could also fill volumes. As with most educational programs, students learn much more once they put their practical knowledge to use in the real world than they did during school. The education is necessary as a foundation for the future, of course, but there are so many things that school just won’t prepare you for once you get out in the real world and start working. If you’re one of the lucky ones to get a head’s up on some of these little facts, you’ll be one step ahead in the job market after school is done.

There are plenty of technical things that you will have to learn in order to get a computer related degree or earn professional certifications. But once you’re on the job there’s no way of knowing how the company you work for will do things differently than the protocols you learned in school. These subtle differences are to be expected, and they will vary depending on what kind of computer career you have focused on and what specific company you work for. The more significant things that computer majors don’t learn in school have nothing to do with computers, though.

When computer majors graduate and hit the job market they often have very little practical experience when it comes to business and interpersonal communications, even if they have a vast knowledge of complex software engineering. Computer majors don’t necessarily learn how to be business oriented, what the costs of doing business are, what the importance of profit is, how the global marketplace works, how to predict changes in the market, what to watch for in the competition, how to deal with tough problems, how to work as part of a team (which often includes multicultural members), the importance of networking and other practical lessons. These are some of the biggest lessons that computer professionals learn on the job.

In order to be a viable candidate for jobs and a successful employee on the job, computer professionals must learn these lessons in the long run, whether in school or on the job.

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So you want to learn how to become a help desk specialist. If you have a knack for computer software and hardware, as well as good communication skills, this could be the job for you. There are help desk specialist jobs all over the world, and the demand for well-trained experts in this field is high. If you have what it takes to complete the training, get the practice hours in and acquire the required certifications, you could be on your way to a challenging, rewarding and high paying job.

The first step to becoming a help desk specialist is deciding which area of computer support you want to go into. You may be better suited for administering databases, helping to build new computer networks or troubleshooting hardware problems, for example. Getting a lower end job doing something routine such as resetting forgotten passwords can be a helpful springboard at this point.

Once you know what type of help desk specialist you want to become, then you can concentrate on getting certified to do that specific job. You will probably need to get at least the A+ Certification regardless of the type of help desk specialist you want to become. This certification covers the basics of how computers work and the best ways to troubleshoot hardware issues. The Cisco CCNA, CompTIA Network+ and many other certifications may also be required depending on your career goals. Speaking with a guidance counselor at a computer school will help you decide the right track for your specific goals and the career you plan on entering. In addition to certifications, you will also need a degree if you want to get a good job in this field. A bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field is the most common, but there are also associate’s degrees that will qualify you for many jobs.

The average annual salary for help desk specialists is $33,000 to $48,000 with bonuses ranging from $550 to $2,500 and profit sharing of $900 to $3,600. With experience and education, you can definitely earn the top salaries and make a real career out of this job.

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The hot subjects at computer schools currently reflect the programs that are most commonly used in professional settings and the skills that are most profitable in the current job market. There are some basic courses that almost all computer students will take in the typical information systems training. These include training and education in subjects such as desktop applications, e-commerce, networking administration, programming languages, software applications, Web site development and more. But if you really want to get a great job in the computer and information technology marketplace, you’ll go above and beyond to build the skills and earn the certifications that are hot right now.

Many of the computer support jobs are going overseas or to third party providers in the United States, so if you want to be most viable in the modern job market you might want to get the basic computer skills and focus more on classes that integrate business concepts into your skill set. Taking courses in the arts, business, communications, economics and public speaking will definitely augment your computer training and make you a well-rounded job applicant. Financial engineering, math and technology appear to be among the biggest areas where computer professionals are excelling in today’s job market, so these are the skills to work on. Courses in project management and application development will also boost the value of your computer training, since these are areas of digital business that are highly in demand.

There are certain IT certifications that are more valuable than others in the modern job market as well. These are the hottest certifications for 2010:

• Certified Information Systems Auditor
• Certified VMware Professional
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert
• Cisco Certified Network Associate
• COMPTIA A+ Certification and Network+ (Essentials, IT Technician Remote Support and Depot Technician)
• COMPTIA Security+ Certification
• ITIL V3 Foundations (Information Infrastructure Library)
• Microsoft Certified IT Professional / Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist
• Microsoft Certified Professional / System Administrator/Engineer
• Project Management Professional

If you’re getting an education in information technology and computer science, don’t forget these skills and certifications.

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Plenty of great movies about computers have come out since these smart machines began playing such a huge role in humans’ lives. Filmmakers have created fictional, factual and documentary-style movies about artificial intelligence, gaming, hacking, online communications, programming, viruses, Web sites and other subjects relating to computers. Even films about war and supernatural themes have focused on computers. The following list includes some of the great movies about computers with a brief description of what they are about:

• AI: As the name implies, this is the story of a future world where Artificial Intelligence is possible, and a childlike android has been programmed to love.
• Hackers: A 1990s film starring a young Angelina Jolie, depicting a young group of hip hackers and all the trouble they get into during a corporate extortion conspiracy.
• The Terminator Series: About a cyborg (half man, half computer) who comes back in time to kill Sarah Conner.
• The Matrix Series: The story of a future world where computers have taken over and are using humans for power, keeping our minds tapped into a virtual world to distract us from the grim reality that our bodies are all part of an elaborate feeding system.
• Office Space: The group of software programmers and IT guys in this cult classic devise a plan to use a computer virus to get one over on the company they work for.
• Short Circuit: The story of a walking, talking robot (named Johnny 5) with a heart; he can be your friend!
• Star Trek (First Contact, Generations, Insurrection, Nemesis): All of these Star Trek and Star Trek Next Generation films include themes of artificial intelligence and computer technologies that were not possible at the time of their making.
• Tron: This early 1980s movie was one of the first to use computer graphics; the complex story includes themes of hacking, software programming, gaming and more.
• You’ve Got Mail: This modern love story is all about meeting and getting to know your romantic match online.

These aren’t the only movies about computers that have made an impact on our box offices and our society, but these are definitely some of the greatest.

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