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Jun
30
How To Become A Web Designer
June 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Hey, I would like to introduce an article from a Web Designer at Exacticity. Be sure to leave your comments, feedback or questions using the comments form at the end of this post.
How to become a Web Designer
With the launch of the Internet in the 90’s and the boom of the dot-com era in the new millennium. Web Designers have had a ball with designing cool-looking sites for businesses and individuals. However, with the development of newer easy-to-use tools like Dreamweaver and Frontpage, as well as online journals and blogs like this one, some people are beginning to say that Web Design skills are no longer in demand.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE WRONG!!!
Yes, the availability of purely Web Design jobs when compared to Web Developer jobs, may have somewhat cooled down, however, to think for a second that Web Design careers or jobs will go obsolete is totally ridiculous. Web Designers are alive and well, and cranking out more HTML and CSS than ever. As a matter of fact, with the rise of Web-based applications (and the lack of cool styling and imaging that comes with them) Web Designers are once again finding new bread in assisting ASP.NET and PHP developers with optimizing their sites with clear, good looking HTML and CSS to make their web projects look awesome.
In this article, I will show you how to become a Web Designer or how to utilize your Web Design skills.
Who is a Web Designer?
A Web Designer is someone who designs and develops web pages and websites for the internet. When working with Web Applications a Web Designer typically adds static content to the different sections and uses styling and formatting to make the site look clean and uniform.
What is the Job Outlook for Web Designers?
As I said before, while Web Design has somewhat cooled in demand when compared to Web Development skills, the Web Design industry as whole is definitely here to stay. As long as the internet and the World Wide Web exists, there will be a need for highly skilled Web Designers because a web application, website or blog has limited appeal until a web designer’s magical human touch is applied.
Web Designer’s Roles and Responsibilities
To be a Web Designer, you must be good or strong in the following:
- Strong working knowledge of HTML and CSS.
- The ability to understand, to some degree, programming languages like C#, VB.NET, PHP which you interface with while working on web application development projects.
- Strong analytical skills because working with HTML is very much like traditional computer programming.
- The ability to work with pages and sites on different browsers, like IE, Firefox, Opera, Netscape.
- Strong attention to detail. A small glitch on one page could present a wacky layout to an end user or to a user with another type of browser.
- Fast learning and the capability to keep up with the current evolving standards for HTML and CSS.
- At least some working knowledge of graphics design so you can manipulate graphic images to suit different layouts on a website.
How does Web Design compare to Computer Programmer?
In some ways they are very similar. Web Design and Computer Programming require coding, testing, and adjusting. Web Design code is usually read top to bottom and left to right. Also there are rules to what you can write in web design code just like there are rules to writing in each computer programming language. These web design rules are embodied in a SYNTAX known as CSS and HTML.
One advantage of Web Design over computer programing is the reduced complexity of web design jobs. While computer programming may sometimes not be easy, all Web Design is usually done on the front-end.
If your are designing a simple site, it is relatively easy to test it; all you have to do is click around the site and see if you are getting your expected results.
If you are a Web Designer working on a Web Application project, you are usually the last person to work on the site after all coding is done. Compared to Web Design, Computer Programming is much more complex. You have databases, routines, functions, controls, and handles for user input and output and error handling. Computer Programmers not only have several layers to work on, but they also have the front-end to deal with and assist the Web Designer on, just to make sure that their Website displays well within the Web Designer’s styling.
One thing to note is that while Web Design is simpler than computer programming, computer programmers tend to earn more money, but that doesn’t mean that Web Designers are not well paid either. The average Web Designer salary in low cost of living areas is about $35,000 a year assuming a 2 year college degree and some experience.
Web Design Training Opportunities
Currently we are working on a curriculum to train Web Designers. Stay tuned!
About the Author
My name is Michael Mobley and I am a Web Designer at Exacticity Inc. If you would like to learn more about “how to become a web designer” Click Here to Contact Us
READ MORE ABOUT ...
How To Become A Business Analyst
How To Become A Computer Programmer
Software Developer Boot Camp - Professional Training For Computer Programmers
Business Analyst Boot Camp - How To Quickly And Easily Master Business Analyst Skills
SQL Boot Camp - How To Master SQL Programming Or Database DevelopmentIf you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free software developer career newsletter.
Mar
26
How To Schedule An Online Training Class
March 26, 2008 | 2 Comments
If you are interested in registering for an online training class, here is some additional information that you need to consider before you sign up for the ongoing SQL BOOT CAMP or BUSINESS ANALYST BOOT CAMP or SOFTWARE DEVELOPER BOOT CAMP.
Career Roadmap and Career Planning
1. The online SQL BOOT CAMP class is for database developers, data analysts, report writers / developers, business analysts or software developers who want to learn or master two (2) core or fundamental programming skills:
a. Relational database design and database development
b. SQL query writing and SQL programming
2. The online BUSINESS ANALYST BOOT CAMP class is for data analysts, system analysts or business analysts who want to learn or master the core business analyst skills including:
1. UML
2. Use Cases
3. Requirements Elicitation or Requirements Analysis
The online SOFTWARE DEVELOPER BOOT CAMP class is for computer programmers, software developers or web developers who want to learn or master the core software development skills including:
1. Database Development and SQL Programming
2. Object Oriented Web Programming Languages
3. Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
Real World, Practical, Skill Based Job Training
The best way to learn business analysis or computer programming or database development or any technical skill is to establish the tasks you will be performing for your employer in the real world and then perform those tasks in our training program with guidance, progress monitoring and feedback.
The study guides used in our online training boot camps match the types of tasks, assignments and projects you perform for employers on the job guaranteeing that the skills you gain are immediately useful to you and your employer.
Learning By Doing
The more effective way to master business analysis, data analysis or computer programming skills is by doing or performing the skills you are learning because your brain is wired to retain and remember 80% of what you do or practice versus 20% of what you read or hear.
This is why the online training boot camps includes practical tasks, assignments and hands on learning activities that will help you understand the technical skills you are learning, faster, better and easier.
Study Guides or Courseware
We developed the study guides used in our online technical training boot camps based on the tasks, responsibilities or competencies employers expect you to demonstrate on the job!
Our study guides and hands on exercises are constantly updated, improved and perfected using feedback on the skills, experience and training employers want to see you demonstrate on your resume, job interviews or after you are hired.
Finally, you are guided through an intense, hands on practical training curriculum that dramatically improves your understanding and retention, competency, self confidence and finally your ability to perform on the job.
The outcome of your training is that you will begin to demonstrate the technical mastery or competence needed to excel on the job easily to your employers.
Learning On Your Own Time
One of the core benefits of the database developer, business analyst or computer programmer online training boot camps is that our course schedules are guaranteed to match your work and life schedule and not the other way round.
Here is the reason why
You may enroll and take your online courses in the morning, evening, weekend or any time of the week that best fits your schedule.
You will also not be forced to adopt a schedule that doesn’t work for you and you are always guaranteed that our courses are always flexible or adaptable enough to match your work and personal time commitments.
You Need To Take Action Now
All I am asking you to do, is to invest in your career, your skills and your future by taking a minute to sign up for an online training boot camp or contact me with a question, comment or request for more information.
About The Author
My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other information technology professionals .
My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training, click here to get in touch with me.
READ MORE ABOUT ...
How To Become A Business Analyst
How To Become A Computer Programmer
Software Developer Boot Camp - Professional Training For Computer Programmers
Business Analyst Boot Camp - How To Quickly And Easily Master Business Analyst Skills
SQL Boot Camp - How To Master SQL Programming Or Database DevelopmentIf you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free software developer career newsletter.
Mar
22
Employment Discrimination For Java Programmers
March 22, 2008 | Comments Off
I just received a question that has to do with age discrimination for a Java programmer and I would like to share it with you.
Reader Question:
I would like to find an IT Career Coach in San Diego CA.
I am a certified Java Programmer, and have an academic background in applied mathematics, but I did not work with J2EE and data bases, I would like to know what type of career is available in my age 55, what additional training is necessary. Sincerely.
Here is my answer to this question:Hi :
Thanks for getting in touch with me today about your java computer programming career.
I would certainly like to help you achieve your java training career goals.
Your age does not have a lot to do with your software development career success and here is why:
1. There is a federal law against age discrimination and most employers are aware of that. Click here to read an article on Wikipedia titled: Age Discrimination in Employment Act
2. A lot of hiring or recruiting is done based on your resume and your interviewing skills. If your resume looks good and you perform at your technical interview, you will get a JAVA programming job in the current job market for java programmers …. guaranteed!
3. The demand for programming skills far outstrips the supply, so you will probably end up having multiple job offers, even if you don’t have a lot of experience, but can demonstrate reasonable java programming aptitude and an excellent attitude during your technical interview.
In other for me to help you assess how much work you need to do to get a Java programmer job, please answer the following questions:
1. How much practical, real world, hands on Java programming experience do you have?
2. What types of Java programming projects have you been working on for the last 5 years?
Please do get back to me with these answers as soon as you can.
Thanks,
Kingsley Tagbo, IT CAREER COACH
http://www.it-career-coach.net
Do you have a question about your software development career, business analyst career or software tester career you would like for me to answer?
Post your question as a comment on this page and I will answer that burning question on your mind …. guaranteed!
About The Author
My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other information technology professionals .
My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training, click here to get in touch with me.
READ MORE ABOUT ...
How To Become A Business Analyst
How To Become A Computer Programmer
Software Developer Boot Camp - Professional Training For Computer Programmers
Business Analyst Boot Camp - How To Quickly And Easily Master Business Analyst Skills
SQL Boot Camp - How To Master SQL Programming Or Database DevelopmentIf you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free software developer career newsletter.
Mar
17
Database Design Courses
March 17, 2008 | Comments Off
The training courses at SQL Boot Camp is for data analysts, report writers, SQL developers, business analysts, computer programmers and database developers who want to improve their SQL or database skills .
Hands-On Training
The SQL training courses are a combination of hands-on, practical training combined with real world projects.
Step By Step Training Courses
You study step by step the concepts you need to master to design efficient, enterprise scalable relational databases at your own pace, schedule and time and from the comfort of your home or office.
Database Design Training Curriculum
Here are some of the topics covered in the database design training class:
How to use Keys and Indexes in relational databases.
How to establish Foreign Keys, Alternate Keys, Primary Keys, Candidate Keys and Composite Keys.
How to use Tables, Records, Columns and Views.
How to use One-to-One Relationships, One-to-Many Relationships and Many-to-Many Relationships.
How to establish Referential Integrity, Cascade Update Rules and Cascade Delete rules or constraints.
How to use the First Normal Form, Second Normal Form or Third Normal Form in a database design session.
How to use or follow Field Naming Guidelines.
How to resolve Multivalue Fields or Multipart Fields during the database design process.
How to identify the Domains, Entities, Data or Relationships in a database design session.
How to establish Domain Integrity, Entity Integrity, Data Integrity or Referential Integrity in a database design session.
Please note that presently, the training courses at SQL Boot Camp include SQL Development Courses, Database Design Courses and Database Development Courses. This topics listed above are taken from the database design course only.
If you are interested in improving your SQL programming, SQL querying, database design, database development, data analysis, business analysis or software development technical skills, register for a class on SQL Boot Camp
About The Author
My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other information technology professionals .
My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training, click here to get in touch with me.
READ MORE ABOUT ...
How To Become A Business Analyst
How To Become A Computer Programmer
Software Developer Boot Camp - Professional Training For Computer Programmers
Business Analyst Boot Camp - How To Quickly And Easily Master Business Analyst Skills
SQL Boot Camp - How To Master SQL Programming Or Database DevelopmentIf you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free software developer career newsletter.
Mar
7
What Is The Fastest Way To Learn Any Skill?
March 7, 2008 | 1 Comment
What is the fastest way to learn a technical, business skill or life skill?
Is any of these the fastest way to learn a skill?
1. Articles, tutorials or books?
2. Video or CD based courses?
3. Audio or MP3 based courses?
My Career Makeover Secret
If you have been following my blog, you probably know by now that I was educated as a chemical engineer.
However, I changed my career to information technology after I graduated and started work.
Why I Choose An Information Technology Career
I found my chemical engineering courses abstract, dull, lifeless and boring in college! The problem wasn’t that the material was hard to grasp, but that it was too theoretical!
At that time of my life, I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I always had to work extra hard to motivate myself to study and whenever I studied, it was just to pass my exams!
Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation?
How I stumbled upon the fastest way to learn a skill
Then I stumbled upon a couple of friends who where computer science majors. These folks enjoyed their courses and looked forward to their exams.
Do you know their secret?
They had real jobs working as computer programmers while attending college! So, they applied the theoretical knowledge from computer science college courses to real world software engineering and computer programming problems!
These students were motivated because their learning wasn’t entirely theoretical like mine was. They received a big, immediate, real-world payback from their studies by working on real, living, practical problems.
This my friend, is the fastest way to learn a skill.
Look at it this way. What is the fastest way to learn Chinese or any foreign language if you are an English speaker?
1. Studying books, videos or CDs on Chinese or any foreign language?
2. Attending language classes on Chinese or any foreign language?
3. Going to live and work in China or any foreign country?
Studies have shown that the human brain is not really designed and does not perform well with abstract subjects.
This is because our brains are designed to make meaning and interpret what it studies. so, concrete real-world concepts are easier for our brains to understand than abstract, theoretical information.
However, you have to be careful how you interpret the data I am giving you!
You cannot just learn information technology or software development concepts like UML, Use Cases, Requirements Analysis, Web Design, Database Design, Computer Programming, just by doing!
You Cannot Learn Just By Doing!
You cannot learn just by doing! If you try to learn just by doing, you will soon become one of those that don’t understand what they are doing and are always trying to guess at the correct solution!
The Best Way To Learn A Skill Includes Both The Theory and Practice
You need to have a sound theoretical understanding of the problem you are solving and a lot of real-world experience with applying your theoretical knowledge!
This my friend is the principle that I follow in all my training courses and books.
1. I emphasize the exact amount of theoretical knowledge in my training courses, no more and no less and
2. I emphasize the exact amount of practical, real-world, hands on problem solving learning, no more and no less
If you are interested in “learning both the exact” theoretical knowledge and practical skill that will take your business analyst career or computer programmer career or IT analyst career to the next level, order my training courses at SQLBOOTCAMP.COM or BUSINESSANALYSTBOOTCAMP.COM or SOFTWAREDEVELOPERBOOTCAMP.COM or ORDER MY BOOKS!
About The Author
My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other information technology professionals .
My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training, click here to get in touch with me.
READ MORE ABOUT ...
How To Become A Business Analyst
How To Become A Computer Programmer
Software Developer Boot Camp - Professional Training For Computer Programmers
Business Analyst Boot Camp - How To Quickly And Easily Master Business Analyst Skills
SQL Boot Camp - How To Master SQL Programming Or Database DevelopmentIf you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free software developer career newsletter.
Mar
5
How To Find Affordable, Flexible Career Training Programs
March 5, 2008 | 6 Comments
If you want to excel in an information technology career, you need to make a career plan or plot a career roadmap that will take you from your current skill level to a professional, highly skilled or expert level.
You will also need to create a plan for maintaining your skills at the level of top performers or experts in your field when you get there.
Whatever your current career (business analyst, data analyst, software developer, report writer, database developer, web designer, etc.), you need to sharpen your skills using one or more of the following training options:
1. Self Learning
2. Online Training
3. On The Job Training
5. Classroom Training
The best training programs I have found include a combination of two or more of these training options.
Personally, I have invested a lot of time and money in self learning, online training, on the job learning and coaching or mentoring. I have also invested in class room training, but not to the same extent as the other training methods.
What is really important, is that you create a definite goal for what you want to attain and then define the specific training you will use to achieve those goals.
This is important because without constantly training your skills, you will begin to lag behind your colleagues.
When that happens, you will find it hard to ace your technical interview or get hired, you will be passed over for promotions and you will be one of the most likely to get fired on your team. Your job performance will also suffer and you will begin to show signs that you lack the confidence to do your job well.
How to choose the best training program for your career
Here are some tips that will help you choose the best training program for your career:
Choosing Self Learning or Teach Yourself Programs
Self Learning or teach yourself programs are usually the cheapest programs of studying. All you have to do is buy a book on the subject or topic you are interested in learning. For example, there are books on Amazon.com on almost any subject under the sun. You can also purchase e-books written by subject matter experts (SMEs) on any skill you want to learn.
The advantage of self study is that it is the cheapest way to learn a topic.
The disadvantage of self-study is that you may still not understand a topic after reading a book on it. Also, the books you buy may end up collecting dust on your shelf because it takes a lot more personal discipline or effort to buy a book and read it.
Choosing Online Training
Online training also known as e-learning, virtual classroom training or distance learning is growing in popularity because online training is cheaper than physical class room training.
Online training is usually location independent which means that you can in theory take an online class from any location in the world as long as you have a computer and an internet connection.
Online training is also more convenient for working adults who cannot afford to take out time from work and family committments to drive to a physical training class.
Online training is more self-paced and more convenient than classroom training because you may attend a virtual class at a time (evening, morning, afternoon).
The disadvantage of online training compared to to physical class room training is that you don’t have the physical, intimate bonding experience of being in the same class with students and course instructors. For some, the lack of physical proximity with other students and class instructors is intimidating, so they will not enjoy an online training class.
Choosing On The Job Training
Learning with or mastering “on the job training” is a necessity requirement for today’s information technology careers. This is because no matter how much online training, or self-studying or class room training you take, you will always have to learn something new on your job.
For example, you will need to learn the business processes of every company you work for, on-the-job. Also, it is not practical for your employer to send you to a class, each time a new software program or technology is installed at your place of work.
What this really means, is that you need to be adept at learning on the job to survive in today’s fast-paced and highly competitive information technology job market.
Choosing Coaching or Mentoring
You need to have at least one coach or mentor at every level of your career.
Your coach should be someone who is more experienced than you and can help guide you through the challenges you will face on the job.
As you progress in your career, you will be faced with decisions that you will not be able to find answers for in an online training class or book or classroom.
Successful people in every career or discipline can easily name coaches or mentors who influenced, inspired or guided them to greater success than they where capable of by themselves.
The question “you should be asking” is not whether you need a mentor, but “who is best suited to be your mentor“?
Adopting a mentor can be as simple as asking someone who is much higher than you at work to be your mentor.
You can also read the publications, articles, books and informational products published by professionals or experts that you recognize in your industry.
Remember that you need a mentor and that you also have complete freedome in how you go about selecting or choosing a mentor … so choose wisely
Class Room Training
Class room training is one of the more traditional programs of learning a skill.
The advantage of classroom training is the physical proximity between you and your teacher.
The disadvantage of classroom training includes the cost of attending it. Classroom training usually requires more of your time and costs more money.
My advice to you is to constantly sharpen and improve your skills, your career and your life using two or more affordable and flexible career training programs. If you do that continuously, you will become one of those people who succeeds in developing their personal talents and skills in their career or life.
About The Author
My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other information technology professionals .
My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training, click here to get in touch with me.
READ MORE ABOUT ...
How To Become A Business Analyst
How To Become A Computer Programmer
Software Developer Boot Camp - Professional Training For Computer Programmers
Business Analyst Boot Camp - How To Quickly And Easily Master Business Analyst Skills
SQL Boot Camp - How To Master SQL Programming Or Database DevelopmentIf you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free software developer career newsletter.
Feb
27
72 Hour Special For SQL BOOT CAMP
February 27, 2008 | Comments Off
The online SQL Training at SQL Boot Camp is an on-going online training session that you can join at any time.However there is a special that starts today and ends on March 1, 2008 which offers you a $500.00 discount.
If you are interested, all you have to do is register for the special at SQL BOOT CAMP and then place a special, one-time discount code in your shopping cart when you order your online training.
Here is the special, one-time discount code: XxT95763
This offer ends on March 1, 2008.
About The Author
My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other information technology professionals .
My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training, click here to get in touch with me.
READ MORE ABOUT ...
How To Become A Business Analyst
How To Become A Computer Programmer
Software Developer Boot Camp - Professional Training For Computer Programmers
Business Analyst Boot Camp - How To Quickly And Easily Master Business Analyst Skills
SQL Boot Camp - How To Master SQL Programming Or Database DevelopmentIf you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free software developer career newsletter.
Feb
27
How To Become A Data Analyst
February 27, 2008 | Comments Off
The data analyst career is one of the popular IT career tracks available today. In some workplaces, the term data analyst is loosely used to refer to business analysts, systems analysts, database developers, reporting specialists, data researchers, statisticians and marketing analysts who work with data!
However, in this article, I will explain what the data analyst does and define the career roadmap or plan for becoming a data analyst.
Who Is A Data Analyst?
The term data analyst refers to someone who works with data to make sense of the information buried in raw data or draw inferences and conclusions from it.
A data analyst is someone who performs data analysis on the job.
According to Wikipedia, data analysis is the process of looking at and summarizing data with the intent to extract useful information and develop conclusions.
What Is The Job Outlook For Data Analysts?
There is an increasing trend with businesses to aggregate information in databases and analyze, research or query it for business meaning, clues, trends or insight that will help them do better business or become more competitive in their marketplace.
The growing trend to store and analyze vast quantities of data at every level of business has spawned the “Analytics” industry. For example, when you visit a website at Amazon.com or NetFlix or Ebay, your visit history is stored and analyzed by a group of people known as web analysts who specialize in analyzing web visitor data.
This is just one example of how the job of the data analyst is growing in importance because of the trend to store and analyze increasing amounts of business data by organizations who want to compete in the marketplace based on data, information and facts.
Data Analyst Roles and Responsibilities
Here are some of the common, typical roles, responsibilities and duties of data analysts. If you are looking for a data analyst job or position, make sure you can demonstrate that you have these skills when you apply for the data analyst position:
1. You must demonstrate the ability to analyze large data sets
2. You must show an expert ability to analyze, research or query data using SQL
3. You must have the ability to report on data using enterprise, industry standard reporting tools like SQL Server Reporting Services, Crystal Reports and Business Objects
4. You must have logical, problem solving skills.
5. You must have strong analytical skills
6. You must be able to present, interpret, discuss or write about your conclusions, inferences and results gained from researching your data
7. You need to be able to analyze data in Excel and prepare Excel spreadsheets or PowerPoint presentation to explain your results.
8. You must be able to research concepts and issues on the Internet using search engines and other web based research tools
Data Analyst Job Interviews
You need to expect your job interviews to cover all aspects of your resume. So, if you present a resume to an employer, you must be able to talk intelligently about the positions, skills and responsibilities on your resume.
In addition, you need to expect a technical interview that will drill down to the level of database design interview questions, database development interview questions, and SQL interview questions. So you will need SQL coding and SQL programming skills.
You also need to have a strong mastery of a variant of SQL like T-SQL and database development on a specific enterprise database platform like Microsoft SQL Server 2005.
Here is a link you can use to get all the rdbms study material (relational database study material), RDBMS training and SQL development training you will need to fulfill your data analyst roles and responsibilities. Click here for more information on online SQL training.
Finally, you need to understand trend analysis . For example, given a SQL Server 2005 marketing database, you need to be able to search for patterns or identify trends using SQL queries or T-SQL queries to be exact.
How Do Data Analyst Jobs Compare To Business Analyst Jobs Or Computer Programmer Jobs?
1. How does a data analyst job compare to a business analyst job?
One way of comparing the data analyst’s job to the business analyst’s job is to say that the data analyst majors on database analysis or data analysis while the business analyst focuses on business process analysis.
The data analyst is expected to be an expert with analyzing databases using SQL, writing reports in Crystal Reports, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services or Business Objects and analyzing or presenting data in Microsoft Excel. On the other hand, the business analyst focuses on requirements analysis, UML, Use Cases and business process improvement.
2. How does a data analyst job compare to a computer programmer job?
Computer programmers focus more on the design and development of database applications and software applications.
Computer programmers need to master all aspects of the software development life cycle, database design, database development, web and windows application development and data reporting. Data analysts focus on database analysis, database design, data preparation, data quality and data reporting.
Online Data Analyst Training Opportunities
The technical skill that is most in demand for data analyst positions is the ability to research data stored in relational databases like Oracle, MySQL, Microsoft Access (MS Access), Microsoft SQL Server using SQL. The beginner to advanced online SQL training offered on SQL Boot Camp covers all the SQL training needed for data analyst positions.
Be sure to register at SQL Boot Camp for more information on data analyst online training opportunities.
About The Author
My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other information technology professionals .
My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training, click here to get in touch with me.
READ MORE ABOUT ...
How To Become A Business Analyst
How To Become A Computer Programmer
Software Developer Boot Camp - Professional Training For Computer Programmers
Business Analyst Boot Camp - How To Quickly And Easily Master Business Analyst Skills
SQL Boot Camp - How To Master SQL Programming Or Database DevelopmentIf you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free software developer career newsletter.
Feb
25
Top Performers: The Smartest, Passionate, Most Productive Top 20 Percent
February 25, 2008 | Comments Off
In every information technology discipline, there are people who outperform others.
You probably know some of them; computer programmers who write better code, faster than their colleagues or data analysts who can research and identify trends in data faster, easier and better than their colleagues or business analysts who are ten times as productive as their colleagues!
I have been studying top performers ever since I left high school and I am now starting a free online study group on top performers with the goal of identifying:
i. who are top performers?
ii. how do you become a top performer?
If you interested in this topic, read on: Top performers in every industry can out-perform their colleagues by as much as a factor of ten-to-one and so they are recognizable by their productivity.
Top performers are experts, smart, focused, passionate, energetic and talented people.
Top performers are found in every profession including software testing, business analysis, software development, IT management, recruiting, web design, internet marketing, etc.
Studying Top Performers
1. Do you know someone who is a top performer at work? Please post a comment saying why you think the person is a top performer.
2. Do you have any criteria for choosing or selecting top performers? Please post a comment saying what your criteria for nominating or selecting someone as a top performer is.
3. Do you have any idea on “how to become a top performer“? Please post a comment here saying how ordinary people can grow their skills and become top performers in their industry.
4. Do you have managers at work who will be interested in discussing why they consider one employee or the other top performers, please contact me with their name and email address and I will email them a brief questionnaire on the “top performers” on their team.
I am starting a study group on top performers and I would like your participation in the discussions on the topic. All you have to do is post a comment, question, feedback or nominate someone you know as a top performer and tell us why you choose the person.
Thanks,
Kingsley Tagbo, IT Career Coach - http://www.it-career-coach.net
About The Author
My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other information technology professionals .
My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training, click here to get in touch with me.
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Feb
22
Tuition Reimbursement For Programming Classes
February 22, 2008 | Comments Off
One of the questions submitted by a reader to the Myths Debunked Burning IT Career Questions Answered post deals with “how to get your employer to pay for your computer programming courses” and I want to answer that question in detail on this post.
Let me start by asking you “have you ever thought of asking your employer or manager to pay for your professional training at the software developer boot camp?”
Yes, you can ask your employer to pay for any of our online training courses. After you complete your training, you can present your certificate of completion or transcript to your human resources (HR) department or your IT manager and get reimbursed depending on your employer’s benefit program. To get started now all you have to do is ask your employer if you can get reimbursed for job related training.
Why Would Your Employer Pay For Your Training?
Here is why your employer may want to pay for your computer programming training. Your employer or manager would pay for your technical training or reimburse you for it, if you can make a good case for it. I will help develop the case for you and you can adapt it as you want and present it to your employer for feedback.
1. Job Related Training
If you are an IT professional, the technical training we provide to you is job related and your IT manager or HR department would classify it as a job related training.
The software developer boot camp is a professional level software developer training class covering the programming language skills a professional software developer needs. Since your IT manager has a training budget which needs to be spent before your 2008 training year is over, now is a really good time to have the discussion on “what you want to be trained on and how much your training will cost your company“.
2. Professional Career Advancement
After you complete the software developer boot camp training, you get a professional software developer certificate which your IT manager will love to stick in your file as proof that his or her employees are moving ahead with their career.
You may not realize it, but, you actually make your IT manager or IT director look good by taking professional software development courses. It proves that your manager is hiring and working with capable, talented, motivated employees and guess what, your professional software developer training also improves your chances of getting a promotion or salary raise.
3. Scarcity Of Software Development Talent
The competition for software developers is high right now. It is by far easier for your employer to either pay for your software development training or reimburse you after you complete your training than to hire more software development resources.
The cost of attending the professional software developers boot camp is peanuts in comparing to the cost that would be incurred by your IT director, IT manager or HR department by looking for or hiring additional software development resources which can be as much as $150,000/yr. per additional programmer. In other words, you are saving your company a lot of money by attending the software developer boot camp and the programming class is a win-win for both you and your manager.
So now you know why your employer may want to pay for your software development training at the software developer boot camp, I hope you act on this information and not just sit on it!
If you have a question you want answered on the software developers boot camp,