How To Jumpstart A Stalled Career!

It has been said that to “keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results is the very definition of insanity.“

On the other hand, “if you want something you have never hard, you must do something you have never done!“

So, if your career is stagnating, step back and take an honest look at your work.

Is your work everything you had hoped for?

If the smell of fresh-brewed coffee is the biggest reward after you walk through the office door each day, it’s time to truly perk up your daily grind and reboot your career.

Broaden Your Horizons

One way to jump-start your career is to volunteer for assignments that are outside of your comfort zone or take on additional roles that are valuable to your organization.

For example, you may take on some project management responsibility if you are in a more technical role, so that you can become a better-rounded candidate.

And as a project manager or a business analyst nothing stops you from getting more technical skills, because this makes you more hands-on than your contemporaries.

Adding more skills, both technical or management, can only help you in the long run.

• Read this post “Do Business Analysts Need Computer Programmer Skills?“.

• Read this post “What Software Skills Do Business Analysts Need?“.

Upgrade your Skills

One of the areas that all professionals need to stay on top of is; “their skill-sets!“

Like it or not, information technology skills are susceptible to losing their value because technology is always changing or evolving.

Read this post … “The Most Important Thing on Your Resume“.

Do What You Love

One of the reasons why your career is stagnating may be that you’re not doing work that you are passionate about. So, you’re bored, and it shows.

But your managers probably don’t realize the problem; and so, instead of working with you to get to the right place, they keep you in the same job, afraid to give new assignments and responsibilities to someone who, quite frankly, doesn’t seem to want to be there.

So the question to you is, “are you doing what you really want to do with your life?” If you find that you’re not, you need to figure out what makes you happy and do it!

Perhaps what you love to do involves working with a new technology, or on another team / company, or taking on a new role / career.

It’s likely that, you’ll need to re-train to learn the required new skills, but you should never let something like that stand in your way.

It may take time and effort to change your career, but it is likely that you will continue to under-perform or be unhappy until you start doing something you love.

Are You In The Right Place?

Studies have shown that, usually, a person’s workplace is not the reason they are not moving up – quite frankly, it usually has more to do with them, rather than the place where they work.

But some organizations are better suited for certain career paths than others.

For example, if you’re a computer programmer, your greatest challenge comes from developing new software applications.

If the work given to you is mostly that of maintaining software systems, you may find yourself getting bore as you repeat the same maintenance tasks over and over again.

Does your company have a technology focus?

That isn’t to say that your company needs to be a technology giant or software development company; because we can’t all work for companies like Microsoft, Google or Apple.

Rather, what you should ask yourself is, “does your company recognize the value of technology or leverage it extensively for the day to day operations of their business?“

Do You Have A Career Path?

Everyone wants to have the opportunity to grow in some way in their work.

Even if you don’t want to move into management, you may want to move into a project management role?

Asking yourself what it is you want to do long-term, and then examining whether or not your company is going to be able to help you get there is something everyone needs to do at some point in their career.

In the end, only you can determine what it is that will jump-start your career.

It might take new skills, or new responsibilities, or even a new job altogether, but there’s not much point in delaying the inevitable.

Other challenges may be phrased with questions like “how can I promote myself”, “what should I do in life”, “what career I should choose” because professionals frequently rethink or regret their choices in these areas.

Here are some of the tips for overcoming regrets and getting more control over your career.

BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE

If you have lost your confidence, you can take it back. Irrespective of your profession, you can regain your confidence any time.

Change your statements from “I can’t do it to I can do it or I can at least try“.

Change your statements from “I did wrong to I did better than before and I’ll do better again“

Change your statements from “Will this idea work? to No idea is bad“

You should replace your pessimistic thinking or talking with a more optimistic apprach or conversation.

Think of yourself as a professional in your department and your confidence will start growing.

THINK MORE ABOUT YOUR CAREER OPTIONS

Working at different jobs or roles will help you build a better understanding of your skills, experience or the opportunities out there.

Search for new opportunities and don’t restrict yourself to just one conventional or traditional career. Keep your options open and you’ll succeed at work.

Read this post … “Is Tunnel Vision Killing My Career?“.

Consider working as a volunteer to get different experiences as this will eventually help you decide the best career for yourself.

WORK ON YOURSELF CONSTANTLY

One of the best ways to boost your confidence is by updating your resume each time you complete a project.

The next thing is stay up-to-date with changes in your industry using the internet, journals, electronic papers, online classes etc.

If you are preparing for a job interview, first have an interview session with your self; answering questions like “why do I want this job“, or “why am I qualified to do this job“, etc.

Your answers should reflect a strong self confidence, positive mental attitude and personal competence.

Try to practice quick answers; lasting for not more than couple of minutes.

Talk with yourself in front of the mirror and give these answers.

This will surely help you in your interview and it will eventually increase your confidence as well.

PROMOTE YOURSELF

The only way to be successful in a competitive job market is to market yourself constantly.

People with strong marketing skills get the best jobs even when they are less qualified than others.

One way to market yourself is to make a personal, nice looking, business card which you can distribute.

Also, consider using a blog to showcase your skills and expertise.

Finally, join a local networking group that will help you meet people.

GET YOUR FAMILY TO SUPPORT

Many professionals faces obligations and responsibilities related with their family, culture, religion.

But they often find it difficult to spare more time for either their professional or family obligations.

If you are thinking of putting in the extra work that it takes to reboot your career, you should discuss it with your spouse or children in advance, to avoid creating a lot of stress.

Consider asking your spouse for support, because the extra work you may need to invest in your career, may place a burden on your family.

The sooner you can take an honest look at your career, make an objective assessment of your skills and prospects and make the necessary adjustments, the sooner you will begin to experience a more satisfying career.

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wearing multiple hats gets the job done!

If you react negatively after reading a job description that requires cross functional skills, you may be throwing away a valuable learning opportunity!

Though the thought of working on a challenge outside your immediate area of expertise makes you uncomfortable, it will actually increase your value as a resource.

Information technology (IT) professionals are frequently asked to perform jobs completely different in nature from what they are hired or trained to do.

For example:

• Business Analysts on web development projects may be asked to create cascading style sheets (CSS), design user interfaces (UI) or perform user acceptance tests.
• Software Developers may be asked gather requirements from stakeholders or customers, verify / validate requirements, write Use Cases or create UML documents.
• Project Managers may be asked to design databases, architect software programs, document business requirements or create user interfaces (UI) specifications.
• Database Analysts or Database Developers may be tasked with designing front-end applications or data entry forms used in gathering or collecting data.
• Technical Writers may be tasked with gathering or documenting business requirements even when they have little or no formal training.
• IT Managers may help web development teams debug code, test software products, facilitate meetings or gather requirements.

Don’t reject assignments because you have never done them before or because they have not been formally written into your job description.

A can-do attitude or the willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done, is required for success in today’s competitive workplace.

Why Do Employers Blur Job Descriptions?

Employers want you to develop cross-functional skills because they are short staffed, they want to save money or they want you to be a valuable asset to their organization.

Managers typically do not have the budget that allows them to staff their projects with all the specialized skills the project needs.

So, a good way to win your manager’s favor is to volunteer for tasks beyond your immediate skills or comfort zone, especially in areas where your project is short staffed.

Let’s take a look at the typical web development project which in a perfect world, needs to be staffed with project managers, business analysts, user interface designers, web designers, user experience analysts, data analysts, database developers, database administrators, software developers, web analysts, technical writers, copywriters, network administrators, web writers, software testers and more.

If every web application project is perfectly staffed, web development costs will be prohibitive for most organizations.

Also, staffing each project with all the needed resources may be counter productive because there may not be enough work for each role beyond the life cycle of the current project.

For example, the User Interface (UI) designer’s skills are required at the beginning of a web development project to help with the visual design / layout of the web site / application.

However, once the coding for the project begins, their may not be any use for the User Interface (UI) Designer’s skills until a new web development project is launched.

So, the organization that hires a UI Designer will be forced to fire him / her half-way through the software development life cycle!

As you can see, this approach is not ideal for both User Interface (UI) Designers and Project / Software Development Managers.

Employers solve this type of staffing problem by hiring professionals with cross functional skills!

That is why you may see job descriptions for technical business analysts or job postings that require specialized technical skills (CSS, HTML, User Interface (UI) Design, etc.) even though they are listed for business analyst positions.

The willingness to wear multiple hats is required for success in today’s information technology (IT) industry.

Employers want you to be confident and willing to tackle any challenge thrown your way, even when the problem domain does not lie within your immediate area of expertise.

For example, a Microsoft .NET Software Developer may be asked to write some PHP code or a PHP Developer may be asked to write some Visual Basic/ CSharp (C#) code even when these programming languages are not part of the programmer’s skills.

How To Gain Cross-Functional Skills

Developing cross functional skills, starts by acquiring a lot of new information on a new domain.

Here is some information that can help you in the quest for cross functional skills:

• Start with a Road-map:
  

  Start with a comprehensive road-map or a curriculum that shows you all the lessons, concepts or topics you have to learn in a step-by-step manner.

• Learn More to Earn More:
  

  Identify all the reading resources that you will need to accomplish your learning goals including blogs, videos, textbooks, newsletters, magazines etc.

• Make Daily Progress:
  

  Plan to make consistent, daily progress instead of a strenuous, herculean effort.

  When it comes to learning, winning small daily battles is better than a mad, one-time dash that may end in discouraging failure!

• Get Some Feedback:
  

  Incorporate third-party review or feedback from peers, coaches, instructors, etc.

• Build Your Resume:
  

  Keep in mind that taking on challenges outside your immediate area of expertise, scores points in the eyes of current and future managers.

Keep in mind that wearing multiple hats is an opportunity in disguise.

Acquire a “can do” mindset and live outside the silos or boundaries set by your job descriptions!

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How To Learn .NET Programming In Six (6) Months And Get A Job

[Ask IT Career Coach] is a Career Advice Column for Information Technology (IT) professionals looking for answers to their most challenging career situations …

Submit questions about your career using the [Ask IT Career Coach] service and I will answer it for you just like I am answering this question …

Hi My name is Josh Kemp I am 26 married and self employed currently, I have read almost half of “Learn .Net 3.5 in 24 hours” by SAMs.

I like it so far I’ve also done a very little of python and enjoyed that.

I am going to be done the 3.5 .Net book by July 4th doing a chapter a day after my day job.

I am willing to work hard and study and take your software developer bootcamp.

I like your website I love all the information. When should I take the Software Developer Bootcamp?

After I finish the current book? Where do I go after the Bootcamp?

Is it possibe to land a job here in the Northern Virginia area …I would obviously have less then 2 years experience.

Thank You for your advice, and all the very informative articles. Josh Kemp

Is It Possible To Get An Entry Level .NET Programmer Job In Six (6) Months?

The answer to this question is YES because of the high demand for competent or skilled Microsoft .NET Software Developers in the Information Technology (IT) Industry.

The demand for skilled computer programmers is so high that the US for example uses a unique H1B Visa program to fill Software Developer job vacancies.

Unlike what obtains with other careers, even within the Information Technology industry, a lot of software developer positions go unfilled and to fulfill the backlog of Computer Programmer Job Vacancies, a lot of foreign national are hired to work in the USA as computer programmers every year!

Now I want to stress this … the current demand for skilled computer programmers does not extend to every programming language under the sun.

I mean, some programming languages like Perl, Python, Cobol, Foxpro, Clipper are not in demand.

In other words, you have to choose the right programming languages otherwise you career will end up being as dead as the Dodo.

Even though Microsoft .NET Software Developer Jobs can pay between $60,000 – $100,000 for less than two (2) years of experience, they are still hard to fill because computer programming as a career has been mystified.

It is the misconceptions or myths and the computer programming career that stops people like you from pursuing a rewarding career as a computer programmer …

Do You Believe The Myths About Computer Programming

Do you believe the myths, half truths or outright lies about the computer programming career? They read like this:

1. You need a formal Math, Computer Science or Technology background to become a computer programmer

2. You need to learn computer programming in a formal college environment

3. Computer Programming is difficult to learn because it involves mastering low-level programming languages like C/C++, Assembly Language, etc.

4. All the computer programming jobs in the USA are either outsourced or about to be outsourced

5. It takes years to become a competent computer programmer because mastering programming languages is difficult

6. All programming languages are equal, in other words, it doesn’t matter which programming language you learn

If you think that any of these myths is true, then your career is headed for deep waters.

While these myths may be true for careers in medicine, law, etc. they are not true and they do not apply especially to computer programming careers.

Let me start by debunking these myths one by one.

1. You don’t need a formal math, computer science or technology background to learn programming

   There are lots of computer programmers with Music, Arts, Humanities, Social Science or Business backgrounds because becoming a computer programmer is not tied to understanding computer science but to learning specific software tools like Microsoft Visual Studio or Languages like PHP, C# or Visual Basic .NET or even Office Productivity Tools like Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access!

2. You don’t need to learn computer programming in a formal college environment

   Colleges are focused on teaching the science of computer programming which is not what makes you a computer programmer.

   What makes you a computer programmer is acquiring practical skills & handson experience in specific software languages especially does that are in high demand.

   For example, high school graduate who spends 4 years building websites with HTML, XHTML, CSS, ASP.NET, Csharp (C#) is a computer programmer regardless of the lack of a formal college degree.

3. Computer Programming Is Easy To Learn!

   Back in the days when computer programming languages like C/C++, Clipper, Foxpro, Cobol or even Assembly Language where the only viale options for building software applications, learning computer programming was a long, painful task and the image of programming as a tedious, boring, geeky job was perhaps justified!

   But with the advent of Microsoft Visual Basic and Microsoft Access, computer programming became a fast paced, exciting, cutting edge job.

   Computer Programmers now work on fashionable, high profile projects like designing and coding Blogs, Social Media Networks and E-Commerce Websites.

4. Computer Programmers now have multiple career options

   Computer Programmers may focus exclusively on designing websites using only HTML & CSS, building databases using Microsoft Access, customizing Office Productivity Tools like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) or on building enterprise, highly scalable and reliable websites using ASP.NET, Csharp (C#), Sql Server, HTML, CSS !

   With programming languages like Microsoft C#, ASP.NET and Sql Server, the time to market for Computer Programming Projects has now been shortened to weeks instead of years and competent computer programmers have no shortage of clients, projects, opportunities or work as long as they are willing to work very hard.

5. The Outsourcing of Programming Jobs Is Not An Issue!

   It is true that some companies are outsourcing computer programmer jobs since highly skilled developers in the USA can command as much as six (6) figure salaries.

   However the cost of hiring competent computer programmers living in developing nations is rising because these software developers are either immigrating back to the US or asking for bigger salaries in their home country thereby raising the cost of doing business with them.

   In addition, outsourcing costs are also increasing because US employers have to continue investing in the administrative, project management, business analysis and software testing facilities required to make outsourced projects work.

   And there are several cases where outsourced projects are brought back to the US because the projects were not managed properly because of language, time or cultural differences between how we do do business.

   With all this in mind, the future for computer programmers living anywhere in the world including the United States is bright and the job outlook is comparable or better than what obtains in many other careers.

6. Computer Programming Languages Are Not Equal

   Computer Programming languages are not equal in the number of career opportunities they will provide you with.

   For example, while Mainframe Computer Programmers are currently experiencing a shortage in the demand for their skills, Microsoft .NET Developers with real-world web development expertise are currently in high demand.

   If you don’t waste your time learning languages like Python, Cobol, Perl and instead focus on becoming highly skilled and experienced in Microsoft ASP.NET, Csharp (C#), SQL Server and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET … you will be able to get a well-paying job in the current economy even if you only have six (6) months of experience.

Tips For Getting A Microsoft .NET Developer Job In 6 Months

Here are some practical tips for getting a Microsoft .NET Developer Job with as little as six (6) months of strong hands-on experience:

• First learn everything that you can about these programming languages: Microsoft ASP.NET, SQL Server, CSharp (C#), CSS, HTML, XHTML

• Work on completing at least one (1) Web Development Project started by you or someone else using the programming languages: Microsoft ASP.NET, SQL Server, CSharp (C#), CSS, HTML, XHTML

• Take a lot of practice tests on the following programming languages: Microsoft ASP.NET, SQL Server, CSharp (C#), CSS, HTML, XHTML

• Market your resume to a lot of recruiters and staffing agencies when you start your job search.

  Use a website like Dice.com to research the number of programming jobs in your city and if there isn’t a lot of them, consider relocating!

That is it! Follow these few simple steps to get a Microsoft .NET programming job in as little as six (6) months ...

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This post was submitted by joshkemp.

How To Become A Faster Programmer?

This post answers the question of “how to write or code faster in ASP.NET, C#, .NET Framework or Visual Studio” or any computer programming language.

If you have a question about your computer programmer or software developer career, post it here and I will answer it for you, just like I am answering this computer programmer’s question today!

How To Become A Faster Computer Programmer

Compared to PHP or classic Visual Basic Programming, the .NET Framework (C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET) is a big, enterprise class library.

The sheer size of .NET Framework, makes it hard to master or wrap your head around easily, which can create a feeling of insecurity or instability.

In this post, I will coach on programming practices that will help you write ASP.NET and C# Code faster, resulting in you feeling better or more secure about your programming career!

Coding Under Pressure Will Not Make You Faster!

Your inability to code fast may starts from you not taking the time to study or master the .NET Programming Language before getting a job.

As a result, you are forced to study the programming language at work where you are constantly under pressure to produce results!

Computer programmers with a computer science or engineering degree may fail to master the .NET Framework Programming Language because they assume that their college education is enough for a real-world programming job!

Don’t let your formal education cause you to underrate the complexity of a modern, enterprise programming language like the .NET Framework!

If this describes your situation, STOP whatever you are doing right now and make a concerted effort to study or master .NET Framework for at least 6 months or you will get completely discouraged or even quit altogether because of the complexity of the language!

Staying Ahead Of Technology Will Make You Faster!

While a computer programming career pays well, it is also a fast paced career that is constantly evolving because of new technology.

The only way you can stay ahead of the technology curve, is to develop a reading and studying habit that is second to none.

Listen, regardless of how much pressure you face at work, you will never be able to code code faster or more confidently, if you don’t dedicate a serious amount of time on a daily or consistent basis to mastering the .NET Framework Programming Library!

As a programmer, you are expected to have sharp skills or stay on the edge of the technology curve.

The only way that you will be able to keep up, is to dedicate consistent, serious blocks of time to mastering the .Net Framework Programming Language instead of trying to wing it at work!

Writing More Code Will Not Make Your Faster!

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you can master a programming language like .NET Framework by writing more code or working on lots of projects because you will end up repeating all of your bad coding practices or mistakes all over the place!

It is a mistake to assume that you can just jump into coding with an enterprise programming language like .NET Framework and become a fast programmer without careful thought, planning or taking out the time to study or master the programming language.

Here is my advice; make it your #1 priority (not your #2 or #3) to study everything that you can about the .NET Framework Library.

Keep in mind that this library is large and that there are several parts to it : (CSharp, ASP.NET, .NET Framework, etc.).

Taking the time to master the library used in any programming language will actually help you code faster or better.

Writing more code will not make you a faster programmer. Studying and understanding a programming language to the point where it’s usage is committed to your memory will make you a faster, better and more confident computer programmer!

Taking Lots Of Practice Tests Will Make You Faster!

Here is another technique that will help you learn or master C#, ASP.NET, .NET Framework or any programming language extremely well … practice tests!

Click here to read more about how Practice Tests Can Boost Your Skills

That is why in our Online Software Developers Boot Camp Training, we use Practice Tests to coach or train the software developers enrolled in the program.

Practice tests are useful for boosting your retention, recall and understanding of programming languages and not just for certifications!

So, you have it … how to become a better, more confident or expert programmer!

Follow the coaching advice in this post and your self-confidence will improve as you start writing better, faster code!

Click here to read the original question submitted by Anil titled: “How To Write C#, ASP.NET Code Faster?” or Click Here To Submit A New Question about your Software Developer Career.

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Java, C# or C++, Which Is Better?

Sometimes, you have to look to the past to see the future. To see the future of our more popular programming languages including Java, C#, Visual Basic, C/C++, let’s first review their histories.

Is C/C++ the Best Programming Language?

The C programming language was standardized in the early 70s for the UNIX operating system (and not Windows) by Dennis Ritchie.

In the early 80s Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs invented the C++ programming language as classes that extend the C language.

The C/C++ programming language is primarily used in writing operating systems, video games, device drivers, embedded systems and commercial, shrink-wrapped windows based software programs.

In the MS-DOS or Windows 3.1 era, C/C++ was probably the most capable compiler for developing windows based programs

Is Visual Basic the Best Programming Language?

The folks at Microsoft who were the sharpest minds in the software development business at that time realized that they were not catering enough to hobby or beginner programmers … keeping in mind that Bill Gates started his career as a hobby programmer without any formal computer science college education.

The issue was that working with C/C++ or most of the programming languages in existence at that time, required a strong computer science background or a formal computer science college education and lots of tedious, coding hours.

At that time, programmers had to repetitively code for mundane windows features or behaviors like detecting or responding to keyboard clicks or mouse movements.

So, in keeping with their founder’s (Bill Gates) history, Microsoft decided to do away with a lot of the repetitious, boring coding by developing Visual Basic (VB) 1.0 as a Drag and Drop, User Interface Driven, Rapid Application Development Environment.

VB 1.0 was introduced in 1991 to make computer programming accessible to everyone including hobby programmers, inexperienced software developers, beginners or anyone without a strong, formal, computer science background.

Visual Basic succeeded at making programming fun, less tedious or less expensive by giving programmers an easier, more productive coding environment.

A Paradigm Shift in Computing

Because of Visual Basic, millions of professionals without a formal computer science college education or background could learn how to program or get fun jobs without experiencing the drudgery or pain traditionally associated with programming languages.

Because of this paradigm shift, business owners could bring their windows software projects more quickly to market because the amount of time that programmers spend writing code had been dramatically reduced.

This paradigm shift also separated systems programming for which C/C++ was still the best from windows-based business software development for which Visual Basic was better suited.

What differentiated Visual Basic was its graphical, windows development environment which allowed inexperienced programmers to write less code by dragging or dropping pre-built windows features from a toolbox!

This meant that programmers no longer had to write thousands of lines of code before their software would receive user input in data entry forms, interact with back-end databases or detect and respond to mouse or keyboard actions from users.

Is Java the Best Programming Language?

While Microsoft was busy at work, the Internet appeared as if from nowhere and pulled the rug from other programming languages like Visual Basic and C/C++ which were not designed with the Web in mind.

The question no longer was “can you program in visual basic” but rather “can you program for the web or build a website?“

Sun Microsystems answered that question by releasing Java in 1995 with the intention that unlike Microsoft software, Java programs will run easily on web browsers and is portable to most hardware or software environments.

Java became very popular for many reasons. It was a superior object oriented programming language to Visual Basic which at that time was not object oriented.

Java was easier to code with than C/C++ and Sun designed Java programs so you could port or run them on all sorts of hardware systems unlike Visual Basic or C/C++.

Though Java became popular in the late 90s with experienced programmers, it still lacked Rapid Application Development features just like its cousin C/C++.

Today, Java still does not appeal to inexperienced software developers, beginner programmers or web developers without a strong, formal computer science education.

Java is also not the language of choice for writing web applications or designing websites! Web application development skills are currently more in demand than windows, systems, hardware programming skills.

Is C# the Best Programming Language?

Then Microsoft had another brainwave and released C# in February 13th 2002 which changed the web and windows programming industry again.

Here was a programming language that incorporated the object oriented programming capabilities of Java or C/C+ and the Rapid Application Development environment of classic Visual Basic and at the same time, provided a first-class web programming environment!

With all the facts in this article in mind, here are my recommendations for choosing a programming language.

• Lower Learning Curves Is Good For You

  C/C++ has the highest learning curve (level of difficulty) followed by Java.

  C# is the easiest of the three (3) programming languages to learn because of its Visual or Graphical Programming features and language intellisense, which explains the meaning of programming commands as you type!

  C# also offers a large set of pre-built classes that save you from writing thousands of repetitious lines of code before you read, write or update databases or accept user input.

• Acing Programming Interviews or Finding A Job

  Acing a programming interview or finding a job depends on your mastery of the programming language in question.

  Keep in mind find that mastering C# is easier than learning Java which in turn is easier than learning C/C++.

  Also, C# is preferred to either C/C++ or Java for building web applications.

  This means that if you want a web development career, you will do better to choose C# over Java or C/C++!

• Bringing It To Market Matters Most

  The speed or ease with which you write code determines the time, money or effort required to complete a software development project.

  That is why it takes longer to build websites in C/C++ compared to Java. That is also why C# is easier or most productive for building web or windows applications compared to C/C++ or Java.

  Finally, software development managers are typically more concerned about the ease or speed with which you code than how fast your code runs, keep in mind that C/C++ is the the fastest or how portable your program is: Java is designed with portability in mind.

• Code Potability or Processor Speed Is Irrelevant

  The amount of processing power available to Computer power has been dramatically boosted since the 90s.

  Software programs now run in 4GB to 8GB of memory instead of 256MB.

  Furthermore, computer processing power has grown from 16MHZ to QUAD CORE 2GHZ CPUs.

  So, the speed of your compiled software code is no longer a determining or driving business factor for most software development projects.

  The web / internet removes the need to address the question of code portability because HTML, XHTML and CSS is the native programming language for the web.

  Your Web Software is 100% portable if it emits pure or valid HTML, XHTML or CSS, so saying that Java is portable gets you nowhere!

Please answer the questions below. But before you answer the questions posted below, take a moment to read this article titled: “Is Learning C/C++ Programming Language Good For You?”

Discussion Questions

1. Today, we live in a digital, information rich, mobile, internet era and my first question is: “how relevant is C/C++, Java, C# to the Web / Internet Age?“

2. What is the difference between Operating Systems / Hardware programming and Business Software Application programming?

3. No one programming language is best suited for every project. With this in mind, “what sort of software development project is each of these programming languages best suited for: Java, C#, C/C++?“

This post answers a question posted by Josh on the quickest way to get into a computer programmer career..

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Ask IT Career Coach

This question was posted by a reader who wants to overcome obstacles posed by employment gaps in an Oracle Programming Career!

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Here is the Reader’s Question:

Hello,

The toughest challege facing my career right now is, I have been unemployeed for an extended period of time.

I have nine years of Oracle programming experience, but I have been out of work for some years now.

I have been told by employeers that it has been too long since I have had any professional experience.

The job market is very competitive right now.

How do I compete with other programmers who may not have been out of work as long as I have?

I am attending classes so that I am not completely idle. My major is Computer Information Systems. However, I urgently need to work.

Here is my Answer:

Although, the job market is competitive, getting back into full-time employment after a stay at home period is not impossible.

Follow these guidelines to boost your competitiveness compared to that of other computer programmers.

1. Broaden Your Skills: To stay competitive in the job market, you must broaden your skills because IT Managers are hiring for a broader range of skills!

   Begin by learning those skill that are in high demand and are also a natural complement to your existing skill base.

   For example, SQL Server programming skills are in high-demand and will complement your existing skill sets. By learning SQL Server programming you will be able to target both Oracle Programming Jobs and SQL Server Database Programming Jobs.

2. Transition To a Software Developer Career: Take advantage of your existing programming strengths by learning a new programming language!

   Draw upon your understanding of Oracle programming to learn a completely new programming tool.

   This will help your career by giving you skills that make you more attractive to employers.

   For example, there are lots of programming jobs that require Microsoft .NET Front-End Programming Skills and Oracle Database or SQL Server Back-End Developer Skills.

   By learning Microsoft.NET you will become competitive in the current job market as you gain the ability to work on the User Interface Front-End or Business Logic Layer or Database Back-End!

3. Overcome Employment Gaps By Becoming More Marketable: There is nothing that you can do about your employment gaps because it’s already happened and it is going to stay on your resume!

   However there is plenty you can do if you understand the power of having a marketable skill.

   When you hear employers complaining about the gaps in your employment, what they are really saying is that they don’t find your resume or skills compelling enough!

   You can completely by-pass this objection by acquiring the kind of skills that make you a marketable, in-demand IT Professional.

   This is the single, most important thing within your power to do … Learn a new skill or career that makes you instantly attractive, desirable and employable!

How to Overcome Your Employment Gap?

Not too long ago, I was helping someone who hadn’t worked for a number of years. He was in a pretty bad situation because he had a very short employment history and also an employment gap for no good reason.

The way we got around that situation was by getting him to update his skills by learning Microsoft .NET Software Development.

The demand for Microsoft .NET programmers is so high that this guy got hired at his very first interview … despite not having a credible explanation for the gaps on his resume!

I ‘m saying that considering your Nine Years of Oracle programming experience, all you have to do is to make yourself more marketable.

Remember that you already have a far better resume than the individual in question.

So, How Do You Become A Microsoft .NET Software Developer?

1. You become a Microsoft .NET Software Developer by enrolling at the SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP!

   The software developers boot camp is an Online, Video Based, Web Based, Instructor Led, Beginner to Advanced Software Developer Training that incorporates knowledge based training in the form of Video Lessons and Hands-On Skill Building Microsoft.NET Training in the form of Microsoft .NET Projects, Case Studies, Labs, Hands-On Coding Activities and more.

2. The SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP provides you with the skill needed to become a professional software developer or consultant. You learn ASP.NET, C#, Web-Based development in a practical, real-world, hands-on online computer programming course!

3. Finally, I will also advise you to register for the SQL Boot Camp because SQL Server Database skills are usually required in Microsoft .NET software developer positions. You should register for both the SQL Boot Camp and the Software Developers Boot Camp at the same time to get the best results.

   So, register here for the SQL BOOT CAMP and also register here for the SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP!

This post answers a question posted by a reader on “How To Overcome Employment Gaps in Oracle Programming Career! If you have any Question about your career, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!

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microsoft.net software developer job

This question was posted by a reader who wants to become a Microsoft .NET Developer!

If you need help with a Question or Challenge, be sure to ask it as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering this reader’s question below!

Please, send this post to your friends using “This Link”.

By Sharing This Post you are helping your friends receive valuable information or succeed.

Here is the Reader’s Question:

First, a little bit about myself.

I have been in Information Technology for many years and most of my time was spent in software application development.

I can honestly say that I have truly enjoyed a majority of those years and what I have valued most is working with people and solving their problems.

Building relationships is one of my strengths, although that does not seem like a skill, which one can market.

Challenges facing me:

I am an application developer working with COBOL and VMS skills.

I have some experience with .NET but dont really feel well versed in the technology.

I have taken several training programs but all of them left me wanting. Besides being uninspiring, none of them really knew how to impart knowledge so that an individual could become productive in a short period of time.

Your website seems to indicate that you do know how to do that.

I have also begun to wonder if learning JAVA is the better way to go, since to some degree it is more open than Microsofts .NET technology.

How To Become A Microsoft.NET Software Developer

Passion as a Strength: I am glad you are passionate about your information technology career.

Passionate people are more likely to go out of their way to make their career work and the lack of passion is one of the reasons why people get burnt out or stop producing in their careers!

1. Relationship Building Skills / Strengths: Your relationship building skill is actually a strength that can be marketed. That is one of the things that you learn from SWOT Analysis … “how to take advantage of your strengths by marketing to your opportunities“.

   The reason why it seems that your relationship skills are of little financial value is that you haven’t taken the time to identify or evaluate your opportunities in the light of your strengths.

   If I was to present you with a Cobol / VMS job, you will easily recognize it as an opportunity, because you have trained your mind to look out for or act on Cobol or VMS Job opportunities.

   But if I were to present you an opportunity to profit by exercising your relationship building skills, you may not recognize or act on it because you’ve not trained your mind to do so!

   SWOT Analysis helps you identify your opportunities in the light of your strengths and come up with a plan or strategy for acting on them.

   For example, you may be able to take advantage of or exercise your relationship building skills by referring contacts who need IT Career Advice, IT Coaching or IT Training to our website.

   If you have a really large list of contacts and you are really very skilled at building relationships, you may even go into a part-time or full time IT recruiting career!

   So opportunities to take advantage of your relationship building skills exist, you just have to take the time to properly identify, evaluate and act on them.

2. How to Get Productive IT Knowledge in a Short Period of Time:

   Yes, you are right in saying that our website’s focus is “impacting productive knowledge in a short period of time“!

   Our definition of productive knowledge is practical, hands-on, job or career focused skills that you can put to work immediately you complete training. This is how our training works:

   • Knowledge + Practice Based Online Training:

     Our online training provides you with a blend of knowledge based training and hands-on skill building, practice based training.

     Knowledge based training is the training gained only from watching videos or instructors in a traditional classroom education or information gained just by just a book.

     Knowledge based training alone does not help because you also need practical job-based skills which are gained by working on real-world problems

     So you learn by doing and not just by watching others!

     You learn by doing or practicing what you’ve learned in a course. Our online training incorporates multiple types of hands-on, practical, real-world training.

     What this means to you as a software developer is that you practice writing actual working Microsoft .NET Code in our Hands-On Labs before you perform the same tasks for an employer.

   • Skill Sharpening Online Training: It is not enough to learn a new programming skill, you also need to sharpen your new programming skill to the point where it becomes productive or highly effective.

     In the real-world, IT Managers assign aggressive deadlines to their software development projects and only those Computer Programmers with sharp programming skills are be able to meet those deadlines.

     So, it is not enough to learn the Microsoft .NET Programming Language (ASP.NET, C#, Visual Basic .NET), you also have to be sharp, effective or productive at writing code especially if you intend to transition from being a hobby programmer to a professional Microsoft .NET Developer!

3. Demand for Java versus Demand for Microsoft .NET Programming Skills:

   This is a sensitive question because whenever you compare the demand for a career like business analysis to the demand for another career like computer programming, people’s feelings and emotions get involved, hurt or mixed-up!

   So, I want to preface by answer with this statement: Java and Microsoft .NET are both excellent programming languages because they are both object oriented programming (OOP) languages.

   However if you are looking for a stable, full-time, professional software developer career, I will recommend Microsoft .NET over the Java programming language and here are a few reasons why:

   • High Demand for Microsoft .NET Software Developers:

     The demand for Microsoft .NET computer programming skills is high because there are more Microsoft .NET (ASP.NET, C#, VB.NET) software developer job postings than there are competent or skilled Microsoft .NET computer programmers.

     I have also observed that the demand for Microsoft .NET Programmers jumped in the last five years compared to the demand for Java Programming Skills.

     Previous to that, there was a higher demand for Java Programmers because Microsoft.NET was still relatively new in the market.

   • The Marketing of Microsoft.NET Compared to Java Programming Language:

     Another reason why I recommend Microsoft .NET (ASP.NET, VB.NET, C#) over Java is that Microsoft has been successful at marketing the Microsoft .NET development environment to businesses based on their bigger, better marketing team.

     Now, I am not a blind supporter of Microsoft Tools. I also hate those Microsoft products that have been failures.

     For example, I like PHP while I hate Windows Vista with a Passion

     I also don’t use MSN Search and I use Google Search.

     However, Microsoft .NET Developers have more Career or Job options than their Java colleagues because the Microsoft .NET programming languages has also been extended to other platforms including Microsoft SharePoint (Collaboration, Communication), Microsoft Dynamics (Customer Relationship Management ), Microsoft SQL Server (Enterprise Database Computing), Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word), Microsoft Data Mining, Microsoft Mobile Devices.

   So, by learning Microsoft .NET you hook up your career or job prospects with Microsoft’s product leadership and huge marketing muscle.

   Finally, I recommend Microsoft.NET over Java because it offers you a shorter learning curve and more career prospects or job options.

So, How Do You Become A Microsoft .NET Software Developer?

You become a Microsoft .NET Software Developer by enrolling at the SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP!

The software developers boot camp is an Online, Video Based, Web Based, Instructor Led, Beginner to Advanced Software Developer Training that incorporates knowledge based training in the form of Video Lessons and Hands-On Skill Building Microsoft ,NET Training in the form of Microsoft .NET Projects, Case Studies, Labs, Hands-On Coding Activities and more.

The SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP provides you with the skill needed to become a professional software developer or consultant.

You learn ASP.NET, C#, Web-Based development in a practical, real-world, hands-on online computer programming course!

Finally, I will also advise you to register for the SQL Boot Camp because SQL skills are usually required in software developer positions.

You should register for both the SQL Boot Camp and the Software Developers Boot Camp at the same time to get the best results.

So, register here for the SQL BOOT CAMP and also register here for the SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP!

This post answers a question posted by a reader on “How To Become a Microsoft .NET Software Developer! If you have any Question about your career, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!

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• Become A Leader Coaching - Develop hands-on experience, gain domain expertise, solve industry problems, Stand Up and Be Noticed, market your career using PULL instead of PUSH techniques!

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Ask IT Career Coach

This question was posted by a reader who wants to become a computer programmer!

If you need help with a Question or Challenge, be sure to ask it as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering this reader’s question below!

Please, send this post to your friends using the “Tell a Friend” Button button below. You earn points or cash each time you refer an article to your friends using the Tell a Friend Button.

Here is the Question:

hi

i am 55 yrs old now, and I am more or less retired since the financial crisis hit us last year.

I used to work in a shipping company, in the operations dept.

I am keen to switch to an IT carer, specializing in programming. What are my chances, to build a career in programming so late.

In my younger days in 1985-1986 I took a course in computer science and programking skills langauge used basic and cobol, but i joined my brother in a shipping and forwarding company and have not done any programming.

Here is my Answer:

Let me answer your question by making a bold statement: “it is never too late to pursue happiness!“

Here in the United States we believe that “All Men … are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights … Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness“.

So, if pursuing a career in computer programming represents happiness for you … then do so regardless of your age!

I have worked with skilled computer programmers older than 55 years … one of them being a contract programmer employed by Robert Half International Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the other, a contract programmer at a Loyalty Marketing Firm in Saint Louis, Missouri.

The last time I spoke with either of them, they were in-demand, happy and at the top of their game … their age not withstanding!

But I will give you some additional reasons why “it is never too late to become a computer programmer!”

High Demand For Contract Computer Programmers

I will suggest that you become a computer programmer by first going into contract programming because the demand for skilled contract computer programmers far outweighs their supply!

You can independently verify this fact by looking at the number of contract programming gigs posted in Dice.Com.

Skilled Contract Programmers are so much in supply that you can earn six figures with full-medical, 401K and dental benefits within the first year or two … if you are good!

Age Is Not A Barrier To Freelance Computer Programming Career

The demand for skilled programmers also makes it easy and feasible for you to become a freelance computer programmer

As a freelance computer programmer, you are responsible for finding your own clients, paying your own taxes and benefits while keeping the option of working from your home office or personal business site.

Freelance computer programming is all about talent, skill and performance and not about your age, sex, nationality or education. If you know your stuff and you can promote yourself then you are in business.

So, I suggest that you learn computer programming first and using a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats ) Analysis determine if freelance computer programming is for you.

Age is Not A Barrier To Managing Computer Programmers

If you have learnt computer programming, you may specialize in managing computer programmers or software development projects.

Your age may actually work in your favor if you’ve learnt how to position it as a strength and not a weakness!

You may be hired over younger computer programmers who are sometimes seen as being more arrogant, less likely to stay on a job and less experienced at dealing with people.

One thing you may need to learn is “how to position yourself to employers by emphasizing your strengths!“. So, I would encourage you to spend more time thinking of how your age can be an asset versus how it is a liability!

Sharp Computer Programming Skills In-Demand

The IT Industry values skill-based competency over any other attribute and that goes for computer programming careers too!

If you really want to become a computer programmer, I would advise you to focus all your strength on becoming the best programmer you can be!

While pursuing your programming career, focus on developing a high-level of mastery or competence and get ready to prove it to hiring managers.

If you can prove that you are as good or better than the skill demands for the job, then you will be employed and you will stay employed … it is that simple!

Previous Industry Experience Helps

Here is another reason why your age can be an asset if you learn how to position it correctly using a tool like SWOT Analysis!

You may have an advantage over younger programmers because you have worked in more industries and you are more exposed to how business is done compared to a younger computer programmer who may even be fresh out of college

You should highlight your previous industry experience (you should have a lot by now) and prepare a position statement that points out how your first-hand knowledge of business operations will help a prospective employer!

Given this last example, I hope that I have demonstrated again the value of learning how to position your age as an asset or strength and not as a weakness!

Use Industry Contacts To Your Advantage

Here is another reason why your age can be an asset and not a liability.

Using a SWOT Analysis, you may be able to determine that you have contacts in the industry who can help you get a computer programming job!

This is a reasonable expectation because you probably know more people than a younger computer programmer based on the fact that you’ve worked in more places, been in contact with more people or been around longer

What you need to do, is to learn how to leverage your contacts and existing relationships towards getting a full-time computer programming job, a contract computer programming job or a freelance computer programming job!

How Do You Become A Computer Programmer?

You become a computer programmer by enrolling at the SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP!

The software developers boot camp is an Online, Video Based, Web Based, Instructor Led, Beginner to Advanced Software Developer Training

After you complete your computer programmers training you will get assistance towards pursuing a full-time contract programmer career or a freelance computer programmer career depending on what your SWOT Analysis tells us.

Don’t Worry about this because we will assist you at every stage of your new computer programmer career.

Finally, I will also advise you to register for the SQL Boot Camp because SQL skills are usually required in software developer positions. You should register for both the SQL Boot Camp and the Software Developers Boot Camp at the same time to get the best results.

So, register here for the SQL BOOT CAMP and also register here for the SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP!

This post answers a question posted by a reader on “how to become a computer programmer! If you have any Question about your career, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!

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The Software Developers Internship Coaching Opportunity

About The 2012 Software Developer Internship Opportunity!

Computer programming is one of those few careers that offers you the option to either freelance, get a full-time job or become an independent consultant even when you are really just a beginner!

As a freelance software developer, you may live in the United States, India, UK, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa or any country and work for clients located anywhere on the planet!

There are several specializations available to software developers including Mobile Application Development, Desktop Programming and Web Programming.

As a web developer, you can find a lot of work as long as you have a computer, an internet connection and marketable web development skills.

An online employment job report, finds that while the US economy was struggling to add jobs, the online employment market was experiencing a surge in demand for all types of Information Technology professionals … especially computer programmers.

Note that the freelance software developer job market is weighed in favor of computer programmers with either LAMP Programming Skills: PHP, MySQL, WordPress), .NET Framework Programming Skills: ASP.NET, CSharp (C#), Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), SQL Server Skills or User Interface Programming Skills: HTML, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, JQuery.

The good news is that you don’t need to learn all these programming skills because a software development project will typically only require one type of skillset, either LAMP (PHP, MYSQL, WordPress) or Microsoft .NET Framework (ASP.NET, CSharp (C#) or VB.NET and SQL Server).

How To Become A Full Time Software Developer

Full-time Software Developers may be either independent software development consultants or permanent, full-time programming employees.

As an independent software development consultant, you are employed and paid by staffing agencies to work for multiple employers, one employer at a time.

As a full time software developer you will work for or be paid directly by an employer and not by a staffing agency.

Note that the corporate, full-time or independent software developer employment market is weighed in favor of computer programmers with web development skills in ASP.NET, SQL Server, C# or VB.NET and .NET Framework.

Independent software developers earn a lot more than full-time computer programmers. Here in the US, that difference can be anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 or more!

On the other hand, full-time computer programmers have more stability or security in their careers and are also under less pressure to perform or gain cutting-edge computer programming skills.

The primary difference between freelance web developers and full-time (independent consultants or permanent employees) is that while freelance web developers can work from home, their hourly billing rate is lower and also, they have to work much harder at marketing their skills.

The 2012 Software Developer Internship Opportunity

You understand that every career path in Information Technology (IT) requires handson experience?

The main function of the Software Developer Internship Program is to provide you with software development projects where you can gain practical, real-world, cutting-edge programming exposure or hands-on experience in web development … which is where most of the hiring is taking place right now.

The hands-on project experience can then be used as a stepping stone to a freelance web developer job, an independent software consultant job or a permanent programming job depending on your preferences.

However, you will need to learn either WordPress, PHP, MySQL or ASP.NET, C#, SQL Server before you can participate in the The Software Developer Internship Program because you won’t be to perform the assignments handed to you without requisite, prior training … which makes sense right?

With this in mind, you need to enroll in Software Developer Boot Camp before you are allowed to enroll in the Software Developer Internship Program!

Enrolling In The Software Developer Boot Camp

The Software Developer Boot Camp is where you get the complete, beginner to advanced online training needed to learn ASP.NET, C# and SQL Server Web Development.

The Software Developer Internship Program is reserved solely for gaining hands-on, web development experience after which you can then turn into a full-fledged freelance, independent or permanent web developer.

However, in the Software Developer Internship program, we won’t be training or coaching you on software development because we assume that you are already fully trained and ready to code … does that make sense?

The Software Developer Internship Program is designed to be a 12 to 24 weeks online coaching event where you are assigned about one or two major web development projects that utilize marketable, cutting-edge web development skills.

In the Software Developer Boot Camp you are trained using a suite of software developer practice tests or quizzes which improves your retention, comprehension or recall.

These practice tests are designed to help you ace your job interview for full-time employers or freelance consulting clients.

During the Software Developer Boot Camp, you are also given access to our private coaching module and video-based training, so that all the assistance you need is available once you’re enrolled.

Keep in mind, that the software developer boot camp is also designed to take you from beginner or intermediate programming skills to full-fledged software development skills unlike some of the other courses you may be looking at … which are only good for people who want to learn the basics of computer programming and then tutor themselves the rest of the way!

I would also advise you to ignore those distracting, counter-productive arguments over whether VB.NET is better than C# .

See, if you learn C# really well, you can pick up VB.NET by yourself with no more than a month of extra study and just so you know, we are focusing on C# in the Software Developer Boot Camp.

And as you want to hire us as your career coach, please ignore those endless debates oon the marketability of Java, C/C++, Ruby, Python or Cobol programming languages … click here to read my reviews on why some programming languages may be bad for your career.

However, if you already love programming in Java, C/C+, Cobol, Python, Perl, Ruby, learning C#, ASP.NET and Sql Server cannot hurt your career.

On the contrary, it can help you earn more money, make you even more marketable and secure your career in today’s user-interface web-based world … do you get my point

Only One (1) Pre-Requisite for the Software Developer Boot Camp

Note: If you are interested in becoming a software developer, we require that you enroll in both the the SQL Boot Camp and the Software Developer Boot Camp and take both of these online training programs at the same time!

This requirement was instituted because web development jobs also require strong database development and sql query writing skills since most web applications are database driven.

Software Developer Boot Camp Discounts Ends – Friday, February 3, 2012

Currently, we have a promotion for the Software Developer Boot Camp that ends at 11:59 PM on Friday, February 3, 2012 (CST).

This week, we have a promotion that allows you to enroll in the Software Developer Boot Camp for $1125 and receive an enrollment in both the Sql Boot Camp ($499 value) and the Software Developer Internship Program ($1000).

Click Here to Enroll Now in The Software Developer Boot Camp and you will also receive both the Sql Boot Camp Online Training and the Software Developer Internship Coaching Program FREE (a $1375 discount) … this offer is only valid until 11:59 PM on Friday, February 3, 2012 (CST).

Finally, don’t wait until the last minute because if you miss out, you may not see this opportunity again this year!

Thanks and Best Wishes

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Top Paying Skills in High Demand

HTML programming skills are in high-demand for freelance consulting gigs, web design jobs, web development careers or internet businesses.

HTML web design and programming skills are some of the most frequently asked for skills in out-sourced or freelance computer programming projects.

Why HTML Skills Training?

HTML web design skills are among the most frequently asked for computer programming skills because almost every business has a website that needs to be maintained, redesigned or developed from scratch. In bigger corporations, the HTML web design or development jobs are taken care of by a specialized web design or web development team.

Smaller businesses may not be able to afford a specialized HTML team, so may outsource to freelance HTML specialists or ask the in-house Information Technology (IT) team to handle the HTML tasks.

Because HTML web design skills are classified under light computer programming skills, HTML tasks may be delegated to any member of the Information Technology (IT) team including business analysts, computer programmers or data analysts.

How To Become A HTML Web Designer or Web Developer

The The HTML Practice Tests or Quizzes E-Book is the e-book that provides you with practice tests or quizzes for learning HTML on your own.

The The HTML Practice Tests or Quizzes E-Book includes a HTML E-Book that acts as a reference for learning or working with HTML and several HTML practice tests or quizzes delivered via the Quiz Module on our Learning Management System (LMS).

Bonus HTML Practice Tests Included In the Computer Programmers Book

The Software Developers Boot Camp also includes all the HTML quizzes or HTML practice tests needed to become a HTML web developer. The HTML quizzes included in the Software Developer Boot Camp or the the HTML Practice Tests or Quizzes E-Book are also designed to improve your comprehension, recall or mastery of HTML web design or programming.

… But now, for the first time, we are also providing several of these HTML web design or web development quizzes to past or current buyers of the The Computer Programmers Book (The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers).

Included in the bonus HTML practice tests or HTML training quizzes for all buyers or owners of the Computer Programmers Book are:

• The Bonus HTML Web Design or HTML Web Development Reference E-Book: The bonus HTML web design reference is a downloadable HTML e-book that describes the HTML tags used in web design or web development. To access the bonus HTML web design e-book, go ahead and place an order for The Computer Programmers Book – The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers

• The Bonus HTML Web Design Practice Tests or HTML Web Development Quizzes:  The bonus HTML Quiz training sessions are delivered via a private, secure, personal login to our training portal or learning management system (LMS).  To access the bonus HTML Web Design Practice Tests or HTML Web Development Quizzes, go ahead and place an order for The Computer Programmers Book – The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers

How To Become an HTML Web Designer or HTML Web Developer

HTML is a light programming skill that may be learnt or mastered by anyone who wants to learn the basics of web development or master one of the most frequently asked for freelance computer programming skills. The way to learn HTML easily is to REPEATEDLY practice the HTML SYNTAX until HTML becomes second nature to you. That is exactly what the bonus HTML REFERENCE E-BOOK and HTML QUIZZES will do for you.

To learn more about how Quizzes or Practice Tests help you develop technical mastery or competency, click here.

Who Gets The Bonus HTML Training Lessons?

The bonus HTML Practice Tests will be delivered to all buyers (past, current or future owners) of the The Computer Programmers Book – The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers.

Note: that if you are subscribed to the Software Developers Boot Camp, then you already have access to the complete set of video training, practice tests or quizzes, software developer mentoring or coaching and hands-on programming projects and this announcement does not affect you.

How Do You Get The Bonus HTML Training Gift?

Go to this link and place an order now for The Computer Programmers Book – The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers and you will be given access to both the HTML REFERENCE E-BOOK and BONUS HTML PRACTICE TESTS or QUIZZES.

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Top Paying Skills in High Demand

CSharp (C#) software developers with as little as six months of computer programming experience can get full-time jobs, consulting or contracting positions from any state, province or city.

C# developer salaries range from $60,000 to six figures. Though, six figure salaries are more common for C# software development consultants than full-time employees, they are still available for really good C# developers.

Why CSharp (C#) Skills Training?

C# programming skills are by far the top-paying, in-demand computer programming skill. C# programming skills are in-demand in most cities or states because it is a modern, object oriented programming languages (OOP).

C# is used in software development projects for a wide number of Microsoft or Windows products (SQL Server, Microsoft Access, ASP.NET, Microsoft Office, Web Development with ASP.NET, Microsoft SharePoint for Collaboration, Document Sharing and Intranet Development and a wide number of other products.

The C# programming language also supports mobile or PocketPC development and Windows or Desktop development. The demand for C# programming skills is still high even in the current economic climate … a fact you can verify on Dice or Monster or CareerBulder or any of the top job sites

How To Become A C# (CSharp) Computer Programmer

The The Computer Programmers Book – The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers is the e-book that provides you with a blueprint for learning C# (CSharp) programming or studying the C# programming language on your own.

If you prefer a step by step, in-depth, video training from C# instructors, then the The Software Developers Boot Camp will be better suited for you.

Bonus C# Lesson Included In the Computer Programmers Book

The Software Developers Boot Camp includes C# quizzes, C# video training and hands-on C# projects. The C# quizzes help sharpen your software development skills quickly. The C# Quizzes are also designed to improve your comprehension, recall and retention of the C# video training sessions.

However, we are now adding one of the C# quizzes from the Software Developer Boot Camp to past or current buyers of the The Computer Programmers Book (The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers).

Included in the bonus C# lessons for the past or previous owners of the Computer Programmer Book are:

• A Bonus C# Lesson Summary: The bonus C# Lesson is an electronic downloadable lesson that summarizes a C# video presentation from The Software Developers Boot Camp. It includes a summary of the C# video lesson presented at the Software Developers Boot Camp on a C# learning topic or concept

• A Bonus C# Software Based Quiz Practice Session:  The bonus C# practice test or quiz is adapted from the C# video presented at the software developers boot camp. The bonus C# lesson also includes a private, secure, personal login to our training portal or learning management system (LMS) and a C# quiz that you use to perfect your understanding or mastery of some C# topics.

How To Become an Expert C# Software Developer Easily

The way to become an expert C# software developer easily is to practice your C# programming skills repeatedly until the C# skill becomes second nature to you. That is exactly what the bonus C# lesson and skill development session will help you to do.

To learn more about how quizzes or practice tests help you develop mastery or competency, click here.

Who Gets The Bonus C# Training Lesson?

The bonus C# training will be delivered to all buyers (past, current or future owners) of the The Computer Programmers Book – The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers.

Note: that if you are subscribed to the Software Developers Boot Camp, then you already have access to the complete set of video training, practice tests or quizzes, software developer mentoring or coaching and hands-on programming projects and this announcement does not affect you

How Do You Get The Bonus C# Training Gift?

Go to this link and place an order now for The Computer Programmers Book – The Street Smart Guide To High Paying Computer Programmer Careers and you will be given access to both the C# lesson training lesson and C# skills practice sessions.

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• Business Analyst Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Business Analyst Video Training


• SQL Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Hands On, SQL + RDBMS Video Training


• Software Developer Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Software Developer Video Training


• Data Analysts Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Hands On, Data Analyst Video Training


• Get Hired Fast - Online, Web Based, Resume + Job Search + Interview Video Training


• Become A Leader Coaching - Develop hands-on experience, gain domain expertise, solve industry problems, Stand Up and Be Noticed, market your career using PULL instead of PUSH techniques!

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No doubt you already know how the recession affects the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Unemployment Rate or Stock Market. So, I won’t waste your time by repeating all that bad news.

What I would talk about is what really matters:”how you or your loved ones can protect your finances by staying employed in this recession!“

The best way to keep your job in a recession or to find a new job easily is to become “The Most Over Qualified, Under Paid Professional” on your team.

Here is why becoming over-qualified and under-paid work hand in hand to protect your career:

1. The Least Qualified Professionals Are Laid-Off In A Recession:The employees at risk of being down-sized are the least valuable professionals (business analysts, software developers, etc.) on the team.

   The least valuable professionals are the least effective, productive, skilled, trained or experienced people on their jobs.

2. The Most Over Paid Professionals Are Laid-Off In A Recession:The other type of employee at risk of being down-sized are the over paid software development professionals (project managers, web designers etc.).

   The over paid information technology (IT) professionals typically earn far above their contemporaries with the same skill sets or far above the historical costs associated with a position in a specific business. Firing over paid workers qualifies as cost savings for managers concerned about cutting payroll costs in a recession.

3. The Better Qualified, Least Paid Employees Keep Their Jobs In A Recession:

   The employees who keep their jobs or get hired easily in a recession … are the better trained, highly skilled and relatively inexpensive employees.The employees who advance their skills though hard work and training without always asking for more money … tend to stay employed even during recessions.

The Secret To Staying Employed Even In A Recession

The best way to stay employed especially in a recession … is by training to “become the best skilled person … and not the best paid!”

You need to cultivate the attitude of champions … “who train daily to be the best!“.Champions do not obsess about money! Champions understand that … proving their mettle is the only thing that really matters!

Champions are rich, famous and successful … because they ignored the pursuit of money … to become the best

So, will you accept this challenge: “to recession proof your career” … by training to become the best or are you going to leave your career at the mercy of the coming financial storm?

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• Business Analyst Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Business Analyst Video Training


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• Software Developer Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Software Developer Video Training


• Data Analysts Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Hands On, Data Analyst Video Training


• Get Hired Fast - Online, Web Based, Resume + Job Search + Interview Video Training


• Become A Leader Coaching - Develop hands-on experience, gain domain expertise, solve industry problems, Stand Up and Be Noticed, market your career using PULL instead of PUSH techniques!

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How you value knowledge tells me a lot about who you are … because knowledge capital is the most important resource in any organization.

In the digital age, what makes one employee more valuable than the next employee is simply stated … the amount of knowledge, skill, expertise, training and learning they have managed to acquire and put to use.

Now, managers are not interested in employees that know it all … only in employees that constantly put their knowledge capital to work by solving corporate problems or challenges … those employees are the gold mines in any organization.

Now, think about it for a moment, if you are a trained, knowledgeable, competent, skilled Information Technology (IT) professional, your resume would display your accomplishments, success stories, skills, training and technical mastery. And because you have all these, you can send your resume anywhere in the the world … and be instantly hired! … just because you are very good at why you do … and you can prove it!

The singular reason why you, as an IT professional may feel undervalued or wasted in your career is that for some unknown reason … you have made the unconscious mistake of not investing enough of your personal time in improving your skills!

Here is why technology or software development professionals lag behind in their career:

Managers Have A “Show Me Proof” Mindset:

Managers tend to follow a show me proof strategy .. .simply put, you have to demonstrate that you have acquired or mastered a new skill … before you will get a break or the next promotion on the job. So, your manager will pay you more money when you show tangible proof that you have learnt a new skill, you have attended a new training or course, you have mastered a new technology or software development process like UML, Use Cases, Requirements Analysis or Object Oriented Software Development.

Without tangible proof that you are constantly improving or learning … you may not only be bypassed for new or important opportunities, you will also be more likely than others to be back-burned or fired in a recession.

Adult To Adult Relationship:

Several years ago, I was hired first after college into a Fortune 500 company as a Process & Technology manager. During the employee training sessions, I heard a great word that has stuck with me throughout my career … that word is “Adult – To – Adult Relationship“.

What that word really means, is that your employer wants to forge a new relationship with you, where you are treated as partner or co-business owner even though on paper .. you are just an employee. In the light of this, your employer wants you to take personal responsibility for your career, personal development, initiative or the contribution only you can make to the company … and that is where you may miss the boat!

Taking personal responsibility for your career means that you need to sit down and draw up a career roadmap of where you want to go in the next 1 year, make a detailed career plan for achieving your career roadmap … and then follow through.

You need to specify how long it will take you to master each skill or competency needed to perform your job 1 year from now and then personally ensure that you acquire the knowledge, expertise, skills, training or experience needed.

Some employees fall off the grid at this point by making the mistake of waiting on their manager to take personal responsibility for their IT Training and skills development.

You Are Only As Valuable As What You Know:

In today’s competitive digital economy, nobody gets ahead based on their good looks or their family connections or the type of college they attended! Even if you manage to get your foot in the door by “repeating the name of your alma mater three times” at the interview or getting your dad or mum to pull some favors for you … you will only last as long as the next round of corporate cost reduction / cost cutting a.k.a downsizing / layoffs.

So, there is no getting around it, you simply have to know what you are doing or strive to be the best on your job or just simply play the sorry, loser on your team … the butt of off-handed, not so subtle remarks on the need to shape up or shape out.

So, what is a knowledge worker to do?

The Attitude Of A Knowledge Worker:

Start by recognizing that knowledge is one of the core prerequisites for wealth, personal empowerment and career advancement. Tell yourself this “without knowledge I bring nothing to the table , no usefulness to my team or manager and therefore I may not have a job … and you will being to get the big picture.

To Be The Best:

Accept the challenge to be the best … you simply must accept the challenge to be the best at what you do, whether you are a business analyst, a computer programmer, a project manager, database developer or you wear a myriad of hats on the job!

The problem with individuals who do not accept the challenge to be the best on the job is that, they constantly allow themselves to under-perform because they don’t hold themselves to a high-standard! This may be due to a poor self-image or a feeling of incompetency or a “I could never be that good” mindset.

Unfortunately, this has a way of proving itself right. If you lower the bar for yourself, you will fulfill the expectations set for under-performers or inevitably shoot yourself in the foot. The saddest part of it is that you cheat yourself by losing out on the opportunity to discover that you are in your own unique way, a gem, a virtuoso, a top performer … who can achieve just like anyone else!

Take Your Training:

You have heard it all … you are only as valuable as the knowledge you bring to your team or manager … take personal responsibility for your career development … accept the challenge to be the best at what you do … so, what next?

No one ever achieved anything much without the help of other people … that is why I’m referring you to these great resources for becoming the best, the most competent professional, the top dog and not the under dog on the job!

We are now accepting registrations for the next batch of INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BOOT CAMPs … Early Bird Registration Discounts Are Available … Register Now And Use This Discount Code: EarlyBirdCoupon For A Special Discount

To Register for the Business Analyst Boot Camp Training … Click Here:
To Register For SQL BOOT CAMP Training (Database Developers, Data Analysts Or SQL Programmers) … Click Here
To Register For Software Developer Boot Camp Training … Click Here.

In addition, if you haven’t already done so, read How To Learn Or Master Computer Programming Fast – Book OR How To Learn Or Master Business Analysis Fast – Book.

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• Data Analysts Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Hands On, Data Analyst Video Training


• Get Hired Fast - Online, Web Based, Resume + Job Search + Interview Video Training


• Become A Leader Coaching - Develop hands-on experience, gain domain expertise, solve industry problems, Stand Up and Be Noticed, market your career using PULL instead of PUSH techniques!

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If you want to excel in an information technology career, you need to make a career plan or plot a career road map 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

4. Coaching or Mentoring

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 commitments 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, target="_blank"
title="contact the author">click here to get in touch with me.

What Is The Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career?

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ABOUT TRAINING & COACHING COURSES

• Business Analyst Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Business Analyst Video Training


• SQL Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Hands On, SQL + RDBMS Video Training


• Software Developer Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Software Developer Video Training


• Data Analysts Boot Camp - Online, Web Based, Instructor Led, Hands On, Data Analyst Video Training


• Get Hired Fast - Online, Web Based, Resume + Job Search + Interview Video Training


• Become A Leader Coaching - Develop hands-on experience, gain domain expertise, solve industry problems, Stand Up and Be Noticed, market your career using PULL instead of PUSH techniques!

Visit our Shopping Cart