
Cowboy Coder Or Agile Programmer
Are You A Cowboy Coder Or Agile Software Developer?
Software Developers facing a new programming project sometimes start coding before thinking through or planning an approach.
Coding without first planning or thinking through is a programming method known as cowboy coding.
Cowboy coders approach work with the mindset of coding without estimating or planning.
And they are at a complete lost when the results achieved by their cowboy coding tactics does not meet expectations.
Cowboy Coding Is Dead, Long Live Cowboy Coding
While many programmers publicly ridicule cowboy coding, they privately practice cowboy coding because it is the easier thing to do.

Learn Hot Programming Languages
Learning new software development languages can be fun.
That is one of the reasons why software developers like their careers … they get to learn or solve problems with new software development languages.
However, learning a software development language is a real-world exercise because programming is learnt by doing.
That’s why computer programmer job interviews are designed to test practical programming skills or abilities.
Apparently, some college graduates have a hard time grasping this concept because they seem clueless on how to get a programming job despite their computer science degrees!

Choose a Freelance Career
This question was posted by Mallory who needs advice on “how to begin a freelance software developer career!”
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 Mallory’s questions below!
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learning multiple programming languages?
This question was posted by a reader who needs advice on
“how to learn many programming languages!”.
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!
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Become A Leader-Get The Job You Want!
Become a Leader And Get The Job You Want!
Getting a job by sending out resumes to employers is known as the push method because it depends on you pushing the employer to hire you!
The problem with the traditional method of getting a job is that everyone who is out-of-a-job is probably doing the same thing … pushing their resumes to hiring managers or employers!
Getting hired in a competitive job market doesn’t mean … “do what other job applicants are doing” … it means “do more than your competition!“

Ask IT Career Coach
This question was posted by a reader who needs advice on “what to do about making wrong career choices”.
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!
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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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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!

Beat the Recession
You’ve got a
college degree, a
good looking resume and an
impressive listing of Information Technology (IT) skills but can’t seem to find an IT
job.
Finding a Job doesn’t have to be a traumatic, nerve racking or frustrating experience filled with rejection, fear and pain!
Just follow this article series to find out what’s wrong or get back in control of YOUR job search.

Ask IT Career Coach
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 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 Reader’s Question:
First, a little bit about myself.

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

Ask a Burning Question
This post answers a reader’s question about how to become a competent or highly skilled software developer.
If you have a Burning Question or a Challenge you need help with, be sure to ask your question as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering the question below!
Finally, don’t forget to participate in the “Tell a Friend” program because you earn either points or cash each time you refer an article to your friends using the Tell a Friend Button.
Here is the Burning Question:
Hello Kingsley,
In the computer programming industry, experience is King.
Real world, hands on, practical programming experience is valued more than computer programming certifications, software development diplomas or even programming job titles.
What you know is much more important than how you obtained the knowledge!
The next time you read a computer programming job description and you feel overwhelmed by the list of degrees or certifications required, just remember that the job market for computer programmers is not really that formal.
Hi,
Do you want to learn the C++ programming language or become a C/C++ computer programmer?
Have you ever asked this question? which programming language is the most complex and challenging?? and received the answer C++?
If you answered yes, you are not alone. About 13 years ago, I asked my mentors in computer programming which programming language is the hardest, toughest, most difficult to learn? And got the reply C++. I asked the question because I badly wanted to become a successful programmer. So, I reasoned that if I could prove myself by conquering the hardest programming language, my success in computer programming would be guaranteed.
A few days ago, I granted an interview to a student writing a research paper on The job of a computer programmer. During the interview, I was given ten questions to answer about careers and jobs in computer programming. I’ve decided to post my replies, since a lot of people will benefit from it. You will find this entire interview interesting.
Please read it for your own benefit.
1. How did you get into the field of computer programming?
Who is a contract programmer?
A contract programmer is a software developer who is paid an hourly rate for working on special software development projects for a period. Contract computer programmers are not paid salaries like full-time developers but hourly wages.
Contract programmers tend to be very project focused because they are hired to solve specific problems or code specific features and as soon as that is done, they have to move on to another project or find a new client.
Do you realize that you don’t have to be a computer programmer to be involved with software development?
Does this statement sound strange coming from a software developer coach?
If you think that my job is to get you into software development or to get to you to the top of your software developer career, you are partially right.
My job as a coach is to help you succeed by providing you key information that will save you a lot of time, a lot of pain and a lot of money.
One of my blog readers emailed me the question below about the feasibility of changing careers to computer programming in Malaysia.
Question:
Hi,
I am 34 years old, currently working as an electronic technician and am thinking of a career change and take up programming as a career.
I am interested to know if you have come across anyone like in my situation from Malaysia who has done your course and managed to get a job as a computer programmer?
What are the computer programming career challenges, issues and problems facing you today?It’s time to have your tough, important and difficult questions on your programming career answered.
To make myself clear, let’s go over some typical programming career questions. You may ask any of these or another more urgent and critical programmer questions.
- How do I study difficult computer programming books?
- How do I overcome the fear of programming interviews?
- How do I succeed at programmer interviews easily?
- How do I transition to becoming a contract computer programmer?

Resume Writer
You won’t have believed me if I told you.
But now You, Oh Yes You, are beginning to realize it.
Your resume is the reason why you can’t get a programming interview despite your best efforts.
And when you talk to recruiters, Oh My, Do They Give You A Run Around!
Someone should have been kind enough to tell you that your resume is killing your career!
You send your resume to soooo many employers and then sit back for phone calls that never happen.
Well, you asked me to come up with a way to make computer programming less difficult, more rewarding and more meaningful.
I just did!
Starting from now until Wednesday Midnight CST, I am launching the new “Software Developers Online Coaching Service” with a 48 Hour Special to accelerate your learning and help you achieve your programming goals.
Whether you desire a lucrative programming gig, or you want to become a better programmer or learn programming as a means to more personal wealth, freedom and satisfaction, discover your answer here: IT Career Coaching.
I’m still taking questions from my readers. Today’s question is about finding entry level computer programming job working with the Java programming language. Here’s the rest of my reader’s question:
Dear Mr. Tagbo,
I am sending you this e-mail to ask you if there will be any jobs available in the spring starting April 2007 because I am interested in becoming a Computer Programmer.
One of my personal strengths and experiences so far is tutoring other students at my former school in Algebra Math, and doing favorably well in a Java Programming course.
A few days ago I asked you to email me your questions about beginning your programming
career. Some of you between 30 and 40 years old wanted to know if their age will stop them from getting hired by employers.
Here are my career success tips for beginning a programming career when
you are over 30 years.
-
The golden rule for career success in computer programming. Take a pen and write this down. In the computer programming industry, employers and hiring managers will judge you by
href="http://www.it-career-coach.net/book/" target="_blank">“how you perform on the job”. And not by your skin color, your sex (male or female) and certainly not by your age.