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.

Hands-on Experience Is The Key To Landing Good Jobs!

Once a computer programmer with marketable programming skills gains handson experience by building real-world, practical applications, he or she is virtually guaranteed not just any type of job … but a portable, marketable, high-paying professional career as a software developer!!

Why? Because in the software development industry, Experience is King!.

Real world, hands on, practical, computer programming experience is valued more than computer programming certifications or even computer science diplomas or college degrees!

With that in mind, a promotion that allows you to enroll in our 2012 Software Developer Internship Program ($1000) + SQL Boot Camp Online Training ($499) + Software Developer Boot Camp Online Training ($1000) for only $1125 Ends Today!

How Do You Get A Software Developer Internship?

This is how you can land yourself a Software Developer Internship opportunity:

1. Start by learning marketable programming skills:

   Internships opportunities go to those with marketable computer programming skills.

   So, if your programming skills are out of alignment with the business needs of employers, you are out of luck.

   Demonstrate a high level of commitment to your career by learning how to program first before looking for how to get paid.

   Software Developer Internships are hard for those who want to be paid first before they learn how to code, get it?

2. Next, build practical, real-world software applications:

   Internship opportunities do not go to those who have not first taken the time to learn or master a programming language.

   In other words, internships are for putting the knowledge and skills that you’ve acquired to work and not for learning how to code!

3. Finally, get yourself a good programming job:

   Software developers who first take the time to learn valuable programming skills and then build a portfolio of web / software applications will get a job because they have fulfilled the major requirements for getting hired!

The demand for skilled computer programmers far outstrips the supply of skilled talent available.

The demand is so high that you are virtually guaranteed a good job when you fulfill the requirements I just mentioned.

A software development internship will help you land a good programming job, keeping in mind a few things:

1. The purpose of a software development internship is to provide you with guidance, mentoring, coaching or feedback as you build real-world, practical software applications, products or services.

2. Though software developer internships are helpful for landing good jobs, they are still very competitive or hard to get.

3. 
   Click here to Read More about the “2012 Software Developer Internship Opportunity”
   

Announcing the Software Developer Internship Program

With all this in mind, we are announcing our Software Developer Internship program for 2012:

1. Computer programmers: who want to build hands-on software development experience in marketable computer programming skills.
2. Web developers: who want to be mentored, coached, guided or advised on how to build practical, real-world software applications.
3. Information Technology (IT) professionals: who want to build a portfolio of database driven web-based applications from beginning to end..

Enrolling in the software developer internship program means that you work on projects like:

• Building Database Driven Websites using ASP.NET, C# and SQL Server.
• Developing font-end, user-driven websites using HTML, CSS, JQuery and Javascript.
• Hosting websites on .NET Framework (ASP.NET, C#, SQL Server and Windows).

Special Pricing Discount – Enrollment Starts Now!

The Software Developer Internship Program is an exclusive program that is designed for computer programmers who want to develop hands-on experience by building practical, real-world applications.

The special pricing for the Software Developer Internship program is set at $1000 for a limited time!

However, if you signup for the Software Developer Boot Camp before midnight Today (11:59 PM on Friday, February 3, 2012 (CST)) you will get a complimentary one-time, $1375 discount and be enrolled in both the Software Developer Internship program ($1000) and SQL Boot Camp ($499) and Software Developer Boot Camp ($1000).

Click here to enroll for the Software Developer Boot Camp + SQL Boot Camp + Software Developer Internship Program ($1375 discount) by making a $1125, one-time payment … this offers expires on Midnight of Friday, February 3, 2012 (Central Standard Time).

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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.

Look around you for cowboy coders. They exhibit some of the following tell-tale signs:

1. They do not estimate the work required for a software development project before coding because that is too difficult or unnecessary for them

2. They hack away at code instead of taking time to find the best algorithmic or coding approach for solving a programming challenge

3. They frequently under-estimate the complexity of software development projects and so they work late nights, weekends or even holidays in a bid to catch up with late deliverables

4. They dislike working with system architects, business analysts and project managers because the only work that matters to them … is that of writing code

5. They can’t find time to sharpen or improve their programming skills because all their time must be spent on coding

6. They get stuck in their code or hit dead walls because they under-estimate the complexity or difficulty of working with technology

7. Cowboy Coders get frustrated because their programming projects always seem to take a longer time to market than they estimated.

   Unable to see the complexity of their code ahead of time, they are stumped when their efforts fail to produce working software on time or under budget.

8. Cowboy Coders bite off more than they can chew by embarking on projects that are too large for such tactics.

   Since they do not take time to understand the complexity of their code, they are also likely to under-estimate the time or effort required.

9. Cowboy Coders develop poorly designed, buggy, unreliable software because of a lack of proper architecture and a lack of a software development methodology

10. Cowboy Coders produce poor quality software because of a lack of unit testing skills or good co-ordination with other software testers or quality assurance professionals

We Are Cowboys

Despite the superiority of iterative, agile or even Waterfall software development, Cowboy Coding is very much alive and well … and here are the reasons why:

• Software Developers resort to cowboy coding because structured software development including Agile or Waterfall methods requires more thinking and planning skills from the developers.

• Formal software development practice is more of an art than a science.

  And it requires additional formal training, education or discipline beyond that of just learning a programming language.

• Agile or waterfall software development methods places an initial burden or responsibility on the programmer to think or plan their work first before coding.

  This goes against the natural habit of undisciplined cowboy coders.

• Asking cowboy coders to go Agile hurts their feelings because it suggests that they cannot instantly, easily or intuitively come up with the best code for a programming challenge

• Agile and Waterfall software development methods require more planning, design and architecture skills which are harder to come by or less intuitive than simply coding before thinking or cowboy coding.

Developers Go Agile!

Why the Waterfall model may seem like the next step up from Cowboy Coding, I recommend that developers bite the bullet and go agile for the following reasons

1. Faster Time To Market:

   Agile developers work for their clients or customers.

   Agile Software Development helps you get the most important features to market first knowing that about 60% of software features are never used.

2. Customer As King:

   Agile software developers work for the customer and not for the development process.

   They are empowered to focus, respond and adapt to the customer’s needs with the end goal of giving the customers what they want!

3. Agile Project Management:

   Agile project managers focus on the current iteration or use it to make better estimates for the next one.

   Agile software developers have better, more realistic or more accurate project plans to work with because they are only tasked with producing working software for the current iteration and not for the entire project at once!

4. Agile Software Testing:

   Agile software testers work with software developers to produce high-quality software a the end of each iteration instead of waiting for the entire project to complete before testing!

   Testing for bugs at the end of each iteration, reduces the chances of producing unreliable, buggy software at the end of the entire project unlike the waterfall model.

Case Study: An Agile Developer Breaks The Cycle Of Unemployment

Here is a real-life case study of how I helped a C/C++ programmer break the cycle of un-employment using Agile Programming techniques.

Un-employed C/C++ Programmer

Sometime ago, I was approached by a C/C++ programmer with a college degree who had been unemployed for a couple of years.

Transition From C/C++ Programming

Instead of just re-writing the programmer’s resume, I counseled the C/C++ programmer to learn a new programming language and database platform from scratch.

Agile Hands-ON ExperienceFor acquiring hands-on experience in the new programming language, I gave the C/C++ programmer an iterative software development project to build from scratch.

I also tasked the programmer with building a working release of the project very early in the lifecycle and then presenting that to hiring managers immediately.

Guess what happened, including the agile development experience in a resume, got the developer hired in the very first job interview and with only 1 month of software development experience in a new programming language!

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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!

So, what do I advise?

1. Practice as you learn – at the software developer boot camps, graduated hand-on assignments allow software developers to practice solving programming problems.

2. Solve real world problems – Find a small, real world programming challenge and solve it. Solving real world problems improves your analysis, design and project management skills.

3. Ask for help – Get help from skilled programmers. Don’t spend weeks sweating the small problems when an e-mail to a coach, mentor or colleague will do.

   Note: One-on-one private coaching is included in the software developers boot camp as part of the training. Click here for more information

Some tech workers still see programming as being difficult because they are unable to work through difficult programming problems by themselves. I argue that learning new programming languages is not difficult!

Register today and get an additional, free training program as part of our 2 for 1 promotional discount which ends this week!

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learning multiple 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!

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 Challenging Situation:

I want to learn many programming languages including C/C++, Java, PHP and Microsoft .NET Framework because this will make be very good at programming and employable.

What do you suggest? Are there languages I should learn first or not learn at all?

What’s the best way to go about learning many programming languages?

How To Learn Multiple Programming Languages

There are benefits and challenges to learning many programming languages. Sometimes it’s better to master just one programming language and some other times it’s advantageous to learn more !

Learning many programming languages poses a special challenge. Part of this challenge is remembering the syntax or coding paradigms behind each programming language.

The challenge of devoting the time it takes to learn or master just one programming language should not be under-estimated.

On the other hand, the benefits of successfully learning many programming languages includes having more employment options because you can work on a wide variety of software developemnt platforms.

Here is additional guidance on when you may learn multiple programming languages:

Should Junior / Entry-Level Programmers Learn Multiple Languages?

If you’re just starting your programming career, then I would advise you to focus on learning just one programming language at a time.

This is because there’s little to be gained by listing many programming languages on your resume without really being good or highly skilled in any of them!

As a general rule, it’s far better to learn one programming language and master it well before learning other programming languages.

Beginner, Entry Level, Junior or Hobby Programmers are more likely to fall into the trap of learning on too many programming languages.

They are likely to dabble in multiple programming languages ranging from PHP to C/C++ to Java. Unfortunately, while they may learn a little of each programming languages they are good at none!

The danger facing newbies to computer programming is that they understimate their own powers and the challenges of learning a programming language. So, in a bid to prove themselves, they bite on more than they can chew!

Without a lot of programming experience, newbie computer programmers really have no idea of what they’re trying to accomplish.

In trying to impress others by working on many programming languges, they end up “A Jack of All Trades and Master of None”.

Should I Learn A Software Development Platform?

On the other hand, while beginner programmers should not worry about learning many programming languages, they should learn or master all the programming languages for a platform, one at a time.

For example, if you’re learning PHP, you should also plan to learn MySQL and vice versa.

The reason is because, employers or clients hiring for PHP skills will also expect or need MySQL Database Services.

Another example is that of programmers learning .NET Framework who should plan on learning the entire Microsoft .NET Software Platform including ASP.NET (for building web applications), SQL Server for building Databases and C# or Visual Basic for programming.

Should I Mix and Match Programming Languages?

Programmers should look out and learn other technologies within their familiar programming languages.

For example, both PHP Programmers and ASP.NET Programmers should take the time to learn or master HTML, CSS and JavaScript as these are useful for all programmers.

However, learning PHP and then jumping to Java or C/C++ is a different matter altogether.

Here is “how to to learn many programming languages”:

1. Learn programming languages one at time.

2. Master, become highly competent or become an expert at one programming language before attempting to learn another.

3. Learn all the tools, technologies and programming languages in one family (LAMP, MICROSOFT.NET, JAVA) first before switching tracks.

4. Employers hire for quality (competency) and not quantity. So, be clear to yourself on why you’re learning many lanaguages!

5. Learning many programming languages requires dedication and time. So, be sure to plan adequately and budget the right amount of effort or time to your learning. Don’t under-estimate the required effort.

6. If you’re a skilled developer or a senior programmer or a software architect, there may be some good advantages and fewer risks to you branching out and learning many other languages.

This post is an answer to a “question on how to learn multiple programming languages.
If you have a question, concern or challenge, click here to post it and I will answer it for you!

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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!“

Stand-Out and Be Noticed!

You need to raise the bar higher by getting employers to notice you or call you with job offers! This is also known as the pull method.

It’s an enviable position to be in … to have jobs referred to you instead of you chasing after them.

I’ve had that happen to me, it’s happening for others and it can happen for you too!

Are you Getting Noticed?

You need to attract the attention of employers by taking actions that get you noticed or make you stand-out in comparison to others!

You may be thinking: “Why can’t I just send-out lots of resumes and get hired using the tried and proven push technique?”

If your resume is 2 or 3 times better than your competition and your skills and experience are head and shoulders over everyone else’s then you are okay to depend solely on your resume.

In the “dot-com bubble” or “I.T. bubble bust a lot of smart and talented IT professionals couldn’t get jobs by sending out their resumes.

Employers were receiving an unheard of 500+ resumes from doctoral, post graduate and well certified IT professionals!

Some employers stopped hiring, some stopped checking their mailboxes and others resorted to more discreet hiring methods!

Because so many resumes were being pushed to employers, the value of a resume sent by e-mail was next to nil!

That was when I learnt the value of becoming a leader. So, I started my first leadership project and ended up with invitations to interview and work for two major organizations because I was noticed!

Any Lessons Learned?

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by depending solely on your resume and online job postings!

The value of becoming a leader in your industry, is that you get hired through the back-door! That door that is left open for exceptional, talented or highly qualified job applicants only

When you become an industry leader, employers are apt to call you with job offers and you’re guaranteed to stand out in comparison to other job seekers!

How Do You Become An Industry Leader?

The pull method depends on you working on projects, activities and problems that are important to employers even though you may not have a job.

You commit to solving problems specific to an industry or domain in a visible way!

Because you commit to solving business problems important to employers, you’re likely to get noticed or get more consulting, coaching or employment requests.

Lead Your Industry By Becoming a Domain Specialist

If all you’ve been doing is “sending out resumes” and that hasn’t worked too well for you … then it’s time to “change your approach” by demonstrating that you care!

Becoming a Leader means that you engage your down-time time in-between jobs more productively.

You work on getting hired by making yourself wanted, instead of mass mailing the same resume or a cosmetically improved version to employers!

Click here to get in touch with us and we will help you select the best leadership projects based on your background, skills, education, training, job history and interests

Specializing in a domain or industry raises your profile to that of an expert or highly-skilled resource. That’s how you get more consulting, coaching or full-time employment offers.

So, what are you waiting for? Click here to request more information on how to become a leader and get the recognition or type of employment (coaching, consulting or full-time) you deserve!

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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!

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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• 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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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!

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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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• 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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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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Be Wise ... Get Experience

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.

How To Get Computer Programming Job Experience

Now, you know that raw, hands on computer programming experience is valued above programming degrees, job titles or programming certifications, here are tips on how to increase your programming experience.

• Open Source Projects

  there are various open source projects that you can join and contribute code to. Before you join an open source project, take some time to learn the code, use the application, get to know the team members and become familiar with the code review or code commit processes.

• Non Profits

  you may get programming experience by helping a non-profit organization that needs with building a database, a website or a software application.

  Be sure to let the non-profit organization know that you are doing the job to get more programming experience.

  You need to be truthful and upfront about your level of expertise or you may run into problems by taking on more than you can handle.

  When you committee to working for a non-profit organization, you may be required to work at the pace of other senior, more experienced team members.

  Also, the non-profit may be racing towards meeting some important deadlines.

  So, even if you are offering free help, the non-profit organization needs to understand that you may introduce additional delays to the timetable.

  If this is not acceptable then you and the non-profit organization are not a good match.

• Personal Use Software Applications

  You may get computer programming experience by building a software application that provides some services or benefit to you.

  For example, an employee I managed built a price watching software applications in his spare time.

  The application was a web crawler that would go to specific websites and monitor the bids and prices of products he was interested in.

  You can get some really cool programming experience that way because you are your own customer, you are not going to stress yourself over deadlines and you understand the needs you are trying to meet.

  The downside is that software development managers do not rank this type of programming experience as high as that gained by working for non-profit organizations or open source projects

• Professional Computer Programming Experience

  You may get computer programming experience from a professional software development organization.

  This involves having a software development company assign programming projects to you, review your code and mentor, coach or train you on your weak spots.

  This method is preferred because hiring managers value programming experience derived from professional mentors above those from self study or non profits or other sources of programming experience.

  The reason is that a professional software developer can critique your code or database design while you or a non-profit may not review or critique your own code.

How to get professional software development experience

The Software Developer Boot Camp provides you with professional software development experience.

You are given hands on, practical, real world projects to work on.

Your computer programming code or database design assignments are reviewed by course instructors and you are given feedback that helps you correct your weak spots.

You are assigned additional projects as you progress along the course and as you complete your training, you build up your portfolio and programming experience.

What Next After Getting Programming Experience?

If you don’t already have a programming job, you need to make the best efforts towards putting together a professional computer programmer resume, sending out your resume to hiring managers and preparing rigorously for your technical interviews.

If you gain relevant, real world programming experience, prepare a resume that highlights your programming experience and contact a lot of hiring managers, you will secure technical programming interviews.

All you need to at the technical interview is to put your best foot forward and get the job you want!

The Demand For Computer Programmers In A Recession

The demand for software development professionals is high inspite of the state of the economy.

I receive unsolicited job postings for SQL programmers, business analysts or computer programmers all the time.

Remember that computer programming skills are still in-demand even with the state of the job market.

So make sure you do not hesitate to improve your real world, hands on, computer programming experience.

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Learning A Marketable Skill?

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 I got the same reply as you… C++.

I asked the question because I wanted to become a successful computer programmer.

So, I reasoned that if I could prove myself by conquering the hardest programming language, my success in computer programming would be guaranteed.

Do You Want To Learn The Hardest Programming Language?

Recently, a number of C/C+ software developers have been turning to me for help with their computer programmer careers.

You can do this by taking advantage of the developer coaching or training sessions available to computer programmers who enroll in the software developers boot camp.

So, what could go wrong with the career of a software developer who has conquered one of the meanest, hardest, most complex computer programming languages?

The real problem with learning C/C++ is not whether it leaves up to its reputation for being a tough guy, because it does!.

The challenge facing those who succeed in learning C/C++ is more subtle.

Continue reading and you will find out for yourself soon.

Is C/C++ Programming Good For Your Career?

A few months ago, I started mentoring a C/C++ computer programmer with real-world programming experience in C/C++, Microsoft Foundation Classes and Windows 32 API and a college degree.

He couldn’t get a computer programmer job, so he signed up for my coaching program to find out why he couldn’t get a job with C/C++ programming skills.

After he explained his situation to me, I presented him with a list of 3 hot programming technologies in high demand.

I told him that these programming languages were so hot that just having them on his resume would land him programming job offers, even though he had been out of work for 2 years!

Well, he acted on the information I gave him, took MASSIVE ACTION and in a FEW MONTHS learnt all he could about the 3 hot programming technologies!

Guess what? a few months after taking advantage of my software developer mentoring, he got the first programming job he interviewed for on the spot, after being out of work for two (2) years!

So, why couldn’t a C/C++ computer programmer with real world industry experience and a college degree get a programming job in the middle of a hi-tech boom?

WHY C++ PROGRAMMERS CAN’T GET JOBS

The simple reason why C++ programmers can’t get a job is that the C++ programming language is not suited for business or web applications development!

But, wait a minute, isn’t C/C++ also one of the fastest programming languages?

Yes C++ is one of the fastest programming languages. But the speed of C++ applies to the speed with which it executes on a computer and not to the speed with which you can code or develop software programs.

STOP! Think about what I just said. Don’t just read it, digest my last statement until you really comprehend it.

C/C++ is the wrong programming language for business or web programming because employers care more about the speed with which you code or develop software and care less about the speed at which your software program executes.

Why Employers Don’t Care About The Execution Speed of C++ Programs?

The reason is that the dramatic increases in computer processing speed and memory has made the personal computer faster and much more powerful.

So, the amount of processing power available on most personal computers makes the execution speed of any programming language sufficient for most business software development projects.

What Do Employers Care About?

Employers really want their software developers to code or write programs faster. And C/C++ fares badly at this, because it’s one of the meanest, hardest, most complex programming languages to either learn or develop real-world business applications with.

The problems of C/C++ does not stop with the difficulty of learning the language. It’s also harder, tougher and slower to develop web or business applications in.

This is the real reason why most employers will not hire C/C++ programmers for business or web application development.

Is C/C+ Dead?

Certainly not. C/C++ is best suited for software projects like writing operating systems, compilers, computer or video games, data mining applications, scientific applications or applications where the execution speed is critical.

Stop for a moment now and answer this question: do you really want to make money from programming computers quickly or easily?

If you answered yes, I recommend you go into an area of computer programming where the demand is hot and where there are lots and lots of jobs.

That area right now is in internet or web application programming which C++ is unfortunately not suited for.

Secondly, if you want to success in web or business applications development, learn a programming language which allows you to quickly create programs that meet business needs.

After 13 years, I realize that employers don’t care about the beauty of the C++ programming language.

Employers care about automating their business processes or making their businesses work better, quicker and faster.

Employers also want to hire programmers whose speed of development matches or outpaces their business operations.

The ugly truth is that C/C++ is not the right tool for achieving either of these results.

Dear friend, enroll in the Software Developers Boot Camp now and learn those programming languages that excel at creating business software applications easily and quickly and you will discover success in computer programming quickly and easily.

Finally, if you are a programmer needing help with career decisions, no matter how bad your situation is, sign-up for the Software Developers Boot Camp now and you will be personally coached on how to achieve success in your situation.

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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?

While studying chemical engineering in college, I observed that my friends studying computer science were having more fun than me. For example, they had part-time jobs working for companies; the entrepreneurial minded ones had founded small software development firms and were creating practical, useable, real world applications.

So, I befriended them and after college, a friend helped me interview for a technical sales job at a computer networking and software development firm.

2. What do you do on a daily basis?

On a daily basis, I do one of the following:

• Design or Architect Software Applications, Websites, Databases.
• Write code for both Intranet and Internet applications, Web Sites, Web Services and other software applications.
• I document code or write technical documentation for existing or new software applications.
• I train and mentor people who want to become a programmer or master computer programming.
• I support or maintain existing software application code.
• I write about my life and career as a software developer.
• I analyze and document requirements for new software projects.
• I plan and manage the development effort of software projects.

3. What is the average introductory salary for a computer programmer?

The average introductory salary for a computer programmer varies. It depends on your country and state of residence, the programming languages, programming experience, negotiation skills and whether you are a full-time or contract programmer. For Saint Louis, USA, I will say it is about $65,000 to $70,000.

4. What are the pros for a career in computer programming?

There are lots of pros. It will take a book to mention or discuss it all, but here are a few:

• Top pay for computer programmers. Computer programmers can earn a high salary easily. This is because programmers are judged by their ability to get the job done. That means that if you are capable of pushing yourself to do hard study, you can earn six figures in no time. In so many other careers, you can’t up your earnings by $20k to $40 k within a single year because your remuneration is not tied to your performance but to your age, experience and other implacable factors.
• High demand for computer programmers. There are thousands of jobs listed on job sites like Monster.com for computer programmers. There are jobs everywhere on local newspapers, job boards, and local recruiting fairs. There are so many programmer job vacancies that programmers from several nations are courted and recruited worldwide to work in countries like USA, Canada, Australia.
• Self Actualization. The need for us to do meaningful work that fulfills us is core to what makes us human. Computer programmers have that opportunity because their work is highly creative and they are highly remunerated. Computer programmers also get to use their mind, personal vision, talents, creativity, skills and initiative at work every day. There are always bugs to quash, new software applications to visualize and develop as well as human and business needs to be satisfied. Furthermore because there’s no cookie-cutter approach to programming, your personal ability, creativity and hard-work will always be appreciated and rewarded.

5. What are the cons of a career in computer programming?<

The major con of being a professional computer programmer is that:

• You spend a lot of time with computers and technology. If you don’t like working with technology that much, you may begin to dislike your career. Also, you may end up spending more time working with computers than talking to people. Again, some people can handle this and others can’t.
• Another con is that computer programming is a fast paced career. New technologies and programming languages are being released yearly which make your current skills partially or completely obsolete. So you have to be constantly learning new technology or your career becomes extinct.

6. What are the recent trends for computer programming careers?

Some of the major trends I’ve noticed is a shift towards object-oriented programming, a shift towards web programming, a shift away from windows programming, a shift towards test driven development, a shift towards better software design and a shift towards mobile software application development.

7. What are the hours for a computer programmer?

A computer programmer typically works a full 9 am to 5pm, 40 hour week. Additional time needs to be set aside to study and stay abreast of technology.

8. Would you recommend a career in computer programming and why?

Read my earlier comments on the pros of a career in computer programming to see the reasons why I recommend a career in computer programming.

9. What is your advice for someone interested in a career in computer programming?

Don’t let the lack of a college degree, your age or the educational conditions existing in your country or state of residence stop you from becoming a computer programmer because none of these is a real barrier. Begin by reading how to master computer programming and get high-paying software development jobs easily to discover the steps you need to take to become a professional software developer.

Next, if you can, begin your programming career early in life, because your investment in programming skills and experience will work for you and before you know it, you are a top-paid consultant. Finally, don’t let anybody or anything deter you from pursuing your career in computer programming because, programming is not as hard as people make it to be. If the fear of the unknown, stops you from pursuing a career in computer programming, conquer your fear and discover a bright new world waiting for you as you begin a career in computer programming

.

10. Are there opportunities for advancement in a programming career?

Yes. You can start and become a mid-level programmer, senior software developer, software architect, software manager, IT director, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), etc. If you are a contract programmer, you can advance by increasing your billing rate, finding challenging work or contracting for new clients.

How To Learn Programming Easily and Get Hired Fast!
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About the Author

Kingsley Tagbo is a Software Developer, a Computer Programming Coach and Author of How to Master High Paying, Highly Sought-After Computer Programming Skills Easily and Quickly. Kingsley’s book “The Street Smart Guide to High Paying Computer Programmer Careers” teaches you how to develop and leverage your ability to master high paying computer programming skills easily.

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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.

Contract programmers are independent software developers who work with clients on a project-to-project basis. The relationship between a contract programmer and a client lasts as long as the client has a steady stream of work. What usually happens is that as soon as the client can’t find any work or the work starts dwindling down, the client initiates the process to end the relationship.

Contract computer programmers are not supposed to form strong emotional bonds or ties to their clients unlike their full-time colleagues because the nature of their work is temporary. That is why contract programmers are sometimes called temporary workers.

Contract programmers are specialists, experts and master craftsmen. When a client hires a contract computer programmer, the client expects to find a master programmer who will hit the ground running. This separates contract programmers from full-time software developers and the master craftsmen from the wannabe contract programmers.

A contract programmer is expected to start churning out high quality code, fixing bugs, improving their clent’s software and generally justifing their high pay by solving important problems within a few hours or days of starting work. Unlike full-time software developers who may take 6 months to 1 year to prove themselves, contract programmers who haven’t mastered their art well-enough to make a difference are usually dropped like hot potatoes by their clients.

Contract programmers may be W2 contract programmers or 1099 contract programmers. The difference lies with how their taxes are filed with the IRS.

The W2 contract programmer is paid by a recruiting agency that is also responsible for withholding taxes and providing liability insurance. Many recruiting agencies will also provide medical, dental and 401K benefits.

On the other hand, 1099 contract programmers, generally known as free-lancers, pay their taxes to the IRS and provide their own medical, dental and 401K insurance.

A contract programmer has the liberty of working as a W2 contract programmer with one firm and a 1099 contract programmer with another firm.

How long do contract programming projects last?

Contract programming projects typically last from a month to 5 years. The trend is towards fewer months and higher billing rates. The typical duration is 3 months, 6 months or 1 year.

How much do contract computer programmers bill?

Contract programmers typically bill anywhere from $50 per hour to $200 per hour.

What factors determine the contract programmer’s billing rate?

The factors that determine a contract programmers billing rate include:

1. Experience: The more experienced a contract programmer is, the more the contract programmer can charge

2. Demand: Some computer programming skills are in high-demand while others are not. So contract programmers who master computer programming skills that are in high-demand can bill at a higher rate than others

3. Client: The compensation provided for the same programming skills can vary widely by client with no other explanation other than one client having more money than the other

Who should be a contract programmer?

Contract programming makes sense for computer programmers who love to be independent or who do not want to climb the corporate ladder. It is also good for those individuals who want to make more money than is found in regular full-time software development. Finally, it works for those who can use their down-time in between projects to sharpen their computer programming skills, pursue other hobbies or take vacations.

What is the future or outlook for contract programmers?

The future is bright for contract programmers as more companies are trending towards out-sourcing their software development projects to temporary staffing firms or recruiting agencies that in turn out-source the programming work to contract programmers. Contract computer programmers are considered to be expert, highly-skilled craftsmen and their opinions and expertise are valued at client sites They are also paid significantly more money and do not have to stand inline or beg for a pay raise when they work for it.

How do you become a contract programmer?

The critical skills needed for a successful contract programming career are:

1. Expert programming skills

2. Well-crafted resume

3. Effective job interviewing skills

4. Aggressive Resume Marketing

Read this previous post titled “The keys of a successful computer programmer career” to learn more about these keys.

If you have these skills in abundance, you will do well in contract programming. If you don’t or will like to develop them, you should read “How to become a master contract programmer” or CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR COPY IN A FEW MINUTES.

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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.

Let me save you 10 years or more right now by making the next statement. Read this carefully:Do not become a software developer without carefully considering other software development tracks open to you!. Now, pause and consider what I just said.

Okay, I say this because there are folks out there, who are not happy with their programmer careers because they were not properly advised about their options. They where lead to believe that they had to be a computer programmer to have a good career in the software development industry.

Well, this is simply not true.Look, there are several other software development career tracks that do not require you to write software code as much. Careers in software development that require little to no writing of software code include:

Software Tester Careers

Business Analyst Careers

Project Management Careers

Database Administrator Careers

Technical Recruiting Careers

Software Sales Careers

Software Management Careers

You need to carefully consider these software development careers, even if you think you want to be a programmer and here are the reasons why:

1. It doesn’t cost you anything to learn about them and you should if you want to remain in software development.
2. You will be working closely with one or more people who come from backgrounds in one of the disciplines listed above. So, by understanding their careers and roles you can work better with them.
3. If you get tired of coding and some people do, you may end up dropping out of the software industry completely, when all you need to do is change to another discipline in software development that does not require you to code.
4. Maybe you are not cut-out to be a programmer at all. In that case, instead of getting into programming, you can choose one of these. This will end up working better for you because you can still have a career in software development without being a computer programmer who writes code for a living.
5. Even though you can program computers, you may still be better at another role in software development. For example there are good developers who make excellent business analysts or good developers who are better at software project management.

What I’ll be doing in future posts is to introduce these excellent career options in software development that do not require heavy hands-on coding.

If you want to learn more about software development, grab a copy of the software development career manual here.

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About the Author

Kingsley Tagbo is a Software Developer, a Computer Programming Coach and Author of How to Master High Paying, Highly Sought-After Computer Programming Skills Easily and Quickly.

Kingsley’s book “The Street Smart Guide to High Paying Computer Programmer Careers” teaches you how to develop and leverage your ability to master high paying computer programming skills easily.

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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?

I ask because the conditions in Malaysia is somewhat different as in the need for a degree, for example. So, it would be refreshing to know of a proven case for me to bear in mind when making the crucial decision to get myself to really go for it.

Thank you. Kind regards,

Edward

Answer:

Hi Edward,

1. Is A Computer Science Degree, a Legal Requirement? I’m aware that programmers who have degrees are sometimes preferred to those who don’t at job interviews. Notice that I use the word preferred. However the question to ask yourself is this: “Am I legally required to have a computer programming degree from a college or university?”

   The answer to this question in many cases is NO. No because in most countries that I know of, you are not legally required to have a computer programming degree from a college or university. Let’s examine my claim more closely. If you want to become a lawyer or medical doctor, in most countries you need to have degree from a university or college.

   So, you will be doing something illegal if you present yourself as a medical doctor or a lawyer without having the college or university degree to back it up. However, with computer programming, the preference is not a legal requirement. This means that you can present yourself as a computer programmer without having a computer science degree.

   So, this is what I urge you or any of my readers to do. If you are really serious about changing careers to computer programming, take advantage of the opportunity to do so now because the entry requirements and barrier to beginning a career in computer programming is quite low.

   The mechanics of how to master computer programming and begin a professional computer programming career is what I teach in my book: “the street smart guide to computer programming careers“.

2. What Are Employers Looking For? Yes, there are many job postings that list a computer science degree as a requirement. However, in most of these cases, the computer programming degree requirement applies to full-time computer programmer job postings and not to contract programmer positions.

   This is because the contract programming market works differently from the full-time employment market. For contract programmers, the important requirement is to have strong industry experience and the technical skills for the job and simply present your resume. It’s far better to focus on developing the technical skills required to master programming than on the degree requirements because employers would often hire programmers who have the required programming skills without a college degree.

3. Focus on Outsourcing And Increase Your Employment Options: You cannot focus on your local employment market in Malaysia alone because you limit your options by doing so. Whatever country you live in (Singapore, Japan, South Korea, South Africa), you have access to the internet and to a global supply of computer programming jobs. This means that even though you live in Malaysia or Kenya, you can bid for programming projects originating in US, UK, Canada, etc.

   Often these projects pay more than those originating in your own country. So, if you decide not to become a computer programmer because of the employment conditions in your country, you lose the option of working on better paying programming projects posted by more open minded employers on the internet. These software development projects do not require a computer science degree and are posted by employers in the US, UK, Canada, etc. for computer programmers living anywhere to participate in.

Edward, I have given you 3 good reasons why you should begin your professional computer programming career today without hesitation. Please let me know if I can answer any other question or comment that you may have.

Finally, If you are considering changing careers to computer programming, begin by reading the definitive book on how to master computer programming easily and get hired for a programming job fast.

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Is Your Age Really Against You?

Some of you (30+ and 40+) replied saying that you would like to know if your age will stop prevent you from getting hired by employers.

So, here are my career success tips for beginning a programming career when you feel that age is against you!

• 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 “how you perform on the job”. And not by your skin color, your sex and certainly not by your age.

• The computer programming career path is unlike others

  You may have read that in certain industries, some employers would not hire 40 – 50 year old job candidates.

  Well, there is such a demand for good computer programmers, that age is not really an issue in the software development / information technology industry.

  .At one of my consulting gigs in 2004, I worked with a gentleman, who was at least 50 years old. He had distinct grey hair and some of my colleagues referred to him as “the old man”.

  However, within 3 months of his employment, he was promoted to a team lead position because of his competency, skills and knowledge.

  The lesson here is that regardless of your age, if you can do a good job, you will succeed in your programming career.

• There is a strong demand for highly skilled programmers

  The demand for skilled computer programmers far outstrips the supply of available talent.

  So, you really shouldn’t be worrying about your age, but about how sharp your skills are and about how to stay on top of your game.

  Go to job boards like Dice.com, Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com and note the high number of available jobs. with that in mind, repeat and affirm this statement to yourself.

  “There is an abundant supply of programming jobs and one of these jobs is just for me”.

• Contract programmers can get hired just from a phone interview

  . If you are a contract programmer with good programming skills, all you have to do is to send your resume to a few select places and sit back and wait for your phone to buzz because of the high-demand for programming talent.

  So, you don’t even have to interview with an employer until he or she reviews your resume. This is true for other professionals in high-demand Information Technology Careers.

  Personally, I have been offered a number of consulting assignments over the phone without the employer seeing me in person or taking the time to find out about my age!

  Again, the lesson here is to become very good at your programming career.

  If you are that good, some employers will want to hire you even over the phone, because they know that you are only going to be on the market for a short time before someone else makes an even better offer.

• Think about your age in constructive not destructive terms

  There are always reasons why someone may want to discriminate against you.

  It could be that your age, your skin color, your lack of college education, lack of computer science degree, sex (as in you are a female), your accent (regional or national US accent) etc. places you at a disadvantage compared to someone else.

  However, none of these reasons beats becoming a top performing computer programmer.

  Because, if you are, you will pave your own career and your path will be littered with gold.

  Remember that the singular, most important concern employers have is whether you can perform on the job.

• You Can, If You Think You Can

  

  You Can If You Think You Can

  One of my favorite books by Norman Vincent Peale, talks about a principle that has worked for me … “You Can, If You Think You Can”. This principle works because career success is in what you know.

  If you are not doing well in your programming career and you think it’s because your age is holding you back, I dare you to read Norman Vincent Peale’s book and my book "The Blueprint: Your Roadmap To Career Success", do what both books say and not succeed in your computer programming career.

It’s far better to succeed in your programming career than to point an accusing finger at someone else’s bias as being responsible for your failure.

By learning or doing what it takes to succeed in your computer programming career, you empower yourself and you prove to others who may doubt your abilities, you have what it takes.

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