ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » career coaching http://www.it-career-coach.net How To Take Your Career To The Next Level Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:09:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Which Software Development Life Cycle Is Best? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/09/23/which-software-development-life-cycle-is-best/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/09/23/which-software-development-life-cycle-is-best/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:58:46 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3284

Your Guide To Software Development Methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, SDLC, Extreme ...)

Your Guide To Software Development Methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, SDLC, Extreme ...)

Models like Agile, Extreme Programming, Scrum or Waterfall are used by project managers, business analysts, software developers or quality assurance analysts to describe how a project is managed or a software product is built.

The software development life cycle determines how risks are managed, business requirements documented, resources estimated and allocated, stakeholder expectations or customer feedback is managed and when software / quality assurance testing is performed.

Each software development model recommends a set of guidelines or best practices for developing software.

It is then up to an adopting organization to follow these guidelines from the inception of their project.

Choosing the right Software Development Life Cycle is important because it helps your project team reduce or eliminate the risks of project failure which occur as frequently as 60% of the time.

Software Development Life Cycles are also important because they help deliver a better product or user experience.

In a nutshell, software development practices like Agile, Extreme Programming, Waterfall, Lean Software Development, Rational Unified Process (RUP), Scrum will help your project team meet or exceed customer or business requirements, deliver products on time or under budget.

Meeting Business Requirements

Software Development Life Cycles help with clarifying when or how software requirements will be gathered and analyzed in a software development project.

In software methodologies like the Waterfall model, business requirements are collected, analyzed or documented extensively at the beginning of the project.

In other software models like Agile or Scrum, requirements are gathered or analyzed multiple times during the life cycle of the project.

While opinions differ as to which software model helps you gather better software requirements, each model still offers the benefit of a formal plan for gathering, analyzing or documenting business requirements.

Engaging the Best Minds or Resources

Some Software Development Life Cycles like the Waterfall model are more traditional with their “top down” team structure or project management approach.

Other software models like the Agile or Scrum models are flatter in their team structure or more self organizing and independent.

The benefit of following a software development model is that it helps with organizing or structuring the project team’s roles, responsibilities or communication style.

Reducing or Eliminating Time or Budget Overruns

Statistics show that as much as 60% of Information Technology (IT) projects fail for various reasons including time or budget overruns.

This is where choosing the right software model can be helpful.

Each software development life cycle offers a set of best practices for estimating project resources, planning project deliverables or product features and monitoring timelines or milestones.

While some software models like the Waterfall emphasize time, budget or resource estimation at the beginning of the project, others like Agile or Scrum emphasize time, cost or resource estimation & planning throughout the life cycle of the project.

Managing the Software Development Process

Each Software Development model divides separates the development process into a set of activities which makes the project more manageable.

While some Software models are sequential, others are iterative.

Software development models separate your development cycle into phases which helps with project planning, resource utilization and progress monitoring or control.

Creating Better Software Products

Software development life cycles can help with meeting or exceeding customer expectations as well as creating better software products.

Your software development model will provided guidelines for creating test cases or mapping test cases to requirements or product features.

Software models provides guidance for quality assurance analysts or software testers, on when to execute tests, record bugs or defects and measure or report on the quality of the software product.

How To Adopt A New Software Development Life Cycle

An organization may be incapable of taking advantage of a software development model in-spite of the merits of the model.

Here is my advice on adopting a new software development model

  1. Evaluate your Company Culture: consider the flexibility or willingness of your company to change or adapt.

    I have seen organizations with a top-down management culture fail at agile models because they were not ready to give up some control to an agile, self-organizing team.

  2. Take Small Steps: don’t try to change too much, too soon, when adopting a new software development model.

    Over-committing at the early stages of your project raises a red flag because it means that your project team is being expected to run before it has learnt how to walk!

  3. Get Executive / Organizational Commitment: get someone with senior management or executive authority to back the adoption of the model or it may not survive corporate politics.

Sometime ago, I functioned as the Information Technology Director of a re-manufacturing plant in the Ozarks.

One of the goals I set for my team and employer was to get them to adopt a formal software development model.

Before I started running with the implementation of that model, I spent time coaching the CEO, the quality assurance and product development directors, and other senior managers on the benefits as well as potential challenges of the new software development model.

Because I had strong organizational commitment and backing, the software model was finally adopted without any incidents.

Which Software Development Life Cycle Is Best for Your Project?

With all that has been said in mind, i have prepared a downloadable study guide that will help you with choosing a software development model for your project!

The study guide which you can download below covers answers questions like:

  1. What is Agile, Scrum, Waterfall?, Lean Software Development, Extreme Programming …
  2. What are the advantages, disadvantages, challenges or benefits of adopting a software development model …
  3. How does Agile compare to Waterfall … And More ….

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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/09/23/which-software-development-life-cycle-is-best/feed/ 1 Can Certifications Take the Place of Experience? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/17/can-certifications-take-the-place-of-experience/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/17/can-certifications-take-the-place-of-experience/#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:10:29 +0000 Russ Woodward http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3265

Certifications Or Experience Which Is Better?

Certifications Or Experience Which Is Better?

I have been in business development / sales side of the Financial Services Industry for the past 15 years.

I have worked as a VP for several Fortune 500 companies.

Due to the market downturn and layoffs, I find myself looking to other industries for stability.

I want to get into Software / Network Sales and wanted to know what is the best way for me to break into the Information Technology industry

Should I get A+ certified, get a masters in I.T.?

Since I don’t have years of experience selling I.T., what are hiring managers looking for?

Can a certificate take the place of experience?

Thank you

Russ

Can a Certificate Take the Place of Experience?

  1. What does a certificate prove to hiring managers?

    Just like a college degree, certifications also prove that you are knowledgeable on a subject.

    Just like self study or taking a training class, a certificate also proves that you have taken the time to study, learn or master a subject.

    A certificate proves that you have mastered the information or knowledge you need for a job.

    And a certificate proves that you will not be studying textbooks on the job or asking questions about how to do your job.

    However, Information Technology managers are not really looking for your knowledge but for the ability or skills to perform … and having knowledge is not the same as having the skills or ability to perform.

  2. What Is The Best Predictor Of Performance?

    In the Information Technology (IT) Industry, you are hired for your ability to perform or get the job done.

    And as far as hiring managers are concerned, “your past performance is the best predictor of your future performance“.

    So, when it comes to finding a job in the Information Technology (IT) Industry, your experience will always count more than your certifications because it is a better predictor of your performance.

  3. What Is The Value of a Certificate?

    A certificate measures your ability to retain or recall information and it is important from the perspective that it assures hiring managers that you have really studied the material you need for your job.

    But what a certificate does not measure is your real-world ability to get the job done or perform.

    When it comes to the Information Technology (IT) Industry, hiring managers take your past performance as the absolute best measure of your future performance … hence the principle behind hiring is: “Can you perform, prove it“.

    If you want to get hired for a job … any job, don’t focus on certifications because that is a distraction, instead focus on proving your ability to perform on the job.

    4. How To Prove That You Can Perform

    The real question that you should be answering is” “How do you prove to hiring managers that you will perform if you are hired“. Here is the answer to the real question:

  4. Make Your Past Experience Count

    The real reason why you have been successful in business development or sales is your ability to perform on the job by bringing in sales.

    And what information technology hiring managers want from you is that same ability to bring in sales.

    Don’t cloud issues for yourself by focusing on your certifications.

    The ability to bring in sales does not depend on your certifications or education but on your past successes as a sales / development Vice President.

    What you have to do is simple: document your past sales & business development successes clearly on your resume and work on identifying those sales, marketing & business development strengths, experience and skills which will help you perform in any job, even when you change industry.

  5. Rewrite Your Resume – Prove That You A Top Performer

    Your resume is one of the most important documents along the path of changing careers.

    Hire a professional resume writer to clearly identify and document tangible sales results that you’ve achieved in your past jobs.

    Document things like the size of business you brought in or how many millions of dollars in revenue, sales or profit are attributable to your efforts.

    Document things like the sales training you attended, the sales quota you achieved or exceeded, the conferences you attended, the c-level businesses executives you networked with, the size of the budget you managed, the divisional or corporate sales goals or objectives that you achieved and how they mattered to your company’s bottom line.

    At the end of the day, your resume must highlight you as a superstar, top-performer and show clearly how hiring you made a difference to the profit, sales, revenue, strategic and tactical goals of the companies that you worked for as a Vice President of Sales & Business Development.

    Just remember this, you success in getting hired will depend on how well you can prove that you are a top performer and not on anything else.

  6. Ace your Job Interview – Prove That You Are A Top Performer

    The goal of your resume is to get you into as many job interviews as possible. But your resume alone will not get you a job, you must wow your clients at the job interview to get a job!

    And yes, the job interview is really a presentation. So prepare and rehearse your presentation and what you will say or you will not succeed.

    You may want to take some time to read more advice on “How To Slam Dunk Job Interviews” – http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=841

    Finally, you must be confident in your abilities and convey that self-confidence at your job interview.

    Remember this, the Information Technology Industry is a performance driven industry and no-one would hire you, if you first don’t believe in your own abilities.

    So, take the time to discover your own strengths, talents, abilities and then learn how to believe in yourself so that you will be able to convince others at your job interviewer, that you are a top performer!

Follow the strategy that I outlined in this post to change careers and get an information technology job.

Remember that Certifications are helpful because it helps you learn or master a topic.

But focusing on a certificate as a way of getting a job is not a high value strategy because that is not what hiring managers are really looking for.

Hiring managers are hiring for your ability to perform or get the job done!

You gain that ability to perform through rigorous real world problem solving or on the job experience.

You can prove your ability by highlighting your past successes which are the best predictors of your future performance or creating situations where you can grow and develop your experience through practical challenges.

[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 the question in this post …


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This post was submitted by Russ Woodward.

]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/17/can-certifications-take-the-place-of-experience/feed/ 1 Can a 55 year old female become a programmer? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/10/can-a-55-year-old-female-become-a-programmer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/10/can-a-55-year-old-female-become-a-programmer/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:56:27 +0000 ana http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3236

This question was submitted by Anoush from Glendale, California … Hello, I am a 55 years old female, I have done mainframe programming for more than 25 years before and I was very good in that.

However i have left my job for 10 years now helping my husband in accounting firm.

Do I have a chance to be hired if I learn .NET and create a software?

  1. Do What You Love – Do You Love Computer Programming?

    Your long term success as a computer programmer depends more on how passionate you are about learning programming than it does on your age!

    If you love learning programming languages you will put in the hard work that it takes to be the best programmer you can be.

    This will involve putting in long hours to learn a suite of marketable programming languages and then going the extra mile to build practical applications that showcase your passion.

    If you do not love computer programming, you will not succeed long term because you won’t be able to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change in the industry.

    The real issue here is not your age but whether you have the drive, passion and desire that it takes to be a highly skilled computer programmer.

  2. Become The Best Computer Programmer You Can Be

    Computer Programming is a talent driven industry which means that your chances of getting hired depends more on how skilled you are than it does on anything else.


    If you are a highly skilled, competent, trained or experienced developer and your skills are in marketable, hot, in-demand programming languages like ASP.NET, C# and SQL Server, you will get a good job regardless of any age discrimination in the industry!

  3. Can You Perform? Prove It

    More than anything else, it is your performance that will decide how far you will go in the programming industry.

    Kids barely out of high school are building websites and starting jobs / businesses as web designers despite their age because nobody really cares about age, when you can perform!

    So if the wisdom it is possible for these young kids to succeed at web design, I dare say that older people have at least an equal opportunity for success.

    The real truth of the matter is that age is just a self-limiting barrier, so don’t let the negative, biased behaviors of others dictate what you can or cannot do!

  4. Success Principle – Do Not Worry Or Focus On Things You Can’t Control

    In “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, Stephen Covey mentions that proactive people do not worry or focus on factors or things over which they have little or no control … instead they focus on their “Sphere Of Influence” … those factors or circumstances over which they exercise control!

    So, the deal is “why focus on your age?”, when you can do nothing about it?

    Why not focus on things like your skills, your learning, your attitude over which you have complete control!

  5. Multiple Career Paths For Computer Programmers


    As a computer programmer, you also have the option of starting your own web design or web development business or freelancing for multiple clients.

    This is perhaps one of the best ways to control your destiny or deal with age discrimination concerns once and for all!

    AS a freelance computer programmer, you can work for work online for clients that are located all over the world or network using LinkedIn for potential clients.

    As a freelance computer programmer, your age is even less of an issue because potential clients can try your services with little risk and then hire you on for a longer term commitment, if they find you competent.

Computer programming is a talent driven, performance minded industry where you can succeed at a freelance, contract or full-time software developer job as long as you have a passion or drive for programming.

My final advice: don’t let the negative bias of others decide what you will or will not do with your life.


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This post was submitted by ana.

]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/10/can-a-55-year-old-female-become-a-programmer/feed/ 2 How to list two different careers on a resume http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/07/19/how-to-combine-two-different-careers-on-a-resume/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/07/19/how-to-combine-two-different-careers-on-a-resume/#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:41:02 +0000 Michael http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3237

Resume Writing & Cover Letters Coaching

Resume Writing & Cover Letters Coaching


[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.

Here is a question submitted by Michael, an IT Project Manager …

How can I incorporate my 14 years Supply Chain / Logistics background with my current IT Project Management experience, without aging myself or making myself unmarketable.

I have been contemplating a Masters in Global Logistics / Supply to go with my BS Information Systems, with a PMP Certification and a Six Sigma Greenbelt.

How Often Do Professionals Change Careers?

Michael’s question on “how to combine multiple different careers into one functional resume” echoes the challenges that we will all face at one point or the other in our career because like it or not, just like Michael we are bound to change our careers at least once.

The question is not “if you change your career“, but “when you change your career“, how should you handle that on our resume?

On one hand, if you do not show your previous experience on your resume, you will have to answer questions on “what you have been doing with your life” or about “the gaps on your resume“.

But then, if you do include all your previous working experience, which in Michael’s case goes back as far as 14 years, you risk being labeled a dinosaur, what a dilemma!

So, I will lay out some principles that will help you decide on how to write your resume on a case by cases basis since no one answer will work for all situations.

Aging As A Natural Process

I get it, once you hit 40, you start worrying about your age. And I agree with you that “Age Discrimination” is alive and well in corporate America.

I have heard of at least one interview where a job candidate was disqualified on sight because he looked like an “older gentleman”.

But do not be too concerned about age-based discrimination. In a way people are always being discriminated against based on their race, gender, ethnic origin, nationality, income or age.

Instead of focusing on your age over which you have no control, focus on things that you can absolutely control, like your skills, experience, education, training, etc. and become the best that you can be.

What Did Stephen Covey Say?

In “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, Stephen Covey mentions that proactive people do not worry or focus on factors or things over which they have little or no control … instead they focus on their “Sphere Of Influence” … those factors or circumstances over which they exercise control!

So, the deal is “why focus on your age?” over which you have no control?

Focus on things like your skills, your learning, your attitude over which you have complete control!

Can You Combine Multiple Careers On One Resume?

The Relevance Principle

If your current career is in a completely different industry or is unlike the past careers in terms of job responsibilities and skills, then including your past careers will not advance your case at the job interview.

Since you will end up having a large gap in your resume, you may still include your past careers on your resume

Do this by rewriting your resume so that it focus strongly on accomplishments, responsibilities or roles that align with your current career as an IT Project Manager.

Another way of doing this is to rewrite your resume so that it highlights a gradual transition into your current IT Project Management Role over a number of years.

This will give you a credible reason for being in a job that has little or no relevance to your current career

On the other hand, if you had been much younger, you may be better off skipping the past career positions as the employment gaps in your resume will not be that large.

How to write better, more focused resumes

The current trend in the Information Technology (IT) Industry is actually to keep multiple versions of your resume with each one written for a particular industry or job function.

If you are working as an IT Project Manager and not in a Supply Chain / Logistics capacity, then you don’t need to include that in your resume because it is offers little value to the employer.

You may for example include the last few years of your supply chain management experience and skip the earlier years altogether.

Perhaps what will help you the most is an exercise I describe as “Putting Yourself In The Employers Shoes”.

Imagine that you are an employer reviewing resumes for an IT Project Management Job, the most important thing is the ability of a candidate to do a good job.

With that in mind, “How relevant is 14 years of Supply Chain / Global Logistics Management” experience to the job of an IT Project Manager in your business?

Do you see that from an employers perspective, 14 years spent in a completely different career is not relevant to an IT Project Manager’s Job?

The exception is the job candidate who takes the additional steps of showing an employer the value in their past careers by expanding on tasks, responsibilities, roles or job functions that are similar to those performed by project managers.


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This post was submitted by Michael.

]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/07/19/how-to-combine-two-different-careers-on-a-resume/feed/ 0 Oracle Or Microsoft Access, Which Is Better? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/17/oracle-or-ms-access-which-is-better/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/17/oracle-or-ms-access-which-is-better/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:14:10 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3105

Oracle Or Microsoft Access, Which Is Better For Me?

Oracle Or Microsoft Access, Which Is Better For Me?

Are you matching your strengths to your opportunities or are you just being ideological … interested only in following your own ideas even when they won’t get you any results?

Here is a situation that illustrates the challenges of being ideological versus being results oriented. It is a situation that illustrates the challenges of learning an enterprise software like Oracle compared to a poor man’s database like Microsoft Access.

Are you wondering about who this situation involves? You are safe my friend because today, I will mainly be talking about me :-)

When I started out in the industry, my first priority was to get my foot into the door.

My goals were:

  1. To transition my career without incurring a lot of additional debt
  2. To learn a marketable skill so that I could get a job quickly
  3. To get myself into a position where I would be in high-demand by delivering excellent results

There were a number of career paths that looked promising and I looked into them all. Here a few of them:

Business Analysis

The business analyst career path was mostly available to systems analysts or management consultants people or poorly defined.

By poorly defined, i mean that it depended on the whims of hiring managers (it was subjective and depended on the employers needs or definitions) and so, there was no very clear or direct path to becoming a business analyst (this was in the ‘90s).

Network Administration

I had worked in network administration in an internship job right after college. My duties entailed helping support a Lotus CC:Mail/ Novell Netware Network

Based on my own first-hand experience, I ruled out computer networking primarily because I realized that I was not passionate about that industry.

Systems Programming

While in college, I had tried to learn C/C++ and I also decided that it wasn’t my thing because it took a long time to develop a fully functional software using C/C++

Based on experience, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to master C/C+ in a few months or get a job easily.

My finding was that it would take a number of years to become really expert or highly skilled at C/C++.

I was also certain, that even when I became highly skilled, I still won’t be able to deliver stellar results based on C/C++.

In case you’re interested, read my thoughts on choosing C/C++ as a programming language here…

Enterprise Database Software

I investigated getting an entry level job in SAP / Oracle / IBM or some other enterprise software since that is where it seemed that the big bucks where being made. In the 90’s, the major database players included IBM, Oracle, Microsoft.

Oracle was very popular in the enterprise database computing circle. However, learning Oracle was no small feat.

I mean that installing Oracle on your own local computer for learning purposes was not an easy proposition even for experienced oracle professionals because companies hired senior / experienced Oracle consultants just to install and setup Oracle correctly on their servers.

In addition to that, Oracle was targeted at the enterprise buyer which meant that purchasing a full-featured Oracle license for an individual like me without corporate sponsorship … was simply beyond my budget!

In addition, even if I raised the money to buy an Oracle License, I would have to spend additional weeks installing Oracle correctly by myself or else hire an Oracle database consultant to install it (Oracle database consultants billed anywhere from $60/hr. to $120/hr.)

And assuming that I overcame the hurdle of buying an Oracle license and then installing Oracle, I would still have to figure out one more thing about Oracle … how to learn Oracle!

You see, Oracle was one of those complex enterprise software application that had a really high learning curve.

The chances that I was going to learn or master Oracle in time enough to get a job was very low because professionals who had been working with Oracle for years where still struggling to understand it … it was that complex!

So, tell me, what will you have done if you were in my shoes?

Did I fixate on learning Oracle … even though I knew professionals that worked with Oracle for years were still struggling to get to a comfort level with it?

Absolutely not! One of the Oracle professionals that I was personally acquainted with had started working with or learning Oracle while we were still in college.

By the time I was evaluating learning Oracle, this professional (a lady based in the United Kingdom) was just getting comfortable with Oracle … and that is after working with it for 8 to 10 years!

So, I decided that the Oracle database and many of the other popular enterprise software applications available at that time had too high a learning curve!

Yes, I know that everyone’s situation is different and yes I understand that “what is good for the goose is not always good for the gander“.

But my situation was that I was married and I had to pay my bills.

Even though my wife was willing to support me, I wasn’t okay with asking her to take care of all the bills while I went on a multi-year learning trip.

Not only that,I had been out of college for a few years and didn’t want to risk taking another 8 to 10 years to learn a new career!

And I definitely didn’t want to start a career that would require such an expensive re-training that I would have to go deeply in debt!

Put yourself in my shoes and tell me what you would have done if faced with my situation keeping in my objectives which were:

  • To learn a marketable skill in a short time: I had to learn a marketable skill so that I could easily get a job and get out of unemployment.

  • To be prudent or save money: I had to pay my bills and account for all sorts of living expenses, while paying for my own re-training.

  • To get into a line of work where I could easily become competent: I needed to learn a skill that I would become an expert at in a reasonable short time.

What will you have done in my shoes … because I choose Microsoft Access!

In those days, a lot of professionals looked down on Microsoft Access as a sort of poor man’s relational database even though Microsoft Access had a lot going for it at that point in time.

Low Cost of Learning

Microsoft Access was available as part of the Microsoft Office family of products.

The cost of a Microsoft Office / Access license was as low as $300. And I budgeted an additional $100 for buying Microsoft Access textbooks from the local seller … Barnes & Noble. I would never forget the price that I paid for my very first Microsoft Access Book … just $49.50.

So, for less than $500, I was guaranteed that I would learn or master Microsoft Access … which was great news for me as an unemployed newbie IT professional!

Low Learning Curve

It took me between 30 and 60 days to study or master Microsoft Access from textbooks. After which I spent my remaining time, taking Microsoft Access practice tests and building relational databases.

In my first job interview test administered by a local staffing agency in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I scored above 90% and got hired into the systems / data analysis department of a local e-commerce firm with a starting salary of $15/hr.

Accelerated Time To Market

By my third month of working with Microsoft Access, I had completed a project that was estimated to last about 6 weeks in 2 weeks.

Because I could achieve those sorts of results, the IT Manager called a recruiting firm without my knowledge or permission and advised them to find more challenging work for me … which they did!

By my third month, I was billing $76,000/yr. and my billing rate continued to increase with time!

Dear Friend,

What I have learnt is that the only thing that stops us from achieving the results we want is our limiting belief systems or self-imposed mental boundaries.

So, what works and what doesn’t?

  1. Don’t hang your career on getting a recognized certificate or diploma

    That is so old school! The only thing that matters is your ability to perform on the job … and no accredited degree or diploma or program can confer that to you.

    In other words, you either learn or know how to get the job done or you don’t.

  2. Don’t get stuck learning any vendor’s software

    Because I got my foot in through the door, I have since had the chance to learn or work with Oracle and IBM enterprise databases at the employer’s expense!

    Learning Microsoft Access first actually made it easier for me to learn or work with SQL Server, Oracle and IBM databases later on.

    Remember that you are the one that makes the job work and not the software, vendor or qualification.

    I have seen professionals who want to become business analysts get stuck on learning an enterprise requirement management software like IBM Rational RequisitePro.

    These good folks forget that many employers can’t afford the licensing costs of the same software that they are hung up on and they also forget that requirements management is first and foremost a set of principles or techniques and not a software!.

    If you learn requirements management techniques you can for example document requirements using Microsoft Office or your employer can purchase any of the myriads of requirements management software in the market.

    So why are you so hung up on learning IBM Rational RequisitePro as if that makes you a business analyst?

  3. Learn a marketable skill

    One of the biggest challenges facing professionals is the right choice of a career. I know that because I get asked that question every day

    I’ve seen professionals get stuck with programming skills that are not marketable like mainframe programming or C/C++.

    In one instance, a C/C++ programmer with a computer science college degree after being unemployable for 3 years got the very first job he interviewed for … after I coached him on C#, ASP.NET and .NET Framework.

    His mistake that of failing to learn a marketable skill. The good news is that it only cost him a few months to rectify that mistake. And, once he fixed that, his career was back online again!

Here is my last advise to you on this point, make sure that you are pragmatic and not ideological about your career choices.

If it is looking like you are getting stuck on the path you are on, carefully evaluate all the other alternatives available to you.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/17/oracle-or-ms-access-which-is-better/feed/ 6 Which Courses or Certifications Guarantee A Job? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/13/which-certifications-or-courses-guarantee-a-job/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/13/which-certifications-or-courses-guarantee-a-job/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 01:11:22 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3070

Which Certifications Or Courses Guarantee Jobs?

Which Certifications Or Courses Guarantee Jobs?

This question is frequently asked by job candidates searching for certifications or training courses they can put on their resume, present to an employer and get a job.

However, the answer to the question: which online courses, certifications, college degrees or classroom courses guarantee a job is NONE!

This type of question is seriously flawed because it assumes that there is something out there … a college degree or online course or certification program, that you can put on your resume and hired fast!

But what really guarantees you a job is the depth of your handson experience, skills and knowledge or your ability to convey, present or market your career competency in a job interview.

Yet many job candidates read a job posting and then immediately say to themselves: “regardless of the requirements for this job, who or what can endorse me?”

Instead of addressing the gaps between the job posting and their “skills, knowledge or experience”, they try to short-circuit the employment process with the rubber stamping of a course or certificate!

Listen, don’t try to game the employment system. The only way you can guarantee yourself a job is by giving employers what they want … which is typically stated in your plain view on the job posting!

Dear Friend,

Start your job search by first placing yourself in the employers shoes and not with pre-conceived, mis-leading or half-baked ideas on how the job market works!

In this post, I will help you understand how the job market works because this knowledge will keep you employable for years regardless of your chosen profession.

WHAT DO EMPLOYERS WANT FROM JOB SEEKERS?

The first and most important question that you have to answer before you begin a job search is the question: “What Are Employers Hiring For?“

At a minimum, 80% of the jobs out there have these basic requirements:

  1. Knowledge Requirement – the comprehension or understanding of the practical facts needed to get the job done.

    This knowledge may be gained from an online class, traditional classroom course, coaching, mentoring or self-study program.

    Employers don’t care how you get the knowledge … they just want to be assured that you have it!

  2. Skills Requirement – the ability to recall knowledge and apply the right solutions to problems.

    Skill is developed by rehearsing the answers or solutions to common problems using practice tests, quizzes or certification programs or by repeatedly solving a problem on the job.

    Most employers will probe your skill-level at the job interview regardless of what you claim on the resume.

  3. Handson Experience Requirement – the quality of exposure to real-world projects where your skills and knowledge are used to solve practical problems.

    Note that handson experience is not given by certification programs.

    Handson experience is developed over time by performing the roles, responsibilities or duties associated with your career.

  4. Personality Match Requirement – employers want you to have the right personality for a job and the right personality for their corporate or organizational structure.

    You may be a well-qualified job candidate and still fail at a job interview because the hiring manager perceives a clash or mis-match between your personality and the company culture!

  5. Marketability Requirement – the probability that you will get a job is also dependent on the demand for your skills.

    If you want additional guarantees that you will be hired … pay attention to the job outlook for your career!

    The less your skills are in-demand, the more aggressive you must be with your job search and the more your skills are in demand, the more you are guaranteed a job.

Now, let’s review the responsible actions you may take to guarantee yourself a job.

BRIDGE THE KNOWLEDGE GAP

Learn everything you can about your career or job using self-study, coaching, mentoring or training programs.

Don’t make up educational requirements thinking that it will move your employer to hire you.

Employers care less about your endorsement from an educational institution but they care most about the relevancy of your knowledge, training or education to their job!

BRIDGE THE SKILLS GAP

Your skills measure how practiced you are at solving problems or your competency.

Skills are developed by taking lots of practice tests or by repeating quizzes until you can answer questions or solve problems without thinking.

Expect an employer to test your skills by asking open-ended questions at a job interview …. which you have to answer promptly, comprehensively and confidently.

BRIDGE THE EXPERIENCE GAP

You can only develop handson experience by working on real-world problems.

So, the more tasks, duties, roles, responsibilities, assignments or projects you take on … the more experienced you become.

Be creative and find ways to get experience even without a job because your getting hired depends on it!

MATCH THE PERSONALITY

Employers want you to have the right personality for a career and also for their corporate culture.

Here are a few personality mis-match situations for your consideration:

Computer programmers are expected to be more geeky than business analysts and project managers are expected to be more assertive than either software developers or business analysts.

If you’re an introvert or shy of developing relationships or weak at verbal communications, you may fail at convincing hiring managers that you are good fit for their business analyst or project management jobs!

So, now you have it … THE GUARANTEED WAY OF FINDING A JOB.

Do not abandon these FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF HIRING for endorsements of any kind because that would be like chasing your own shadow!

With all this in mind, here is how our online courses, coaching, training programs or step-by-step bootcamps will help you:

  1. Knowledge – You may get the knowledge needed to do your job through our online video training or coaching courses.
  2. Skills – You can use our quizzes or practice tests to boost your skills or even ace certification examinations.
  3. Experience – You can use our in-built, handson assignments or coaching advice to jumpstart the experience needed for your career.

This how we (IT Career Coach) help … by aligning you with the requirements of your career or job.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/13/which-certifications-or-courses-guarantee-a-job/feed/ 2 What Is the Toughest Challenge Facing your Career? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/11/the-toughest-challenge-facing-your-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/11/the-toughest-challenge-facing-your-career/#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 04:30:35 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3062

What Is The Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career?

What Is The Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career?

Compliments of the Season and Merry Christmas To You. What is the toughest challenge facing your career right now?

Post a detailed question regarding your challenges right now, and I will help you take care of them, once and for all!

How To Discover Your Passion?

Perhaps, your toughest challenge is …

  • How to choose the right career or
  • How to make a career change or
  • How to get an entry level job that is inline with your career goals

Regardless of the type of challenge facing your career, go ahead and post a detailed question regarding your challenge and I will answer it for you

How To Do The Work You Love?

Perhaps, your toughest challenge is …

  • How to become highly skilled at your job or
  • How to get suitable hands-on experience or
  • How to transition from a beginner or junior position to a senior-level job

Leave a detailed comment about your challenging career situation using the form below and I will answer it for you!

How To Take Your Passion To The Market?

Perhaps, the most challenging situation facing your career is …

  • How to rewrite your resume and/or cover letter, so you can get the job you want or
  • How to distinguish yourself from others in your industry, so that you can standout or get hired or
  • How to ace your job / technical interviews so that you can get jobs more easily …

Whatever your challenge, just go ahead and ask a question using the “comment form” below and I will answer it for you.

I may answer by writing a new article that addresses your concerns or by posting a comprehensive reply to your comment below.

The concern or challenge facing you is important to me, so go right away and post it as a comment on this page.

The sooner you ask that question, the sooner I can take care of it for you. So, let’s get started


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/11/the-toughest-challenge-facing-your-career/feed/ 53 Is An MBA Required For Business Analyst Jobs? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/10/is-an-mba-required-for-business-analyst-jobs/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/10/is-an-mba-required-for-business-analyst-jobs/#comments Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:42:11 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3031

MBA - Laid Off and Looking For Work!

MBA - Laid Off and Looking For Work!

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

This question was submitted by a reader who would like to know: “If An MBA Is Required For Business Analyst Jobs“.

Here Is The Question on Educational Requirements for Business Analyst Jobs:

… I will be working for one year then I have plans to go for a one year MBA program.

Will this plan help be to become a business analyst? And in this one year of working period before going for an MBA, i would like to load myself with extra courses like SAP or SAS or any other relevant courses.

Kindly let me know which part time course will be suitable for me to in this one year working period to become a business analyst.

I am not from computer background so do i need to do some computer programming related courses like c++ or java which will not be so easy for a beginner?

Thank you

Is An MBA Required For Business Analyst Jobs?

Here is the answer to the question: is an MBA required for business analyst jobs?

Business Analyst Jobs Are Not Traditional

Your question is based on the premise that Information Technology (IT) jobs are just like other traditional careers (law, medicine, education, etc.) … but they are not!

The IT Industry is fundamentally different from other sectors of the economy. For one, it is in a constant state of change and it is also in its infancy.

The Business Analyst Career has its roots in Systems Analysis, Software Development and Business Process Engineering amongst others.

So, business analysis as a profession is still in its infancy and it is still evolving and unlike other non-IT industries, there is no degree required for a job in business analysis or any of the other information technology fields.

So the answer to your question is: NO, an MBA Degree is not required for a Business Analysis Job.

Which College Degree Is Required For A Business Analyst Job?

Neither an MBA or SAS or SPSS or any one degree is required for a business analyst job … that is old school thinking!

Any degree will work for you because hiring managers are more concerned about your actual performance on the job than on your paper qualifications or credentials!

As a matter of fact, even if you get a job based on your paper qualifications, you are bound to lose the job, if you don’t understand the roles and responsibilities of a business analyst and perform accordingly.

Information Technology is a performance driven, prove-it field and business analysts are not exempt from that culture.

Your college education only goes to prove that you are literate and that you can be trusted to converse or discuss on workplace issues, intelligently.

Your college degree by itself does not qualify your for a business analyst job.

What Are Hiring Managers Looking For?

Hiring managers are looking for functional business analysis skills because business analysis skills are different from MBA skills or SAS or SPSS or any other body of knowledge.

In other words, getting an MBA degree does not convey functional business analysis skills.

To start with, business analysts gather, document, validate and manage requirements using specific processes like UML or Use Cases.

So, you can’t expect to get that from an MBA program or bypass this skill requirement by learning another course like SAS or SPSS.

In addition, employers often view business analysts as domain specialists because they are looking for subject matter expertise and previous business knowledge in their industry.

This is why you may see job postings for CRM Business Analysts or Sales & Marketing Business Analyst or IT Business Analyst.

Understand How To ACE IT Jobs / Principles of Success in IT Careers

My goal in this community is to get you started down the path that leads to career nirvana and stop you from forking over thousands of dollars in hard-earned money or waste time chasing down self-imposed limiting beliefs or myths supplied by others.

So, I would advise you to do just this:

  1. Don’t analyze Business Analyst jobs the way you would analyze jobs in other industries because that won’t work :-) .

    Don’t assume that an MBA degree pre-qualifies you for a business analyst job the way that a medical or law degree places you in the direct path of becoming a doctor or a lawyer.

  2. Don’t try to bypass the requirement for business analysis skills by taking non-business analysis courses.

    Learn business analysis first and then if you need to get an MBA or any other degree to fulfill your personal educational ambitions, do so afterwards.

  3. Take the shortest path to becoming a business analyst and give the hiring managers what they want.

    Learn business analysis, get hands on business analysis experience and bring you resume to market as quickly as possible.

  4. Focus your learning on business analysis techniques, skills and practices.

    You may learn business analysis in an online class because that fits in more conveniently with your hectic study schedule.

  5. The most impressive thing on your resume is your handson experience.

    So either get handson experience as an IT business analyst or get domain / subject matter expertise relevant to the domain you may want to specialize in.

Take a direct path to becoming a business analyst and don’t spend your time chasing rabbit trails … that is the [IT Career Coach's] ACE (Affordable, Convenient, Effective) :-)


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/10/is-an-mba-required-for-business-analyst-jobs/feed/ 14 When Life Throws You a Curve Ball, Throw it Back! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/24/when-life-throws-you-a-curve-ball-throw-it-back/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/24/when-life-throws-you-a-curve-ball-throw-it-back/#comments Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:01:10 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3012

Life Throws A Curve Ball, Then What?

Life Throws A Curve Ball, Then What?


Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans – John Lennon

The truth is that work is a lifetime constant. It’s a marathon and not a sprint, so along the way you may start getting tired or even feel like quitting!

If that describes you or if you have ever felt like that … don’t give up hope because help is much closer than you think.

And here is why. Today I will be dealing with a pressing problem that is facing many of you, which is: How to you keep your career from stalling when life happens.

Many smart people like you start their careers with a sky-is-the-limit trajectory. Perhaps you were also voted “most likely to succeed” in high school or college.

But twenty years later, you find that though you had fun for a while and made some money along the way, your career has sputtered or stalled for seemingly inexplicable reasons.

What Do You Do When Life Throws You A Curve Ball?

Once you were a pie-in-the-sky, bright-eyed young college graduate who just landed his or her first job. It was (you thought), a high-paying job that guaranteed a comfortable lifestyle, a nice house in the right neighborhood and a decent car.

You were probably single at the time and the life in-front of you seemed to be full of promises. So, you started a fast-track career with grand ambitions. And after a few months or years, you met someone you liked, got married and added a kid or two to complete the picture.

Then life happened! You don’t know how you got there and you don’t know why or when … but your career stalled, sputtered and slowly ground to a halt!

What happened is that maintaining career success required much more energy than you anticipated, so while you were worked at having a life, your career sputtered and stalled.

The demands of life and family seem irreconcilably opposed to the demands of technology and a fast-paced workplace and It is becoming increasingly difficult to juggle both the demands of personal life and an ever-advancing technological workplace.

So, it was subtle and you were not fully aware of the drift. You began to fall two steps behind, then another and another until one day you wake up to realize that your career has stagnated and you ‘re no longer as energized as you once were at the beginning.

If you are in a stagnating or stalled-out career, don’t despair. There is still hope for you. Start doing things the IT Career Coach Way …. Learn and Practice.

Let’s look at the top reasons why your career is stalling, how to prevent career stagnation or how to give yourself a fresh start because you deserve it :-)

You have lost steam and enthusiasm. You’ve lost your vision, energy, focus and drive. And you’re only going through the motions of the job.

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

  1. Get focused, stop procrastination and start setting specific goals.

  2. Break down your career goals into Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely (SMART) steps.

  3. Consider making a lateral change within your company as this would get you thinking outside the box for a change and invigorate you with new challenges.

Your network is too narrow. Your only career contacts are your boss and co-workers, and your company is so small that you have to wait for someone to die to get a promotion. You have allowed yourself to become isolated from your industry and the better opportunities in your field.

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

  1. Don’t let networking fall by the wayside.

  2. Keep your name out there in your industry and with the leaders in your field. Remember that personal relationships weigh more in business or hiring decisions.

  3. Keep your resume updated with your achievements on an ongoing basis even if you are happy in your current position.

  4. Know your own strength. Don’t avoid jotting down your strengths because you’re afraid of tooting your own horn. There’s something to be said for humility, but in order to advance in your career and keep that spark alive, you must always be tweeting what you are about doing!

Life has gotten in the way. You’ve got health issues, you’re in debt, you’ve too many bills or your personal relationships are not what they should be. All of this is sapping your energy.

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

In between the daily grind of life and getting the work done, be sure to take care of you … because you are Numero Uno.

Here is an analogy: you are with kids in an airplane that is going down. Oxygen masks are falling fall around you. And you are instructed to position your own oxygen mask first before taking care of others. Because you will not be able to think straight or function properly until your personal oxygen line is secure.

So, pay strong attention to your personal physical, spiritual and emotional fitness. Just as physical illness can sideline you from getting work done, personal, emotional or spiritual upsets, relationship trials or money problems can get in your way, by cluttering your thoughts, sapping your energy or killing your drive.

Your skills are too localized. You only know one software language or business analysis technique and you’re not even an expert at that. Your foundation is weak and you’re always playing catch up with real-world skills or technology.

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

Just as a house built on sand falls like a pack of cards in stormy weather, a career that’s weak at the core will come apart in a tough economy. So, stop procrastinating and master the fundamentals of your field.

Make every effort to keep up with the fast-pace of technology change because the price you pay for sitting back, doing nothing or getting comfortable will be too high.

Your feel like a dinosaur. You plan to pay off your student loans while getting more certifications, diplomas and accreditation … hoping that a lucky employer would recognize your intrinsic worth. and before you know it, you’re deep in debt, you’ve wasted a lot of time and no-one is making you a decent job offer!

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

  1. Change your thinking and you will get a different outcome from life.

  2. This is a new world order. And employers are hiring proven, productive workers with relevant hands-on experience and tightly focused job skills.

  3. Here is the game changer … try the IT Career Coach Way. Work on both studying or learning and developing practical, hands-on career oriented skills at the same time.

The Law Of Inertia – Sir Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton in the First Law of Motion explains a fundamental principle of physical life … every thing continues in its state of rest or motion unless compelled to do otherwise.

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1726)

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1726)

In other words … Get Off Your Rockers! And do something

Use what you have to get what you want. Use your skills and experience as a launching pad and don’t be sitting on them.

Stay ahead of the technology curve. Take an online training or coaching class to to advance your practical skills, It doesn’t get in the way of work and you’ve got no excuses for not investing in your life. Often times, your company or employer will be glad to pay for your training, so do yourself a favor … just ask!

If you can’t afford coaching or training then keep a table at your local borders or barnes and noble bookstore and keep yourself up-to-date with the advancements in your field.

Though it may appear that career stagnation happens all of a sudden, the truth is that it happened slowly, gradually, eventually over time. And just as it takes time to come to a place of stagnation, it will also take time to light a new spark to yor now stalled-out career.

Though, time may not seem to be on your side, be patient and take it one step at a time. Each positive, forward step you take, renews your energy and propels you towards a bright and promising future … remember Sir Isaac Newton.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/24/when-life-throws-you-a-curve-ball-throw-it-back/feed/ 1 How To Change Careers Starting At Your Current Employer http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/09/16/how-to-change-careers-starting-at-your-current-employer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/09/16/how-to-change-careers-starting-at-your-current-employer/#comments Thu, 16 Sep 2010 22:47:48 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3007

change careers at your current employer

change careers at your current employer


The Process For Changing your Career Path Starts With Your Current Employer

Here is a real-world example of how to do just that.

The current challenge facing me is how to find the right process for re-orienting my career from Web Producer to an introductory Junior position as Business Analyst.

I don’t hold any qualification in Business neither as Business Analyst but I am fully dedicated to becoming one.

I have just started reading books and doing research about this position and the responsibilities it entails.

I have studied Communication Studies and handle Web Producer responsibilities for 2 years.

I would very appreciated any information or tips on how to get into that field of work.

I am looking to do a MBA in Business in a few years in order to increase my knowledge and facilitate the job chances.

Here is a step by step process for re-orienting your career with your current employer … the easy or safe way to change career paths!

  1. Identify your transferable skills

    Identifying your transferable skills is the first step towards starting a new career.

    As a web producer, you probably meet with clients or document their requirements or communicate directly with them, so you do have some transferable skills.

    Read this post for detailed information on transferable skills

  2. Bridge your skills gap

    Yes, you already have some of the skills that needed for the new position. But they are most likely not as strong, sharp or as focused as they need to be!

    Review your resume for skills that need to be enhanced (transferable skills) or learned from scratch because you lack experience or knowledge in them.

    Improve your skills through private studies or with the business-analysis-online-training program described here.

  3. Find Business Analyst Work At Your Current Employer

    Volunteer for additional business analyst roles at your current employer and create a portfolio of completed business analyst tasks that you’ve performed.

  4. Last Step – Update Your Resume

    After completing all these steps, update your resume wit the tasks you’ve performed at your current employer and then start looking for a full-time business analyst job!

Notice that I said that you should supplement your hands-on experience at your current employer.

So many folks start out worrying about finding volunteer jobs when they can get additional hands-on experience at their current place of employment just by being more creative … don’t be like them!

Why You Should Start Your Business Analyst Career With your Current Employer

Don’t start by looking for external opportunities for hands-on experience because it is harder to prove yourself to someone who you’ve never worked for.

This is what you should do. Make friends with the business analysts in your team or with their managers and then volunteer to help them with technical writing, documentation, use cases, requirements management, etc.

Many firms do not have enough business analysts to handle the volume of work that comes their way and your firm is probably hard up for BA skills as well!

Put one foot in front of the other: take a step by step approach towards getting hands-on experience and starting a new business analysis career.

Don’t be like those who refuse to take small steps (getting trained, volunteering for BA tasks at their current firm) because they feel that they can take a big leap of faith and land on their feet.

This doesn’t work a lot of the times because no-one would like to trust you with a full-time job when you can’t prove that you have a bit of experience!

If you can’t convince your current employer to give you some tasks, what makes you think that a total stranger will pay you a full-time salary?

Be like movie stars … they build up their resume by working their way up from the bottom through accepting any role that allows them to develop or showcase their talents until … they get that big role!

The Business Analyst Boot Camp follow this principle in that it offers you a chance to perform specific hands-on business analysis tasks and assignments in a step by step fashion.

Do you have a pressing career question that needs to be answered? If you answered yes, contact [Ask IT Career Coach] – an amazing service that provides answers for even the most demanding career situations.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/09/16/how-to-change-careers-starting-at-your-current-employer/feed/ 10 What Is The Best Career Move for Technical Support Engineers? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/27/what-is-the-best-career-move-for-technical-support-engineers/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/27/what-is-the-best-career-move-for-technical-support-engineers/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:46:00 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2983

Careers for Network / Support Engineers

Careers for Network / Support Engineers

I would like to start this post by introducing [Ask IT Career Coach], a Career Advice Column that offers help, answers or solutions for your most challenging career situations.

This question was submitted by a reader from Johannesburg, South Africa: “What will be a best career move as a Desktop Engineer?”

The Best Career Move For Desktop or Technical Support Engineers

  1. Which Career Are You Best Suited For?

    There is no one singular career that works for every desktop engineer, so your first job is to discover the career you are best suited for.

    You may move to another related career and become a: network engineer, information security specialist, server administrator, network administrator or you may transition to a career that has nothing to do with desktops, servers, hardware or networking!

  2. How Do You Choose The Best Career?

    You can choose the next career move based on what your friends or colleagues recommend for you or based on what is the best-paying job in your field or based on which careers are currently in-demand or in-fashion.

    • However some of the folks recommending specific careers do so because that is all they have ever know or because they do not know about other alternative career options!

    • Choosing the next career move based on how much you are paid is not advisable because it leads to career instability and poor performance.

      Sooner or later, you will discover that you are not really passionate about the career and you will be unable to advance because of that!

    • Moving into a career because it’s in-fashion or popular is short-sighted because it results in you doing work that you’re not suited for.

      For example, becoming a pre-sales support engineer may be popular in your circle but still be a dumb career move for you because the constant traveling, socializing or presenting demands wears on you!

  3. Do You Know What You Love?

    Have you considered moving to a career that you love? If you find yourself unable to take that route, it’s because you have not taking the time to identify what you love doing!

    • Identify what you are good at

      Evaluate the feedback you get from colleagues or co-workers and use that to figure out what you are good at.

    • Identify your hobbies

      Evaluate your productive hobbies or part -time activities and use that to figure out what you like.

    • Analyze your Strengths and Weaknesses: Don’t just pick a career that you like or avoid careers that you dislike, take a balanced inventory of your likes and dislikes … Read this post to find out how!

What Is The Best Way To Figure Out Your Next Career Move?

Neo, you may download a FREE Report on “How To Make A Career Change”.

This free REPORT provides you with more information on how to choose the next career move!

Technical Support / Helpdesk Career Advice Column

In this post, I answered the question of which career is the best move after working as a Desktop Engineer.

If you have any question about this, be sure to post it as a comment on this page and I would answer it for you.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/27/what-is-the-best-career-move-for-technical-support-engineers/feed/ 8 How to Start Business Analysis After a Career in Computer Programming http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/17/how-to-start-business-analysis-after-a-career-in-computer-programming/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/17/how-to-start-business-analysis-after-a-career-in-computer-programming/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:30:35 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2975

How To Start A Business Analyst Career

How To Start A Business Analyst Career

Identifying your transferable skills is the first step towards successfully transitioning, changing or starting a new business analysis career.

Though this article is written for those starting a business analysis career after having worked as a computer programmer, the principles presented here are helpful to anyone interested in starting any new career.

The first step in starting a new career is building self-confidence by recognizing that the career you are transitioning to has some relationship or similarity to the jobs you have performed in the past.

It is important to take this first step of identifying your transferable skills because it instills self-confidence, reduces anxiety and helps you bridge the gap to a new career.

We like what we are familiar with and we feel more tense, anxious or uncertain about unfamiliar or new environments because we are not sure that we can cope or succeed in them.

So, taking this first step of identifying your transferable skills will do wonders for your self-confidence and career success.

Identify Your Transferable Skills

Did you realize that the skills you develop as a computer programmer go beyond purely coding skills?

As a computer programmer, you perform a number of tasks or roles at different points in your career which will assist you in starting a new business analysis career.

Start by making an inventory of your current skills and then identify those that will assist you in bridging the gap between your computer programming and business analyst career.

Some of these transferable skills may include:

  • Networking
  • Requirements gathering
  • Requirements documentation
  • Technical writing
  • Oral and written communication
  • Leadership
  • Critical thinking and analytical skills

Here are additional pointers to the role of transferable skills in starting a new business analysis career.

Transition your Leadership Skills

The typical software developer is a heads-down coder who focuses on specific tasks and does not think in terms of the big picture or pay attention to it (not a big picture thinker).

However, if you have been a technical or team lead, then you are comfortable with thinking and working on the big picture and at the same time, managing all the smaller details that accompany developing software such as:

  1. Estimating, planning or assigning tasks with project managers
  2. Gathering or validating requirements for the developers with business analysts
  3. Planning iterations, releases or builds with release managers
  4. Hiring new team members with IT Management
  5. Validating high-level business cases, user stories, vision and scope documents with the business team (directors, senior management, power users, customers and business analysts).

In this leadership and big-picture role, you would have learned how to delegate tasks, solve human problems as opposed to purely coding issues and worked with all sorts of professionals: customers, IT / project managers, business team etc.

This ability to work with, relate or communicate with different types of corporate users is a skill that you will transfer to your new business analysis career.

Transition your Technical Writing Skills

Technical writing is a skill that is frequently practiced or exercised by senior software developers and technical or team leads.

This is because from time to time you are asked to write software manuals, create help files or document the internal workings of software systems with Use Cases or UML.

Even in companies where there is a full-time technical writer, you may be asked to assist with documenting the procedures, business processes, architecture or business requirements because the technical writers cannot keep up with the volume of work!

So, you have probably practiced or exercised written communication skills which are transferable to your new career in business analysis!

Transition your Software Requirements Gathering Skills

Many developers have had to gather, analyze, validate and document software requirements at some time in their careers because their team lacked enough dedicated business analysis resources.

In this role, you would have had to identify the critical stakeholders or customers, elicit and analyze their requirements, document and validate the requirements with your software development or management team.

In this role you would also have practiced critical thinking and analytical skills, developed or managed professional relationships and exercised vital oral communication and networking skills.

Here is the main takeaway from this post for you

  1. Take an inventory of your skills
  2. Identify your transferable skills
  3. Bridge the gap to your business analyst career using your transferable skills

This post discusses how to start a new business analyst career. Follow the steps outline in this post to instill self-confidence in your abilities or bridge the gap between your current occupation and your desired career in business analysis.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/08/17/how-to-start-business-analysis-after-a-career-in-computer-programming/feed/ 12 How To Transition Into A New Career http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/04/how-to-transition-into-a-new-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/04/how-to-transition-into-a-new-career/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 03:50:41 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2951

Career Advice - Ask IT Career Coach

Career Advice - Ask IT Career Coach

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

This post answers the question of “how to transition into a new career“.

If you are making a career change and you don’t know how to effectively transition into another field, follow these simple steps to transition your career.

  1. Do what you love

    Discover what sort of career you will be passionate about before making a transition.

    Yo may transition because of a bigger salary, market demand, job security or interest level.

    Transitioning because of interest level or passion is the best reason.

  2. Get Hands-On Experience

    It will be hard to transition your career without getting some hands-on experience.

    Yes, you need to get this hands-on experience before you get the job … otherwise no one will believe that you are capable of doing the job

  3. Let Your Resume Sell You

    Your resume should reflect where you are going to and not where you are coming from.

    You need to get a hold of the resume of someone who is established in the career you are transitioning … and find a way to get matching skills, experience or portfolio.

  4. Don’t Follow The Crowd

    Do not transition to a career because others say it is hot.

    Transition into a career because you are willing to pay the price to succeed in that industry because without hard work or sacrifice, you are bound to fail.

  5. Be The Best

    Prepare to be the very best at your new career.

    If you fail, then you will be above average.

    Don’t plan to be average in your new career because you will under-estimate the effort you need to make and end up without a job.

    6. Follow these simple steps to transition into your new career.


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    ]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/04/how-to-transition-into-a-new-career/feed/ 6 Don’t Let Your Career Become A Silo! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/03/dont-let-you-career-become-a-silo/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/03/dont-let-you-career-become-a-silo/#comments Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:01:51 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2942

    Is Your Career A Silo?

    Is Your Career A Silo?

    Don’t let your career become a prison. Use it as a launching pad for achieving your dreams.

    If you would like to change career but feel like you can’t satisfy the specialized requirements on job postings, here is some good advice for you!

    [Ask IT Career Coach] is a Career Advice Column for IT professionals looking for answers to their most challenging career situations.

    Why Is Changing Roles So Hard?

    Changing roles is hard because Information Technology (IT), Web, or Software Development Managers want depth of experience in specific, narrowly defined or over-specialized skills.

    For example, you may be a strong HTML developer and yet fail at a job interview because you don’t have HTML5 on your resume even though you will easily learn it, if hired!

    Or you may be an e-commerce business analyst (ba) with 5 years of experience and yet you can’t qualify for an “e-commerce ba job because it requires an agency or advertising background”. This type of job description seems to imply that having an agency or advertising background is essential in a business analyst role!

    Is Your Career A Silo?

    IT careers have not always been silos. Software developers have been known to gather or document requirements for their projects (business analysis), create software manuals or help files using specialized programs (technical writing) or create and execute test plans (quality assurance).

    But because of the siloing of IT roles, our personalities are now limited by our careers instead of being expressions of them.

    Don’t Let Silos Stand In Your Way

    Transitioning careers is harder than it needs to be because of this narrow, over-specification of skills.

    • Your career is not bound to your college education. You are better of assuming that college is a training ground for improving thinking, probelm solving or analytical skills. College does not dictate your life work!

    • You are more than your resume. You succeed at work because of your intrinsic personal abilities which transcend job descriptions. Your resume only proves that you can get things done. Your resume does not determine what you can or cannot do!

    The ability to succeed at a job is within you. It is not limited by over-specialized job postings. This means that you should believe in yourself and let that confidence drive your career transition.

    For example, if you are a software developer used to gathering requirements for your team, believe that the same intrinsic personal traits (good communication or documentation skills) will help you transition into a full-time business analyst or technical writer job.

    I am saying that you musn’t let your current job become a silo. Use it as a launching pad to your dream career.

    Software Development As A Launching Pad For IT Careers

    Believing in yourself means that you focus on building bridges between your current and dream career instead of focusing on the restrictive or limiting words frequently used on job postings.

    with all this in mind, here is how you can transition from a software developer to a business analyst role.

    Expand the scope of your day to day computer programming tasks to take on more business analysis tasks.

    A good number of software development projects lack full-time business analysis resources. Take advantage of this opportunity to become a business analyst. Here is how:

    • Volunteer to gather, elicit or document the requirements for your software development projects. Don’t stay within the silo fo a typical software developer job role.

    • Learn UML and Use Cases which are skills that are common to both business analysts and software developers. This helps you build a bridge between your current and desired skills.

    • Bridge the gap between your current programming team and stakeholders. Become the go-between who interprets requirements to software developers or explains the programmers’ concerns to stakeholders.

    • Distinguish yourself by studying or training to be the best informed business analyst on your team. Many software developers have fragmented or incomplete knowledge of what business analyst do. Don’t be one of those.

      For example, some software developers know a little bit of Use Cases or UML, But having fragmented or incomplete knowledge doesn’t get the job done.

    • When an opportunity for a full-time business analyst resource opens up in your company apply for the position and ask the same stakeholders you are working with to recommend you.

    • If a business analyst position does not open up in your firm, document all the work that you are doing and apply for a full-time business analyst position at another company.

    Don’t let your career, education or job postings become your silo. You have to believe in yourself and learn how to build bridges between your current job and the career you want.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/03/dont-let-you-career-become-a-silo/feed/ 1     Career Tip for Senior Business Analysts: Become The Lead Business Analyst! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/10/career-tip-for-senior-business-analysts-become-the-lead-business-analyst/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/10/career-tip-for-senior-business-analysts-become-the-lead-business-analyst/#comments Thu, 10 Jun 2010 07:49:48 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2929

    Career Tip For Senior BAs: Become The Lead BA

    Career Tip For Senior BAs: Become The Lead BA

    This post answers questions received from senior business analysts asking about how to carve out an upwardly mobile career path in their company or organization.

    The answers in this post are presented as tips, solutions or ideas for business analysts looking towards a better career path.

    If you have a question about your business analyst career, be sure to post it as a comment on this post and I will be glad to answer it for you.

    Here are the tips for business analysts looking for a better career path:

    Should Business Analysts Test Software Applications?

    In my department, analysts are mainly used for testing applications.

    I know that there is more to this than testing applications.

    What skills sets would you suggest I gain in order to become a top notch analyst?"

    Should Business Analysts Test Software Applications?

      • While business analyst are not full-fledged software testers, some organizations do require business analysts to test their software applications, oversee the testing process or collaborate closely with the QA / Software Testing Team.
      • When business analysts test software applications, they usually perform a form of testing known as Usability Testing, Functional or Acceptance Testing.
      • Business Analysts are sometimes asked to test software applications because they are the custodians of the customer, project or software requirements and so as such, need to confirm that the product or solution meets documented requirements.
      • However business analysts are sometimes asked to test solutions (and not just software components) because their company is short on QA staff and are merging both the QA / Software Testers duties into that of the business analysts!
      • Note: there is a lot more to the art of software testing than usability, functional or acceptance testing. These other other forms of testing may require scripting or automated tools and are not usually required of business analysts.

    What Is The Future For Senior Business Analysts?

    The toughest challenge facing me is the transition from Senior Business Analyst to Lead Analyst.

    The Future / Career Path for Senior Business Analysts:

    There is a real career path for senior business analysts. This career path comes with new titles, additional duties / roles or recognition (formal / informal) depending on the organization.

    To start with, there is no common way of showing the seniority or lead position of a lead business analyst

    In some organizations, the lead business analyst is the most senior or experienced person on the team and not necessarily the most educated.

    The position of the lead business analyst is sometimes given informally when a manager refers other business analysts to the lead and / or identifies the BA as such.

    1. If you are intent on being the lead business analyst, strive to distinguish yourself over a period of time by the quality of your work, the depth of your knowledge and expertise and your commitment to delivering excellent business results.
    2. Study the lead business analyst and start learning whatever it is they bring to the table that you presently don’t.
    3. In many organizations, the title of lead business analyst is earned over time because the lead business analyst has to have a strong understanding the business / organization. My advice is this: Be patient and hunker down for the long haul.

    Remember the Kaizen principle, which is used to achieve an outstanding result by delivering smaller but consistent, qualitative improvements over a longer period of time.

    • Start identifying the issues that your users have. Demonstrate to your manager that you have the analysis skills to take on the lead business analyst role.
    • Increase your output when it comes to problem-solving on the project. Make yourself available and visible to users instead of shying away from contact with them.
    • Get as much additional training as you can afford and channel all your efforts to becoming a better business analyst by learning everything that you can about business analysis.

    If you gain new skills or demonstrate additional abilities on the job, you will position yourself for more responsibility … even that of the lead business analyst.

    Finally, becoming a lead business analyst has a lot to do with demonstrating outstanding leadership skills.

    It is not just what you know (knowledge alone is not enough for this role) but how well you can step out of your box to help your fellow business analysts, team or company.

    Learn how to demonstrate exceptional leadership, communication. coaching and mentoring skills in addition to your traditional business analysis skills and you will stand out from other senior business analysts or your peers!

    What Is The Career Path for IT Business Analysts?

    I need help. My company is considering creating specialist areas for the Business Analyst in IT.

    Is there a model or any existing categorization of Business Analyst role in IT?

    I am only aware of roles like Senior/Junior Business Analyst.

    The Roles / Models for IT Business Analysts:

    There are several possible career paths for IT Business Analysts depending on the size of the organization or the diversity of tasks performed by your business analysts.

    Assuming that your company has a legitimate need to start putting business analysts into silos, here are some options, categories or specialized roles:

    1. Usability / UI / User Experience Business Analyst

    2. Web Business Analyst

    3. E-Commerce Business Analyst

    4. Marketing Business Analyst

    5. Business Process Analyst / Process Engineer

    6. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Business Analyst

    Use this list to elicit more careers centering on specialized functions performed by the business analysts on you team.

    This post presents tips, strategies or solutions for advancing your business analysis career. If you enjoy reading this post, be sure to … Share It with Friends


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/10/career-tip-for-senior-business-analysts-become-the-lead-business-analyst/feed/ 9     How To Handle Recruiter’s Phone Calls? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/04/how-to-handle-recruiters-phone-calls/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/04/how-to-handle-recruiters-phone-calls/#comments Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:05:33 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2926

    How To Handle Recruiters Phone Calls

    How To Handle Recruiters Phone Calls

    Recruiters are the gatekeepers for business analyst jobs.

    They are in touch with more employers, consulting or full-time engagements than most business analysts.

    This post answers the question of how to handle or deal with recruiters calling about business analyst jobs.

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

    If you enjoy reading this post, please be sure to … Share this Post with Friends

    Here is a question posted by a business analyst on how to deal with recruiters

    I have received some phone calls from recruiters recently about BA jobs.

    We talk about the description, and then my experience.

    At the end of the call, they always promise to call back.

    They most likely never do. When I try to follow up, they most often do not reciprocate.

    Is this typical

    Or is the a better way for me to handle these calls

    How To Handle Phone Calls From Recruiters

    Handling recruiters successfully depends on your ability to put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes or negotiate from a point of strength.

    Here are some tips on how you can do just that!

    1. Put Yourself In The Recruiter’s Shoes

      Recruiters are primarily out to help their bottom line.

      With that in mind, your conversations with recruiters must prove beyond a shadow of doubt that you are qualified for the job.

      This means that you are not trying to convince, beg or plead for a job but that you come across as a skilled, experienced or knowledgeable business analyst with a pleasing personality.

    2. Tailor Your Conversation To The Job Description

      Recruiters generally have a light grasp of technology.

      Which means that they may not be as familiar with the requirements listed in the job description as you may think.

      So, make it easy on recruiters and present your skills, experience or background in the light of the job description at hand.

      For example, if a job description is posted for a business analyst with business use cases skills and you present your skills as system use cases, you may be passed.

      So, make sure that your skills, background or experience cover the specific requirements mentioned in the job description.

    3. Grab The Recruiter’s Attention

      Get your act together before getting on the phone with the recruiter.

      While on the phone, take charge of the conversation and grab the recruiter’s attention within the first few minutes of the conversation.

      All things being equal, recruiters tend to feed off your energy level.

      So, if you sound positive and upbeat, they will conclude that they want to do business with you.

      If you sound unsure of yourself, they are likely to conclude that you are hiding something or that you are not as good as you need to be!

      The best preparation is to rehearse your opening statements or polish your presentation before getting on the phone with the recruiter.

    4. Looking for a Job? Stay Busy!

      Don’t sound like you are just staying at home waiting for a job, even though that may be the truth.

      Talk about how busy you are and how you are lining up interviews because recruiters are wired to follow the herd.

      In other words, if you sound like you are busy taking interviews and lining up jobs, they will scramble to represent you as well.

      But if on the other hand, you sound like you are having difficulty finding interviews, they will shy away from you too!

      Recruiters behave like this because they reason that if their colleagues are not going after you, then either you are not qualified or not a good match for the job.

    I hope that these tips will help you represent yourself better to recruiters.

    One of the well-kept secrets of working with recruiters is that they prefer polished, professional presentations from candidates who seem to know what they are doing even.

    This is because recruiters often cannot distinguish an experienced, skilled or knowledgeable candidate from another business analyst who is less skilled.

    So, plan, prepare and present your skills in the best light possible and you will win their hearts and souls :-)


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/04/how-to-handle-recruiters-phone-calls/feed/ 0     LinkedIn Releases Job Seeker Premium Account http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/17/linkedin-releases-job-seeker-premium-account/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/17/linkedin-releases-job-seeker-premium-account/#comments Sat, 17 Apr 2010 21:28:00 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2902

    LinkedIn has released a premium account for job seekers who want to position their resumes at the top of job search listings.

    Here is a summary of the new LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium Account Service:

    1. The new LinkedIn job seeker premuim account allows you to stand out from the crowd, directly contact hiring managers and manage your job search.

    2. It increases your chances of being hired by moving your resume to the top of the list which puts you ahead of the competition.

    3. The LinkedIn job seeker premium account also allows you to contact hiring managers directly about opportunities at their respective organizations.

    We have prepared a free guide on the new LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium Account.

    Download the FREE Report on LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium Account Guide Below


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/17/linkedin-releases-job-seeker-premium-account/feed/ 0     The Database Administrator (DBA) Job Description http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/15/the-database-administrator-dba-job-description/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/15/the-database-administrator-dba-job-description/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:40:02 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2876

    Database Administrator (DBA)'s Job Description

    Database Administrator (DBA)'s Job Description

    In this issue, I will be answering a question submitted by a reader on “The Roles, Responsibilities or Job Description of Database Administrators (DBAs)“.

    You can Ask IT Career Coach your toughest or most pressing questions and I will answer it fully just as I am answering this reader’s question below!

    If you enjoy reading this post, please be sure to … Share this Post with Friends

    Here is the reader’s question::

    About The Database Administrator’s (DBA) Job Description

    I am a final year BE student interested in developing a career in DBA

    Can you tell me the future prospects for DBA jobs and do i need to have a good knowledge of programming like C,C++,java,.net etc to be a DBA?

    And I have also heard that getting jobs in DBA as freshers is very tough and companies don’t prefer DBA as freshers.

    The Duties, Roles And Responsibilities of Database Administrators (DBAs)

    The Database Administrator (DBA)’s job comes with a lot of responsibility and because of that, a lot of experience is usually required for the job.

    This is the reason why Database Administrators tend to be seasoned database professionals and not entry level database professionals.

    With that in mind, your first goal should be to learn database development first and then get a job where you can work your way up to becoming a DBA by first proving your competency as a database developer first.

    Does A DBA Need To Know Scripting Languages?

    DBAs are not computer programmers so they do not need to master every facet of programming with C/C++, C#, Java, .NET, etc.

    However DBAs also need to write scripts for database maintenance jobs in a specific programming language.

    For example, DBAs importing data into a SQL Server database may need to know enough of the Visual Basic scripting language (VBScript) to write some of the Extraction, Transform and Load (ETL) or Data Transformation Services (DTS) tasks required for the Extraction, Transformation or Loading (ETL) process.

    Does A DBA Need To Know SQL Programming?

    Though DBAs are not required to master computer programming, the normal day to day DBA duties may involve extensive programming in SQL.

    For example, a DBA may have to write fairly extensive programming solutions in the SQL Language as part of stored procedures or some other database script.

    It’s important to note that each relational database platform has its own native programming language (T-SQL, PL/SQL, Access SQL, etc.)

    Introducing The DBA’s Job Description

    Here is a quick overview of the database administrator’s (DBA) job description.

    The database administrator or DBA is responsible for maintaining the database, applying the patches and upgrading the database.

    The DBA is also responsible for maintaining the security of the database.


    Here is some additional information on the roles and responsibilities of a DBA:

    • The DBAs responsibilities includes installing the database on a production system.

    • The DBA role tends towards supporting production, staging or quality assurance databases and rarely sandbox or developer databases.

      Supporting Sandbox or developer databases are usually part of the database developer’s job description.

    • The DBA is also responsible for maintaining the uptime or availability of production databases.

      DBAs have to monitor production databases regularly or respond to any database issues by bringing down the database or taking the database offline.

    • The DBA’s roles, responsibilities and duties also includes monitoring or optimizing the performance, security, backup, recovery or integrity of database management systems.

    This post was written in answer to a question submitted by a reader on “The Database Administrator’s Job Description.

    If you have a question, be sure to post it here as a comment on this post or submit it to: [Ask IT Career Coach].

    How To Become A Database Administrator?

    The first step in becoming a database administrator is to learn SQL Query Writing, master relational database design and development and study advanced sql topics.

    Database Administrator’s tend to be highly skilled database developers and are usually promoted from within. What that means is that in all likelihood, you would start out as a database developer, gain a lot of experience and then move up the ranks or get promoted to a database administrator (DBA).


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/15/the-database-administrator-dba-job-description/feed/ 13     How To Break The Unemployment Cycle? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/07/how-to-break-the-unemployment-cycle/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/07/how-to-break-the-unemployment-cycle/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:50:43 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2863

    How To Break The Unemployment Cycle

    How To Break The Unemployment Cycle

    Sometime ago, Glendal (a project manager on this website) asked me to suggest a solution for the current unemployment crises facing the USA. While still working on an answer to that, the same question was again popped to me in a recent interview with Dice.com.

    Since this is a question weighing on the minds of people … Today, it will be my pleasure to answer the question: “How To Solve The Unemployment Crises Facing The United States of America.“.

    I will preface my solution by saying that unemployable people will find that their situation results from either not having the right skills or not knowing how to market their skills or both!

    Disregarding folks who can’t work because of disability or medical issues, you will find that most people can find work, if they pay enough attention to their skills, hands-on experience or their marketability.

    How To Break The Cycle Of Unemployment Facing The USA

    The solution to unemployment is embracing a lifestyle of learning new technology. For your career or skills to be marketable, what you know must be tied into a facet of technology that is currently in-demand in your industry.

    Why should you care about technology?

    Technology in one form or the other creates or eliminates jobs and drives the entire economy forward. When you ride the wave of technology, your career is in-demand and when your skills are behind the technology curve, your employment prospects start to dwindle!

    So, one of the biggest challenges facing unemployable people is that their skills are behind the technology curve.

    Read about the dependency between modern-day careers and technology in this article titled: “Always Be Learning“.

    Here are some pointers or indicators of having skills out of touch with today’s technology.

    • College Band-Aid

      You have a college degree and you think that makes you employable. Or you don’t have a college degree and you think that is the reason why you can’t get a job!

    • The Gold Watch Syndrome

      You are too focused on racking up years of service or retiring with a gold watch at the end of your career.

      Losing your job forces you to face the unpleasant reality that employers don’t care about years of service anymore!

    • Certified Incompetent

      You view certifications as the roadmap to career success and so, you buoy your career up with them.

      Only to lose your job because your employer eventually sees through your certified incompetency.

    A long-time ago, having a college degree guaranteed an entry-level job at a great company. Once you were hired, you would stay at that one job and build your nest egg.

    Today’s employer hires for sharpness of skills or breadth of experience and not for old-school reasons. And you have a job, only for as long as your skills are in-demand or you stay-ahead of the technology curve!

    How To Be Employable

    • #1 – Bridge Technology Gaps by Learning New Skills

      Learn skills that are in-demand by employers.

      Don’t just learn the skills you like or want, develop skills that are actually being posted in real-world job descriptions.

      Don’t wait for employers to lower their requirements and don’t plan on finding work with obsolete skill-sets either.

    • #2 – Stay Ahead Of The Technology Curve By Constantly Updating your Skills

      Plan to update, improve or become an expert at what you do.

      Don’t assume that what you learned 1 year ago is still current … because it’s not.

      If you sharpen your skills constantly, you will become a highly skilled or sought-after technology professional.

      If your skills are sharp, you will be highly employable and in-demand … even as employers compete for your services and not the other way round!

    • #3 – Always Be Learning

      Invest time, money and effort on a continuous basis in your career development.

      Don’t bet on making a one-time investment that will keep you employed for the rest of your life because that is no longer realistic.

      What is realistic is an expectation to “get out of your career … only what you put into it“.

      So, invest money, time and effort into learning new skills or updating skills continuously and you will be sought-after or in-demand in your industry.

    • #4 – Market Your Skills Better

      A number of unemployed people can get jobs if they just learned how to market their skills better.

      If you hate to hear the “marketing word”, here how to market your career without being a shameless promoter!

      • Build Your Brand Or Become A Leader

        Start by doing what you love and then convey your passion at job interviews.

        This last point is important because hiring managers or employers love to hire passionate IT professionals who really care about their skills, their careers or their industry. Because there are so many people that are out to just get a job … your passion will stick out in a crowded job market!

        If you can’t find something that you love, then go into a career that you can eventually become really good at.

        Finally, build a brand around networking with people and solving the problems facing your industry.

        The approach that I’m talking about is explained in an article titled: Become A Leader And Get The Job You Want!

    • #5 – Choose A New IT Career

      Let me wrap up by saying that this post is intended for Information Technology (IT) professionals (business analysts, computer programmers, database professionals, software testers, project managers, etc).

      If you’re not already an IT professional or you need help with evaluating your IT career choices, I suggest that you get a copy of the THE BLUEPRINT – YOUR ROADMAP TO CAREER SUCCESS E-BOOK + WORKBOOK. Starting with the e-book and finishing up with the workbook, you will learn how to make better career choices.

    Finally, unemployment is not based on education or age but on how well-aligned your skills are with the current technology. If you choose the right career, improve your skills constantly, and market your career better, your skills or services will always be in-demand.

    You Deserve A Good Life … Go Get It :D

    Read additional thoughts on employment, job prospects and technology titled: “Always Be Learning“.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/07/how-to-break-the-unemployment-cycle/feed/ 0     #5 Success Principle: Always Be Learning http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/17/always-be-learning/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/17/always-be-learning/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:02:29 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2839

    stay ahead of the technology curve

    stay ahead of the technology curve


    The Love – Hate Relationship With Technology

    Most days, we are in love with technology and can’t seem to get away from getting work done on our iPhones, laptops and the Internet or watching hi-tech adventure movies like James Cameron’s Avatar on 3D :-)

    We have witnessed the rapid pace of technological change in the last 20 years … the advances in computers, video games and electronics and of course … the coming of the internet.

    As IT professionals, we all seem to participate in this drama either as consumers, producers or enablers of technology.

    And regardless of the work we do as business analysts, computer programmers, desktop support technicians; we constantly interface, use, enable or create technology.

    We love to be entertained or get work done through new technology.

    But sometimes hate to study it, because whatr we learn becomes obsolete in a relatively short period.

    Moore’s Law

    Gordon Moore (Intel co-founder) in 1965 stated that the number of transistors on a chip will double every 24 months.

    This statement which later became known as Moore’s Law is a guiding principle of the high-tech industry.

    Moore’s law explains why IT professionals are always learning some new technology.

    Moore’s Law promises tech workers that before they finish learning, another new or improved technology will make their skills obsolete.

    So, what can we do when we finally get tired of learning new technology?

    Can we perhaps, just drop out of the rat-race in search of a new career or hide from the challenges of always staying ahead of new technology?

    Technology Is Everywhere

    The problem is that any career we switch to will use or interface with technology … and require us to learn or master it!

    It doesn’t matter whether we choose to become bloggers, journalists, school teachers or go into politics … because everyone in a civilized society is connected through technology!

    We all work in a society that strives to keep up with new technology … captive in a drama rooted in Moore’s Law.

    Technology Is The Future

    The good news is that our career accelerates when we embrace the implications of Moore’s Law or stop acting like it doesn’t exist or influence over our lives.

    The right question is not how we can preserve our skills … because we can’t.

    Our skills are useful because employers are willing to pay for them.

    And as technology changes, employers revise what they will pay for, so tech workers have to learn new skills or risk losing their jobs!

    The question really is one of : “How To Stay Ahead Of The Technology Curve” and the answer to that is:

    How To Stay Ahead Of The Technology Curve

    1. Always Be Learning – make a habit out of studying, learning technology or improving your skills.

    2. Keep Your Skills Current – update your skills before they become obsolete. Because it’s far better to be ahead of the technology curve than to be behind it.

    3. Study Effectively – we can’t stop the future and we can’t ignore that it’s driven by technology. But we can learn how to study new technology effectively, and live successful, productive or rewarding lives.

    Success comes by accepting technological changes as part of life, adopting a lifestyle of learning and by staying ahead of the technology curve.


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