ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » getajob 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 What Software Do I Learn to Become A Business Analyst? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/20/what-software-do-i-learn-to-become-a-business-analyst/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/20/what-software-do-i-learn-to-become-a-business-analyst/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:16:47 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3323

what software should you-learn to become a business analyst?

what software should you-learn to become a business analyst?

[Ask IT Career Coach] is a Career Advice Newsletter for Information Technology (IT) professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, data analysts, database developers, technical writers, project managers and software testers.

If you, have a challenging question about your career, submit it here and we will answer yours just as we are answering this question submitted by a technical writer titled: What Software Do I Learn to Become A Business Analyst? …

Question

How do I learn or get the software knowledge that would make me a business analyst?

What types of software programs will I have to use on the job; and how do I learn these programs in a visual manner without having to refer to textbooks?

Answer:

You do not understand what a business analyst does and because of that you are mixing software jobs (like that of a computer programmer’s) with the business analyst’s job.

This mix-up is quite common because software oriented jobs are more common and better understood than business analyst jobs.

When you think of a computer programmer’s job, the picture that comes to mind is that of a highly skilled technology savvy professional who spends a lot of time building software programs, creating data entry forms and screens, designing websites or even installing desktop applications.

Unfortunately, when you think of business analysts, you also imagine that their duties or tasks are similar to those of computer programmers!

Because of this, you are wrongly associating the business analyst’s career with more software / technology careers like software testing, technical writing or computer programming.

So, in TODAY'S POST, I will contrast the role of a software tester, computer programmer, technical writer and business analyst to bring the point home.

What Does A Business Analyst Really Do?

The primary skills that business analysts use on the job are communication skills
(both written and verbal) unlike computer programmers, whose primary skills are tied to expertise in specific technologies like C#, Visual Basic, Java, PHP.

Business Analysts are highly-skilled or expert at communicating technology requirements with stakeholders, customer, power users or even technical teams (think software developers, software testers, web designers).

The primary communication tools used by business analysts while facilitating the requirements engineering process are Office productivity tools including Microsoft Word (for documenting requirements), Microsoft PowerPoint (for making presentations) and Microsoft Excel.

However, unlike computer programmer jobs, business analyst jobs are not required to be software or technology centered.

Don’t get me wrong!

Some job postings for business analysts require knowledge of software development languages like C# or Java or a software development background.

The business analysts that apply for these job postings are more accurately classified as Technical Business Analysts.

There are several domains or specializations available to business analysts (mortgage, financial, telecommunications / telco, automotive, healthcare, insurance) and technical business analysis is just one of these domains.

Read more about domain business analysts here:

However, the requirements for domain business analysts are not the same as the requirement for becoming a business analyst.

You are a business analyst first before you become a technical / domain business analyst.

So, don’t apply the role, responsibilities and requirements for the technical business analysis domain to all business analyst domains.

Competence or mastery of Microsoft Office Productivity software (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is a requirement for business analyst jobs even when it is not stated on the job posting.

A business analyst who uses Office Productivity software can document requirements with Microsoft Word, make PowerPoint presentations and run what-if analysis using Microsoft Excel.

Focusing on software skills beyond Microsoft Office software makes you more of a computer programmer than a business analyst.

For your information, here are some of the differences between computer programmer jobs and business analyst jobs.

Business Analysts Compared To Computer Programmers

  • Business Analysts gather requirements while computer programmers build to specifications.

  • Business Analysts document work flows and business processes while computer programmers model and build software programs that follow those workflows or business processes.

  • Business analyst are hired for their written and verbal communication skills while computer programmers are hired for their expertise or skills in specific programming languages or technology platforms.

  • A computer programmer's work is deeply invested in learning or using technology while a business analyst’s work is deeply invested in understanding, documenting and communicating business requirements.

  • A business analyst’s primary software tool is Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint while a computer programmer’s primary software skill is knowledge of Java or C# or Visual Basic or PHP or other programming languages.

  • Business Analysts document the requirements or features of software programs while computer programmers build software programs.

  • Both the business analyst and software developer are involved with the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) for different reasons. While the business analyst owns the analysis and documentation of software requirements, the computer programmers owns the building of software programs.

  • Read more about the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) here:

I am also going to contrast the role of business analysts with that of software testers and technical writers to bring this home.

Business Analysts Compared To Software Testers

  • Software Testers are more hands-on with programming than business analysts.

    Software Testers are more skilled in programming because they sometimes have to write automated tests using scripting programming languages.

    A business analyst should not be required to write scripts or learn programming languages except in instances where they are applying for technical business analyst jobs.

    So, you cannot project the hands-on software skills requirements for software testers onto the hands-on skill requirements for business analysts.

  • Software Testers write manual or automated tests that verify that software programs developed by computer programmers were written according to the specifications or requirements documented by business analysts.
  • Software Testers have to test or inspect the procedures or functions written by computer programmers.

    For that reason, they may have to learn the basics of the programming language used in creating the software program.

    There is almost no value in business analysts inspecting a programmer’s code or even messing with it because Business Analysts do not have those competencies!

  • Read more about Software Tester Careers here:

Business Analysts Compared To Technical Writers

  • The skills exercised by technical writers are similar to that of business analysts in some respects.

    Both technical writers and business analysts exercise strong written communication skills.

    However, while a technical writer’s skill is useful for documenting the features of a software program after it is built, a business analyst’s skill is useful for documenting the features of a software program before it is built!

  • A technical writer’s primary role is the documenting of existing software features, business processes, etc.

    Because of this, a technical writer may have to learn specific software programs (apart from MS Word or PowerPoint) to help them with create technical documentation like Help Files, Software Manuals, etc.

    The technical writing industry is such that job postings require knowledge of specific software documentation tools.

    However, this must not be confused with the software requirements for business analysts.

    Business Analysts are not technical writers and the business analyst’s job does not require knowledge of specific software programs apart from the ubiquitous (Microsoft Office, MS Word, MS Excel or MS PowerPoint).

  • While the technical writing industry is componentized along the lines of software documentation tools (Adobe PageMaker, Adobe Frame Maker, Adobe Acrobat, Quark Xpress, Corel Ventura), the business analyst industry is segmented along the lines of domain specialization (financial, utilities, web / user interface (UI) business analysts, etc.).

  • Read More about Technical Writer Careers:

What Does It Really Take To Become A Business Analyst?

The requirements for business analysts’ jobs are primarily documentation, requirements analysis and communication (both written and verbal).

While it is common for a business analyst to spend his / her time, preparing PowerPoint presentations, taking meeting notes using Microsoft Word or writing Use Cases in plain-old Microsoft Word, it is common for a computer programmer / software tester / technical writer to spend the same amount of time coding new program features / documenting bugs / documenting the features of a software program.

A business analyst must be 100% comfortable in his / her role as a communicator, presenter, leader, facilitator or analyzer without feeling the need to learn more software tools!

How To Get Hired For A Business Analyst Job – Case Study

Some time ago, I was hired to help an Information Technology (IT) director put together a software development team for a financial software project in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.

In that role, we posted a senior business analyst job opening and then started interviewing qualified business analysts.

The business analyst I interviewed and recommended got the job because she did something different from the other business analysts who applied for the same job.

She walked into the interview with a bound, spiral document that showcased the comprehensiveness, thoroughness and versatility of several business documents she had created for one automotive client in the Greater Saint Louis region.

She did not get hired because of what she said at the business analyst job interview or because of the software experience listed on her resume.

She got the business analyst job, by showcasing her hands-on business analysis skills.

What differentiated her was a compilation of various types of business analysis documents she had worked on for an automotive client in the Greater Saint Louis area.

The financial client hired her as an Information Technology (IT) business analyst for a financial software project because they connected with the hands-on, visual depiction of her business analysis skills exemplified by her Microsoft Word based portfolio.

My final advice?

Don’t approach the business analyst industry based on how the software testing, technical writing or computer programmer industries work.

Remove false associations between the business analyst’s role (primarily written and verbal analysis or communication of requirements) and the hands-on skill requirements for software testers, technical writers or computer programmers.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/20/what-software-do-i-learn-to-become-a-business-analyst/feed/ 1 How to Tap Into Magical Hiring Powers http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/18/how-to-tap-into-magical-hiring-powers/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/18/how-to-tap-into-magical-hiring-powers/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:28:09 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3269

Tapping Into Your Magical Hiring Powers

Tapping Into Your Magical Hiring Powers

As a Career Coach, I come across questions or discussions from job seekers “looking for recruiter who can get them a job“.

From the way these statements are worded, it seems that all it takes for the job seeker to get a job is finding a recruiter with magical hiring powers.

But, is it really true?

Do recruiters have hiring powers and how much of the success or failure of the job search depends on the recruiter’s magical hiring powers?

In this post, I will clarify the recruiter’s role and show you how to tap into the magical hiring powers available to job search candidates!

  1. Recruiters Are Gatekeepers

    Recruiters, staffing agencies or placement services simply screen and then forward resumes to employers / clients.

    A placement service will forward your resume to the client / employer if you have performed jobs in the past related to the job posting.

    If the employer is picky about resumes or complains about the quality / number of job candidates, the staffing / placement service will raise the requirements for submission.

    But keep in mind that recruiters do not exclusivity to job postings in a broad sense because you can always forward your resume to employers, have a staffing agency do it for you or do both.

  2. Recruiters Are Lie Detectors

    Generally speaking, many recruiters in the Information Technology (IT) industry do not have a technical background.

    They have not worked with or used the tools listed on your resume / job posting and cannot really say whether you are qualified or not.

    So, what they do is check your resume to see if it will pass a very basic, unsophisticated lie detector.

    Recruiters want to know such things like: where you have worked, what titles you held and whether you are eligible t work for the client.

    Note: when working with recruiters, take the extra step of convincing them that your resume and background is a good fit, because they may not be able to tell the difference!

  3. Can Staffing Agencies Claim Exclusivity?

    Generally, employers will use multiple staffing agencies and then use their own internal hiring team to narrow the pool of resumes down to a few candidates who would be interviewed or hired.

    An Employer may also decide to be discreet about the hiring process and use only one staffing agency.

    But even in this case, the staffing agency does not make a hiring decision. All the placement service can do for you is forward your resume to the employer.

  4. Who Makes Hiring Decisions?

    In all cases, it’s the employer’s internal hiring team / manager that makes the hiring decision and not the placement / staffing agency.

    Recruiters do not have magical hiring powers and you cannot base your job search on claims of exclusivity by a recruiter.

    Remember that the job search process is a democratic process and that you, the staffing agency and the employer all participate or play active roles in the process.

Discover Magic In A Law Of Numbers

One of the most important laws in the hiring process is the law of numbers.

This law says that “the more resumes you submit and job interviews you take, the greater your chances of getting hired!”

The law of numbers gives you magical hiring powers because the more recruiters, staffing or placement agencies you submit your resume to … the greater are your chances of getting hired.

So, my advice is, don’t look up to recruiters, staffing / placement agencies instead, look-up to yourself by tapping into your own magical hiring powers!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/18/how-to-tap-into-magical-hiring-powers/feed/ 1 Live Up To Your Potential in 3 Steps http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/20/live-up-to-your-potential-in-3-steps/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/20/live-up-to-your-potential-in-3-steps/#comments Sun, 20 Mar 2011 16:28:39 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3144

Live Up To Your Potential

Live Up To Your Potential

This question was submitted by a very young, exceptionally gifted and talented top performer who wants to know how he can live up to his potential.

Hello,

I am very young (23) and was radically accelerated through college \ graduate school.

By next year, I will have a BA (Math \ Religion), MBA (Management Consultancy), MSc (Business IT), PhD (Computing & Mathematics), and PhD (ABD), in IT from leading universities, as well as 9+ years IT experience, with 5+ years BA experience with stellar recommendations.

I do not want a career in university teaching or research … could you suggest a few viable directions to move my career forward in IT business analysis?

I feel “painted into a corner” and now am not certain which way to go at this point, as a Senior Analyst.

Just a few alternatives would be helpful.

Best regards and thank you.

How To Fulfill Your Potential

The first of the three most important challenges facing talented people is that of identifying their passion.

This is a big challenge because talented folks can do almost anything and succeed at it.

Another challenge facing talented folks is not doing what they love and / or following the money trail!

Because talented people can easily get high-paying jobs and get paid a lot more than their colleagues, they can be easily derailed from their true objectives.

Following the money trail is bad because it eventually leads to mediocrity.

Regardless of how talented one is, it is not possible to achieve your deepest potential if you do not identify your passion and do what you love.

The final challenge that talented people face is not taking their passion to market.

They pick vocations where they are unable to serve their community or their world because of money concerns or because of poor career recommendations.

Discover Your Passion

The first and most important thing that you have to do: “is to discover your passion“.

Your passion is something that you are deeply interested in doing because you love it, you have strengths in it, you enjoy thinking, dreaming or even speaking about it.

Your passion is not necessarily what promises you job security or what promises you lots of money.

Money and Job Security are used as the primary basis of making career recommendations and yet, they don’t truly matter because … guess what?

If you do what you truly love, the money will surely follow!

Discovering your passion is an exercise of the heart and not of the head.

You must be able to dream or envision your passion in your heart first and then use your head to figure out what to do.

Good folks get this heart and head mixed up all the time! Your heart is your instinctive, sensing personality and your head is your rational, logical person.

Do What You Love

The second thing that you must do on the path to self actualization is to: “Do What You Love”.

Doing what you love means working very hard at something that you love.

But it also means more than that … it means training yourself the way that world-class athletes do!

Though you can do several things exceptionally very well, you should concentrate on a few disciplines and hone your abilities in those alone.

You want to become so good in your chosen field, that your work in those areas will stand out in comparison to that of any others in your chosen field.

Think about this for a moment: world-class athletes have to invest considerable amounts of time into just training and honing their skills.

They understand that even through they may be exceptionally gifted, they cannot win unless they are much better than the competition or other equally gifted and talented folks.

And also get this … no world class athlete depends on their exceptional talents or giftedness alone!

Instead they put themselves through the most rigorous, skill-advancing training that they can find so that they can live up to their potential.

The issue is not really whether you are gifted. The true issue at stake is whether you will live up to your potential? I will advise that you read these two books:

  1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
  2. Talent Code by Daniel Coyle

Amongst other things, these two books point out that to become a world class player, you will have to invest a solid amount of time into just doing nothing else but honing your skills and abilities!

Take Your Passion To the Market

Starting a blog and getting on Social Media is the starting point for taking your passion to market.

The next thing that you have to do with your passion or the work that you love is: “Subscribe to the Publish or Perish” mantra which you are already used to coming from academia.

The main purpose of your blog is to create a market for your passion or connect your passion with an existing market on the internet.

Your market is the readers or subscribers of your blog and what you must do is: help them, talk to them, connect with them using your blog as your premier publishing or speaking platform.

Without sharing your passion with other people who love the topics that you care about, your passion dies with you … which is the definition of being boxed in!

Not having a blog means that you are not others learn or grow. It also means your own growth is incomplete because you are closed off from the feedback of your industry … and no one can develop your passion in isolation

Starting a blog does not mean that you must offer a service or sell a product.

Starting a blog does means that you have decided to make your world a better place by serving humanity with your gifts and talents.

The lesson here is that being wired or connected to others using blogging and social media is now considered essential for success!

One person that comes to mind in that regards is Jacob Nielsen, the world’s numero uno usability expert!

For several years, he has been conducting researches on usability and publishing his findings online.

From those findings, he has written books and he conducts training seminars around the globe.

You can see that Jacob is deeply passionate and extremely knowledgeable in his field and that he publishes more than most people in his field.

Do these 3 things (discover your passion, do what you love, take your passion to market) and you will succeed.

Jonathan, when you break into stardom, don’t stop telling people how I helped you, ok :-)

P.S. I am sending you my new ebook titled “Discover Your Passion, Do What You Love, Take Your Passion To Market“.

Best Wishes and Lots of Success in your Career

This question was published using [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.

If you have a question about your career that you will like me to answer for you, go ahead and submit it using the [Ask IT Career Coach] Career Advice Service.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/20/live-up-to-your-potential-in-3-steps/feed/ 0 In The Software Developer Industry, Experience Is King! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/14/are-software-developer-internships-key-to-landing-good-jobs/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/14/are-software-developer-internships-key-to-landing-good-jobs/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:02:04 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3137

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Do You Get A Software Developer Internship?

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

  1. Start by learning marketable programming skills:

    Internships opportunities go to those with marketable computer programming skills.

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

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

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

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

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

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

  3. Finally, get yourself a good programming job:

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Announcing the Software Developer Internship Program

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

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

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

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

Special Pricing Discount – Enrollment Starts Now!

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

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

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

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/14/are-software-developer-internships-key-to-landing-good-jobs/feed/ 0 6 Principles That Transform Your Work http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/04/6-principles-that-transform-your-work/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/04/6-principles-that-transform-your-work/#comments Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:01:42 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3132

six principles that transform your career

six principles that transform your work

Are you looking for a transformation in your work situation? Follow these 6 rock solid success principles that summarize what I have learned about building careers or online communities!

Whatever your industry, background or situation, these six principles will help you “Discover Your Passion“, “Do What You Love” or “Take Your Passion To Market“.

The first two (2) principles are designed to help you choose work that matches your strengths, education, training, background, skills, experience, hobbies or interests.

Principle #1 – Choose Work Based On Passion

Work is much easier or more fulfilling when you do something that you are passionate about as opposed to something that stresses you!

On the other hand, when you are not passionate about your work, you will lack the desire to excel or motivation to perform at work!

Some people don’t believe in the “Do What You Love And The Money Will Follow” principle because the picture that comes to their mind is that of starving artists who do what they love and yet cannot pay their bills.

The good news is that you don’t have to be a starving artist because you can actually do what you love and have the money follow you :-)

The first step on this path to success, is choosing work that is at the intersection of something you’re good at, something you care about and something other people in your chosen industry, niche or market need, find useful and are willing to pay for.

Read this article titled: “How The Starving Artist Achieves Career Success Using Social Media“.

Principle #2 – Learn the Most Marketable Skills

Learn the most marketable skills for the work that you have chosen to do.

Your skills are just a means to an end which usually involves meeting the needs of customers in the industry or market.

When it comes to choosing skills that you will learn, be as objective as possible and choose based on facts or data as opposed to emotions or personal opinions.

Remember that the more marketable your skills are, the easier it will be for you to find a new job, earn an income or stay employed.

Read this post titled: learn the most marketable skills

It is easy to learn the marketability of a skill, just count the number of job postings that require that skill!

For your own personal education, after reading this post, “Download the Free Report” below which describes the Top 100, Most Marketable Skills in the Online Employment Industry.

The next two principles described on this post belong to a coaching course titled: “Do What You Love“.

These two principles will take your performance to an advanced level or give you the freedom to do what you love without fear of failure.

Principle #3 – Stay Current In Your Industry

Stay current with the information coming out of your industry by reading a lot of blog posts, articles or books.

Do not neglect to read professional textbooks because the fundamental principles, concepts and techniques are often explained in great details in them.

Subscribe to and read the blog post of the most influential professionals in your industry. Nowadays, the latest, cutting-edge information is often posted in blogs before it makes its way out to industry textbooks.

Invest time and money in learning because ours is a knowledge-based economy and the most valuable currency is your knowledge, skills or experience and not the money saved in your bank account.

In other words, the more you learn and put to work, the more money you will earn … and the less you learn, the more likely you are to lose your income!

Principle #4 – Advance Your Skills By Taking Tests

Study hard but better still, take frequent tests because they improve retention, comprehension and recall and also help you excel at work by sharpening your skills!

Read more about the Benefits of Taking Tests in this post titled: How To Ace Job Interviews Using Practice Tests.

It is important that you become highly skilled because when the economy sheds jobs, the easiest jobs to cut are those employing the least skilled workers and the most likely to get hired again, are the most skilled workers!

In other words, the only safety net for your job is to become highly skilled at your work, career or business!

Remember that you live in a global economy where a job can be outsourced to a professional living in another country simply because that professional is better skilled than you.

An article by Pam Belluck of the New York Times reports a new scientific finding in the “January 2011 Science Journal” which backs up my findings about the importance of taking frequent practice tests.

Click here to read the article titled: “To Really Learn, Quit Studying and Take a Test”.

This scientific finding suggests that taking tests is good not only for certification exams or assessing knowledge but for helping people learn new information as well!

The conclusion is that students who read and take a test asking them to recall what they just read perform better than those who use traditional learning techniques!

The next two principles described on this post belong to a online coaching course or web design & web marketing consulting services titled: “Bring Your Passion To Market“.

These last two success principles are important because without marketing your ideas, skills or business, someone else who is less qualified but more visible will take the opportunities meant for you!

Principle #5 – Blog Your Way To Success

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by depending solely on your resume and online job postings. Learn to market your career with a blog.

Blogging is the process of putting out well-researched, informative or authoritative articles on your industry. When done right, it will keep you visible to a high number of employers.

Blogging can distinguish you in a global, competitive job market by helping you develop and market a unique personal brand, which is something that employers apparently value!

The value of blogging is that it can open the communication doors between you and potential employers or customers.

As you talk or write, yo differentiate yourself from your competitors and potential customers or employers begin to value your expertise.

Principle #6 – Invest In An Online Community

Invest time, effort and money in an online community that incorporates your strengths, your blog posts and your social media networking activities.

Your online community must be built around your passion and your strengths so that members feel energized, inspired, motivated or helped when they interact with you.

If you passionately help out your community members by giving your time and expertise, they will reciprocate the favor by referring customers, employers or new opportunities your way.

Building an online community can only be described as the best publicity or customer relationship management (CRM) tool and in the end all the good work that you do will benefit your reputation, online brand, business or career as well.

Bring Your Passion To Market: regardless of how good your skills are, you must stay visible to employers or potential customers, if you want to get hired.

These six (6) principles are documented in my FREE thirty six (36) page Report titled: “The Survivors Guide To Unemployment” which you can download below.

Click here to discover your passion: or find work that is at the intersection of something you’re good at, something you care about and something other people in your chosen industry, niche or market need, find useful and are willing to pay for.

Or hire our web design & web marketing consulting services: to help you bring your passion (ideas, products, services, skills or business) to market.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/04/6-principles-that-transform-your-work/feed/ 0 Is College Worth The Money? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/22/is-college-worth-the-money/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/22/is-college-worth-the-money/#comments Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:00:30 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3109

Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses

Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses

The answer to the question: “Is College Worth The Money?” is YES … so please go to the best college you can afford because there are doors in life that will be easier for you to open if you have a college degree.

That being said, there are pros and cons to attending college and a right / wrong mindset that you need to be aware of.

In a new book, “Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses,” sociologists Richard Arum of New York University and Josipa Roksa of the University of Virginia, are of the opinion that “College Students in the US are not learning Much“

Reporting on a study of more than 2,300 undergraduates they discovered that 45 percent of students show no significant improvement in the key measures of critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing by the end of their sophomore years.

Based on the findings of the report, it looks like students who work hard, drain their personal or parent’s savings and take on a huge debt to go to college … are not getting what they paid for!

Click here to read the article titled: College Students Not Learning Much

I believe that college is worth the money, if you know how to get the best out of it.

Here is my advice on the matter:

  1. Go to college to expand your mind: Study a topic that you are really curious about and intellectually invested in.

    While you are at college, seek to understand or learn or acquire knowledge as a means to personal enlightenment and not as a means to making more money or finding a job.

  2. Go to college to study your passion: Study a science or art that you genuinely want to make a heartfelt contribution to.

    The process of trying to make a contribution to your industry will let you know if you are passionate enough about it or if you have the goods to succeed in that industry.

    If you can’t think of a way to improve the industry while you are surrounded by volumes of books and some of the smartest folks in the world, then you may be studying for the wrong career!

  3. Go to college to connect with your industry: Use your time in college to connect with or network with potential employers.

    Get a real-world part-time or full-time job and do something practical along the lines of your career regardless of whether you get paid for it or not.

    The feedback that you get from a real-world job is invaluable! It allows you to get the type of handson experience or practical skills that results in a good offer after graduation.

  4. Do not go to college to get a job: Going to college solely for the purpose of getting a job is a waste of your time and money.

    You will not learn any real-world skills from college and you will probably not learn much from your college studies either as the authors:p Arum and Roksa point out.

  5. Going to college does not entitle you to a career: I have hired, worked with and advised college graduates who are basically adrift in their careers because they assume that they are entitled to a career because they have for example a computer science college degree.

    These group of people find it very very hard to empty themselves of their preconceived notions of what society owes them and they typically have too high an opinion of themselves to start from the bottom or build their career up!

    They are typically very opinionated, very low in practical skills or experience and very high in expectations of what they will earn or what their skills will command in the market.

Going to college can be worth the money, if you have the right set of expectations about what it offers or will not offer you.

While in college, endeavor to widen your mind, your horizons and your vision.

Finally make the best use of your time in college by working on real world projects so that you can build the relevant skills or experience before you graduate.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/22/is-college-worth-the-money/feed/ 1 What Is Your Personality Type? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/22/what-is-your-personality-type/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/22/what-is-your-personality-type/#comments Sat, 22 Jan 2011 22:43:20 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3075

What Is Your Personality Type?

What Is Your Personality Type?

One of the reasons why professionals struggle with their careers or under-perform at their jobs is that their work or career does not match their personality!

When hiring someone to do job, it’s easy to see what skills and training they have acquired or what types of jobs they’ve previously performed from their resume.

What is not so easy to see is how that same person’s personality traits will fit in with that of other employees or how their personality will thrive on a daily basis after you’ve have hired them.

That is why you need to take a personality test … an instrument that is used to measure or assess the characteristics of your personality.

Personality tests are sometimes more accurately referred to as a personality inventory since the use of the word “test” implies a right or wrong answer must be given.

However when it comes to personality test, there is no right or wrong assessment but rather an objective, independent assessment of suitability for a career or a job.

Personality tests are simply a series of questions designed to gather information used in assessing general personality characteristics.

When administered properly, personality tests are effective for building successful teams.

The results from a personality test can give you good insight into what personality types work best together and what type of work is more effectively done by certain types of people.

Please note that: personality tests are not guaranteed to be accurate and people can change or adapt overall personality … even though that is not easy!

So, Is there a personality test that is accurate?

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test was first developed in 1943.

During the more than 60 years it has been used, it has been perfected as an accurate personality indicator and when the more accurate, complete version of the test is administered, the results can be alarmingly accurate.

The MBTI groups uses 4 Type letters to distringuish16 unique and different personality types based on the answers to a Myers-Briggs personality test.

What are these 4 Type letters and what do they mean?

  • (I)ntrovert/(E)xtrovert
  • (S)ensing/(I)ntuivite
  • (T)hinking/(F)eeling
  • (J)udging/(P)erceptive

The idea that someone is an introvert vs. extrovert does not necessarily mean one is extremely outgoing and the other extremely shy. But rather, it implies from which perspective they tend to view situation: From within, or from without.

Sensing vs. Intuitive is similar to the introvert/extrovert in that it implies whether decisions are made based upon the physical senses or an intuitive knowing from within.

Thinking vs. Feeling suggests the process of thought and decision making as to whether it is done by concrete thinking or logic or based upon a feeling.

Judging vs. Perceptive describes if a person comes to conclusions based upon a logical criteria or based upon an inward perception.

Here are the 16 personality types based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator for use in determining how suited you are for a career or job:

ISTJ Personality Type – Introvert Sensing Thinking Judging

To the ISTJ personality type, order and schedule is of utmost importance. and no sacrifice is too great to an ISTJ when it comes to keeping unity.

Even though they tend to have difficulty expressing emotions and what they think and can come off as being uncaring, they tend to develop strong and loyal relationships with others.

The ISTJ easily takes on responsibility. Because of this, they fit in well with any aspect of the IT profession in planning and inspecting, management, scheduling, auditing or accounting.

Spontaneity and abstract thinking is not a plus to the ISTJ personality and the ISTJ will remain consistently strong in everything they attempt.

ISFJ Personality Type – Introvert Sensing Feeling Judging

To the ISFJ, work is very important.

In terms of the IT Professional, they effectively fill the roles of protecting and supporting though they will work hard at any position as they have a strong sense of duty.

They may even remain silent or let others take advantage of them just to avoid conflict. This can be beneficial in business as they tend to put up with complaints for the sake of harmony.

INFJ Personality Type – Introvert Intuitive Feeling Judging

Inspiring and insightful, the INFJ personality tends to do well as a developer.

INFJ often inspire others and tend to succeed in creative situations.

This personality type does not enjoy tension and can come off as quiet or even disinterested. But, don’t be fooled. Beneath this unassuming exterior is a ton of ideas waiting to come forth and when these ideas are properly tapped, they come alive.

They will also jump at any chance to learn and broaden their horizons.

INTJ Personality Type – Introvert Intuitive Thinking Judging

The INTJ is very independent and may be perceived as being arrogant.

They may even appear to be argumentative, but this is the way they learn.

They like to see change for the better and can be intolerant of stagnation.

They do well in work environments where systems are set up to achieve maximum output.

They do well in management, consulting, computer programming and as Directors.

ISTP Personality Type – Introvert Sensing Thinking Perceptive

The ISTP personality may take charge in fixing a problem.

They are ready to try anything at least once.

They are spontaneous and do not like others to control them.

They do not enjoy routine work such as that of an administrator or researcher.

They shine in problem solving spontaneously with a tangible goal such as Analyzer or Operator.

ISFP Personality Type – Introvert Sensing Feeling Perceptive

The ISFP personality tends to be non-imposing.

They fear standing still and enjoy a challenge when working with people.

They do well when they can produce new thought patterns.

They do well in fields that involve composing and producing.

INFP Personality Type – Introvert Intuitive Feeling Perceptive

The INFP Personality type tends to bring harmony and clarification to the table.

They do not like conflict at all. In fact, there’s very little an INFP won’t do to avoid conflict.

They do have a desire to help others. Teaching and training is an excellent position for the INFP.

They also do well with research, design and human resources and they tend to crave working hard in whatever position they are placed.

INTP Personality Type – Introvert Intuitive Thinking Perceptive

The last-minute planner, the INTP adapts well to fast changes.

They need to find a challenge in their work. If they don’t find a challenge, they will grow discontented and depressed.

They are excellent at problem solving and theorizing.

They are excellent at strategic planning, writing, computer programming and design.

ESTP Personality Type – Extrovert Sensing Thinking Perceptive

The ESTP Personality thrives on being the center of attention.

They have a lack of order and tend to never plan as they see planning as a waste of time.

They love daily changes and refuse to get stuck in a rut.

In terms of the IT profession for the ESTP, they do well as an executor or in a role where they can be the promoter.

ESFP Personality Type – Extrovert Sensing Feeling Perceptive

The ESFP personality lives in the moment and does not make plans easily if at all.

They can be viewed as hyper or shallow as they push for excitement.

They do not like confrontation. They do, however, make great motivators or presenters or any position that provides instant gratification.

ENFP Personality Type – Extrovert Intuitive Feeling Perceptive

The ENFP personality tends to be extremely loyal and will look for the best in others along with always looking for new possibilities.

They can appear to be over positive or insincere.

They have a need and a desire to work with people and they want to have fun in their work.

They make for great human resource development trainers, designers, and advocates.

ENTP Personality Type – Extrovert Intuitive Thinking Perceptive

The ENTP personality thrives on enthusiasm.

Though they will become excited enough about ideas to promote them, they don’t always follow through on these ideas.

They like to be challenged and stimulated in their work. Computer science, financial advising, teaching, computer or systems analyst are great career choices for the ENTP.

ESTJ Personality Type – Extrovert Sensing Thinking Judging

The ESTJ personality is a born manager.

They are dependable but tend to volunteer for more work and responsibility than others.

To an ESTJ, everything must have a plan.

They tend to fix what is broken and do a job correctly.

They tend to be loyal to the company. They make great managers as well as supervisors.

ESFJ Personality Type: – (Extrovert Sensing Feeling Judging):

The ESFJ is seen as a scheduler.

They are usually neat and enjoyable to be around.

They do well where organization is involved and they also make great listeners and are loyal.

They like to serve, facilitate and be the caretaker. Jobs in computers, science or consulting can be stressful to the ESFJ personality.

ENFJ Personality Type – Extrovert Intuitive Feeling Judging

The ENFJ personality tends to be known as a communicator and have an understanding of other people.

They are drawn to situation where they can interact with others who will challenge them.

They do not do well in careers that involve a great deal of detail or paperwork.

They do, however, make great mentors and envision well.

ENTJ Personality Type – Extrovert Intuitive Thinking Judging

The ENTJ is a natural leader.

They even enjoy confrontation and they tend to be the classic corporate type of personality.

They are not afraid to challenge old ways of doing things with more successful methods.

Business consultants and network integrations as well as strategists are careers where the ENTJ thrive.

My Final Thoughts:

Each of these 16 personality types will fit better into some Information Technology careers than others and that it’s where the Myers-Briggs personality testing can help you.

Regardless of how much you want a career or a job, you will find it hard to succeed if your personality does not match that required for the job and you don’t change your personality to match it!

  • If you choose to change your personality for a career or job, you can hurt yourself in the process, which will negate the benefits of doing that job!

    so you may be better off choosing a career that suites your personality than forcing your personality to fit in.

  • As a manager, director, project manager or human resources professional, you can place people in roles where they’re most likely to succeed alongside based on results from properly administered Myers-Briggs personality test.

    In the end, the proper use of personality testing can lead to more productive work place.

So, What Is Your Myers-Briggs Personality Type?

If don’t know the answer, follow this link to take your Myers-Briggs personality test..


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/22/what-is-your-personality-type/feed/ 0 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 The Most Important Thing on Your Resume http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/03/the-most-important-thing-on-resume/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/03/the-most-important-thing-on-resume/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:56:38 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3052

The Most Important Thing On Your Resume Is What?

The Most Important Thing On Your Resume Is What?

There are several things on a resume that can help get you hired. These include your educational qualifications, certifications, training, the college or institutions which you attended, skill level and your hansdon experience.

But regardless of whether you are a business analyst, computer programmer, project manager, data analyst, report writer or network administrator, the singular, most important thing on your resume or career is your handson experience!

Handson Experience Builds your Career

Handson experience matters because it is the only credible, impartial evaluation of the work that you are doing and here is why:

When you work on a practical problem, you get all sorts of feedback about your progress and about how you are doing. For example:

  • Fast vs. Slow Completion: If you complete the work quickly, easily or fast you feel good about the work and others realize that you are skilled at what you do.

  • Fun vs. Boring Job: If you do a job and you realize that you like it, you want to do the job again.

    On the other hand, a college education does not imply that you are suited for a career … you actually have to get a job to get that information.

    There are lots of college graduates who discover to their dismay that they absolutely hate the career that they studied in college!

    On the other hand, your performance on the job is an impartial, real-world evaluation of your suitability for a job or career.

  • Good vs. Poor Work: There is perhaps no better indication of your suitability for a job as the quality of your work.

    For example, having a Phd. in computer programming does not guarantee that you will build a better web application than someone without and having an MBA does not mean that you will be a better business analyst than someone without.

    In other words, there is no substitute for the quality of your work .. either you are good at what you do or you are not!

Handson Experience Builds your Skill

One of the best ways to remember all the common and important instructions which are essential for your job is to practice them over and over again.

With constant practice or repetition you’ll be able to recall the next steps at any time. Even in a critical situation you’ll be able to resolve issues quickly without having to consult books or the internet.

And one of the traits most valued by employers is the ability to recall solutions to pressing problems from memory, take control or fix problems and act with the confidence that comes from dealing with similar issues!

Handson Experience Defines your Resume

When employers post a job, the singular most important thing that they scan your resume for is your handson experience.

What employers do, is that they simply take an inventory of the types of tasks you will be hired to do and then scan your resume for evidence supporting that you have done that type of work before.

Some employers are so vested in this mindset that they will not hire you for a job if you are not currently working on a similar job.

However, most employers will hire you if you have strong handson experience especially when that is comparable to the job that they want to fill!

While reviewing your resume, employers are primarily concerned about the quality of your experience and they would scrutinize your resume for the following information:

  • Who you’ve worked for – employers want to know if you’ve worked in similar jobs or for similar companies or in the same industry
  • How long you’ve worked on various projects – employers want to know whether your experience is sketchy or detailed or recent

So your experience is the most important thing on your resume and if you want to be successful, you had better be working on improving your handson experience daily.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/03/the-most-important-thing-on-resume/feed/ 0 #6 Success Principle: The Proof Of Your Desire Is In Your Pursuit http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/24/success-principle-the-proof-of-desire-is-pursuit/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/24/success-principle-the-proof-of-desire-is-pursuit/#comments Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:33:34 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3042

Pursuit Is The Proof Of Desire

Pursuit Is The Proof Of Desire


Life Is About What You Have … And Not About What You Don’t Have!

I get a number of questions along the lines of:

I am 25 / 39 / 50 years old, I don’t have any work experience and I don’t have a college degree.

But I want to become a good business analyst / computer programmer / project manager, what do I have to do?

If you find yourself thinking along those lines, this is what you should do: use what you have to get what you want!

What do I mean by: “using what you have to get what you want?“

Right now, here is what you’ve got working for you:

  1. Interest
  2. Desire
  3. Passion

Right now, all you may have working for you is some desire or interest in an occupation or some passion or love for an industry. And that may not seem like much if weighed against your advanced age or lack of money, educational qualifications or handson experience.

Make a list of what you consider positive about your life and let the rest of your negatives (lack of college degree, lack of work experience, lack of skills, lack of anything) take care of themselves along the way.

What does that mean?

Your interest, desire or passion is one of the greatest assets in life because any achievement that is worthwhile in career, business or life is founded on passion … and those that are truly successful are so because of their passion!

The Proof of your Desire is in your Pursuit

The proof of desire is in the steps you’re taking right now towards your career … what does that mean?

If you are passionate about a career, you should take the first steps towards realizing your passion or keep moving forward in the direction of your interests until you actually hit a brickwall!

Why? Because it’s only when we fully realize the opportunities presented to us … that new doors or opportunities open up.

Invest in Your Passion

The first or most important step that you can take is to learn the career that you are interested in … business analysis, project management, computer programming, data analysis, software testing etc.

There’s no reason for not studying the career that you’re passionate about because there are all sorts of options for learning anything.

You may learn from textbooks purchased at Amazon.com, take an online course or get a college degree.

If finding money is a challenge, you may purchase fairly used but inexpensive textbook versions or you may take an online training course at a fraction of traditional college costs!

So, there is no excuse for not learning the occupation you’re interested in.

Don’t Put The Cart Before The Horse

Without studying a career, you’ll not be able to practice it and without handson experience, you may not be qualified for a job!

If you are transitioning into business analysis / computer programming / project management, do not start by first looking for handson experience … that is putting the cart before the horse.

Do you want to know, one good reason why putting handson experience before knowledge is not a good idea?

Handson experience is gained by applying what you know to the problems or challenges facing an industry.

In other words, if you haven’t studied an occupation, you won’t be able to recall or reuse available solutions or solve the problems and challenges found within that occupation.

So, when faced with a problem the best that you will be able to do, is guess or mock around.

NOTE: Potential employers or hiring managers do not want to hire those that don’t know what they are doing. Instead they want to hire those who not only know what they are doing, but they have done it several times before!

Monetize Your Passion

Take the first step by learning, next get handson experience and finally get a job.

If you have taken the time to learn an occupation and you have gained sufficient handson experience, then spend all your time marketing yourself into a job.

Dear Friend, focus all your energy on taking the next step in-front of you.

Don’t worry about all the things that you can’t do yet, because when you take care of your immediate challenges, doors for moving forward will open up.

  • Step 1: Study what you love
  • Step 2: Get some experience doing what you love
  • Step 3: Get a job doing what you love

It is only when you’ve completed the first two steps that you have the best chances of sending out your resume, taking job interviews and getting a job.

Trying to get a job without handson experience or looking for handson experience without first studying for an occupation … is what stops your career from moving forward!

This is how to move your career forward even if all you have is: interest, passion or desire.

The proof of your intentions is in taking the right steps to achieve them … so what’re you waiting for? Get Moving!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/24/success-principle-the-proof-of-desire-is-pursuit/feed/ 0 Why Tech Jobs Are Better For You http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/30/why-tech-jobs-are-better-for-you/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/30/why-tech-jobs-are-better-for-you/#comments Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:45:05 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3019

Tech Jobs Are Better For You

Tech Jobs Are Better For You!


I get questions all the time about the suitability of technology careers for those who’ve never worked a tech job.

I understand those asking are anxious about their future.

However, making a career change to Information Technology is in many cases a better financial investment than taking on debt to buy a house or go to college!

If you are one of those, here are some of the best reasons why changing jobs to Information Technology (IT) is a sound financial decision.

  • Technology Shapes Our Future

    Technology is the currency of our civilization now and in future.

    Those that work with technology will be the ones initiating or driving our society / civilization forward.

    Those that don’t will be the ones left behind … and there is no sitting on the fence because you are either in or out!

  • No Glass Ceiling

    You can grow or succeed in an Information Technology (IT) job regardless of your age, sex or ethnicity or educational background.

    The IT Industry employs professionals with diverse backgrounds (sciences, liberal arts, etc.) and there are no set limitations that will make it impossible for you to rise to the top or disqualify you for a good IT Job!

    If you want to be the master of your own destiny, get an IT job!

  • Tech Jobs Are IN Demand

    Technology workers are employed in every industry (legal, healthcare, finance, insurance, tourism, etc) instead of being pigeon holed in one industry.

    Tech jobs are in-demand now even though people say that jobs are scarce in other sectors of the economy.

    Our economic growth depends on the pace of technological change so working a tech job puts you where the economy needs you the most!

  • Low Barrier To Entry

    You can transition into a tech job without having to spend tens of thousands of dollars in expensive education or re-training … quite unlike other professional, high-paying careers.

  • Lower Learning Curve

    You can transition into an IT job without first having to invest years in a lengthy or expensive certification program.

    This is quite unlike what obtains with careers in healthcare or the legal sector (for example) … where you are legally restricted from working as a professional until you pass specific certification exams!

  • No Certifications Required!

    You can get an IT Job without first getting some sort of certification or credential because the tech sector is a credentialess industry.

    Your only valid credentials are your resume, handson experience, job interviewing skills and your reputation in the industry.

  • Tech Skills Are Portable

    Tech Jobs offer you the maximum portability for your working life.

    You may start out as a business analyst and switch to a project management role or vice versa.

    The portability of Information Technology skills means that you don’t have to be trapped behind a job that you hate, just because you made some wrong choices eariler in your career.

    This means that you can easily retrain yourself, migrate to another branch of the IT Industry and take advantage of new financial opportunities.

  • If you know what you’re doing … it may not even take you a long time to advance your career, become highly skilled and start earning a higher pay because you’ve moved upwards in the industry.

    And you can even make career advances that may take decades to achieve in other sectors of the economy within a few of years of starting your tech career.

The Information Technology (IT) sector of employment is a gold mine for many professionals because tech workers can re-train or learn new IT skills from the comfort of their home or office and then get high-paying jobs or move up in their carees because of the high-demand for their technology skills.

[ASK IT Career Coach] is a Career Advice column that provides tech professionals with answers to their most challenging career situations.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/30/why-tech-jobs-are-better-for-you/feed/ 0 FREE Coaching on How To Make A Career Change http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/27/free-coaching-on-how-to-make-a-career-change/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/27/free-coaching-on-how-to-make-a-career-change/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:16:11 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2954

Coaching on How To Change your Career

Coaching on How To Change your Career


Some of you have been asking about “how to choose the right career” or “how you can make a career change“.

You are searching for specific, practical step by step instructions for transitioning or making career changes.

The answer to this question is important to you because you spend the majority of your waking time at work.

So you understand that this question determines how happy or successful you will be for several years or until your next career change :-)

With that in mind, I am devoting this series of FREE workbooks, study guides, career coaching, practical advice or instructions to answering your questions on how to choose or change careers.

How To Make A Career Change

Let me start by saying that you are going to consider changing your career at least once in your lifetime!

Gone are the days when you worked at one job, employer or career for your lifetime. The reality is that employers will probably not think highly of your skills if you stay at one place for too long!

This is true especially in the Information Technology (IT) industry, where your career diversity works for you and not against you!

So, it is okay to change careers, because you will benefit from gaining a broader perspective or a wider range of skills and your employer will view you as a more resourceful, capable cross-functional knowldege worker.

That being said, changing careers is still not easy. You could get lost in the transition or waste a lot of time chasing rabbit trails of certifications or college degrees only to discover that the trail leads to the door of hands-on experience or skills.

That is why this series is devoted to helping you make a successful career transition. By participating in this online career changers discussion group, you will receive answers to burning career transition questions such as:

  • Should I change my career or stick to the one I have always known?
  • How do I choose the right career?
  • Will I be able to successfully transition my career?
  • Is it wise for me to start from scratch in a new career?
  • Am I too old or is it to late for me to change my career?
  • Is this the right time for me to change careers?
  • How should I learn the skills, duties or roles required of me in a new career?

The answers you are getting are based on my career coaching book:The Blueprint, The Roadmap To Career Success

Some of this FREE information will answer whether business analysis, software development, project management, quality assurance or any other career is right for you.

Some of my practical advice will be in the form of Question & Answer (Q&A) discussions on this page.

And some step by step instructions will be downloadable as FREE Coaching Workbooks or Study Guides!

The First coaching guide in this series is titled: “Why We Change Careers“. It is the first in a series of workbooks with activities, discussions and free coaching on “How To Change Careers”.

I encourage you to download and read the free coaching guide and participate in all the activities contained both in the workbook and forthcoming series.

Note: Do not miss any of the activities, workbooks or articles in this series or you will be unable to benefit from this free coaching series.

Download the FREE Report below on How To Make A Career Change. It contains coaching information, workbooks and practical tips on transitioning your career!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/07/27/free-coaching-on-how-to-make-a-career-change/feed/ 13 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     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     The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/06/the-health-care-and-education-reconciliation-act-of-2010/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/06/the-health-care-and-education-reconciliation-act-of-2010/#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:53:12 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2890

    The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 helps American families that choose public service. It does several things to make college easier for American families;

    1. It invests more than forty (40) billion dollars in college and going forward it will be adjusted to keep pace with inflation or cost of living

    2. By 2017, the maximum PELL Awards may be raised to six thousand dollars ($6,000). These are grants and not loans, so they don’t add up to student debt for qualifying families

    3. To qualify for student grants and low-interest student loans, fill out the FAFSA forms

    4. You may also qualify for up to a $10,000 credit for four years of tuition and related expenses … for your child’s tuition including books. This is called The American Opportunity Tax Credit. It triples the amount you can deduct from your taxes for college.

    5. Beginning in 2014, students can limit their payments to 10% of their income with any remaining balance forgiven after 20 years.

    6. Graduates who work as teachers, nurses or other public service professions including the military can have their loans forgiven after ten (10) years.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/06/the-health-care-and-education-reconciliation-act-of-2010/feed/ 0     Is Tunnel Vision Killing My Career? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/06/is-tunnel-vision-killing-my-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/06/is-tunnel-vision-killing-my-career/#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:18:30 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2887

    Is Tunnel Vision Killing My Career?

    Is Tunnel Vision Killing My Career?

    Medically speaking, Tunnel Vision is a visual impairment that results in the loss of peripheral vision.

    It is characterized by the inability to see objects outside one’s center of gaze even though they are still within view.

    But tunnel vision also refers to a frame of mind where one is either fixated on a specific answer or unable to see alternatives.

    Consider that many Information Technology (IT) professionals evaluate their career options as though there a few choice careers mainly:

    1. Computer Programming
    2. Business Analysis
    3. Project Management
    4. Data Analysis
    5. Software Testing
    6. Computer Networking
    7. Database Development

      8. But is this really true? Is the list of hot, fashionable or rewarding careers restricted to this list or are there alternate, better or even more promising careers for those willing to peek outside the box?

      Web 2.0 Careers For Smart Professionals

      Except if you have tunnel vision, you will have heard mention of the word WEB 2.0, at some point in the last year. Conversations on WEB 2.0 websites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are taking on an expanded role in our lives and you also have a role in this, if you’re willing to keep an open mind.

      Facebook

      With over 300 million total members or more than 100 million US users, Facebook has overtaken the USA in population growth and is on track to overtake China’s one billion+ in the near future!

      Twitter

      In January of 2010, 75 million people visited Twitter representing a 1100% population growth in one year.

      However these statistics or explosive growth are not limited to Twitter and Facebook. Other WEB 2.0 websites including LinkedIn are also experiencing a surge in demand or usage.

      What this means for the rest of us, is that careers that help websites become more interactive, converse with customers using blogs, video and social media or distribute information, products or services online are taking center stage.

      The good news is that I have compiled a list of those careers for your benefit and I will devote the rest of the article to them :-)

      Web Usability Specialists

      Usability engineers measure or improve the quality of a user’s experience when interacting with a website.

      Web Usability specialists help customers perform actions that are valuable to the business like placing orders on their websites. Their job is to make websites more intuitive or friendly so that web visitors can find or get that they are looking for.

      Web Data Analysts

      Web Analysts measure, collect, analyze and report on traffic to a website. They typically track or monitor the number of visitors, page views and popularity of the content published on a website.

      Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialists

      Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialists improve the ranking of websites or web pages on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing.

      Because of the competitiveness and the ever changing nature of internet businesses, SEO experts are always in demand.

      E-Commerce Business Analysts

      The WEB is a fast paced, constantly evolving business environment which makes it challenging for most businesses.

      So companies hire e-commerce business analysts to help align their business, marketing or production processes with the requirements for doing business on the WEB.

      IPhone / Mobile Apps Developers

      The release of the IPhone by Apple and Steve Jobs in 2007 has resulted in a new job market for developers who can release IPhone apps directly on Apple’s App Store.

      With more than 100,000 apps, including productivity and games apps, the IPhone Application Developers career path is an alternative to more traditional software developer career paths.

      Web Copywriters

      Sometimes the writing career is overlooked because of a misconception that writers are underpaid.

      However, web copywriters are a different breed of writers as they are more like salesmen on steroids!

      Web copywriters are responsible for writing the actual words that sell products or services on the web and yes, some of them do make six figures!

      Social Media Specialists

      I have mentioned the explosive population growth of sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Guess what, businesses and organizations want in on that action and Social Media specialists make that happen!

      Organizations are hiring Social Media workers to help nurture conversations with their customers and ultimately influence sales … and just in-case you are squeamish, it is completely legal :-)

      Internet Marketing Specialists

      Most businesses have to sell on the web which is a big challenge because selling on the web is complex, difficult and not as easy as it looks!

      Not realizing this, many businesses owners spend a small fortune on Internet Marketing before they realized that they need to hire professional Internet Marketing help!

      This list is by no means exhaustive and there are more lucrative, rewarding careers for the web savvy, information technology professional who is willing to look outside the box of traditional career choices.

      This list of careers is also helpful to those wondering about “How To Break The Unemployment Cycle“ as there are freelance, part-time or full-time job postings for those who are qualified.

      Finally, the question on your mind may be, who is qualified for any of these careers?

      My answer is anyone who has as open-mind, is web savvy and is open to learning or reading a lot of new information.

      Contrary to what you may think, the barriers to these careers are low, and there are no examinations, certifications or degrees that you must obtain before you can get hired as a WEB 2.0 professional.

      The universal rule or principle that applies to all WEB 2.0 careers is; “You Must Be Good At What You Do“, as the WEB has little tolerance for incompetence!


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      ]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/04/06/is-tunnel-vision-killing-my-career/feed/ 5 US President Barack Obama Signs the HIRE Act Jobs Bill – 17.6 Bllion Dollar Employment Package http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/21/us-president-barack-obama-signs-the-hire-act-jobs-bill/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/21/us-president-barack-obama-signs-the-hire-act-jobs-bill/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:13:57 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2883

      US President Barack Obama signs the HIRE Act, a 17.6 billion dollar jobs bill unemployment package that his administration hopes will encourage small businesses to hire new workers or give them the confidence to buy the equipment needed to grow their business.

      The ceremony was held in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday

      Here is the full text of President Obama’s Hire Act Job Bill.


      The Full Text of President Obama’s Hire Act Job Bill

      Madame Speaker, Majority Leader Reid as well as some of my cabinet members who are here.

      In a few moments, I will sign what is called the “Hire Act” – a jobs bill that will encourage businesses to hire and help put Americans back to work.

      And I’d like to say a few words about what this jobs bill will mean for workers, for businesses, and for America’s economic recovery.

      There are a number of ways to look at an economic recovery. Through the eyes of an economist, you look at the different stages of recovery. You look at whether an economy has begun to grow. At whether businesses have begun to hire temporary workers or increase the hours of existing workers. You look at whether businesses, small and large, have begun to hire full-time employees again.

      That’s how economists measure a recovery – and by those measures, we are beginning to move in the right direction.

      But through the eyes of most Americans, recovery is about something more fundamental:

      • Do I have a decent job?

      • Can I provide for my family?

      • Do I feel a sense of financial security?

      The great recession that we’ve just gone through, took a terrible toll on the middle class, and on our economy as a whole.

      For every one of the over 8 million people who lost their job in recent years, there’s a story of struggle; of a family that’s forced to choose between paying the electric bill, or the car insurance, or a daughter’s college tuition; of vacations, weddings, and retirements that have been postponed.

      So here’s the good news: a consensus is forming that, partly because of the necessary – and often unpopular – measures we took over the past year, our economy is now growing again and we may soon be adding jobs instead of losing them.

      The jobs bill I’m signing today is intended to help accelerate that process.

      I’m signing that, mindful, as I’ve said before, the solution to our economic problems won’t come from government alone. Government can’t create all of the jobs we need or repair all of the damage done by this recession.

      But what we can do is to promote a strong, dynamic private sector – the true engine of job-creation in our economy. We can help provide an impetus for America’s businesses to start hiring again. We can nurture the conditions that allow companies to succeed and grow.

      That’s exactly what this jobs bill will help us do. Now, make no mistake: while this jobs bill is absolutely necessary, it is by no means enough.

      There is a lot more we need to do to spur hiring in the private sector and bring about a full economic recovery – from helping creditworthy small businesses get the loans that they need to expand, to offering incentives to make homes and businesses more energy-efficient, to investing in infrastructure so we can put Americans to work doing the work that America needs done.

      Nevertheless, this jobs bill will make a difference in several important ways.

      1. First, we’ll forgive payroll taxes for businesses that hire someone who’s been out of work for at least two months – that’s a tax benefit that will apply to unemployed workers hired between last month and the end of this year.

        This tax cut says to employers: if you hire a worker who’s unemployed, you won’t have to pay payroll taxes on that worker for the rest of the year. And businesses that move quickly to hire today will get a bigger tax credit than businesses that wait until later this year.

        This tax cut will be particularly helpful fto small business owners. Many of them are on the fence right now about whether to bring in that extra worker or two, or whether to hire anyone at all This jobs bill should help make their decision that much easier.

        By the way, I’d also note that part of what health insurance reform would do is provide tax credits for over 4 million small businesses so they don’t have to choose between hiring workers and offering coverage.

      2. The second this bill does is to enourage smaller businesses to grow and hire by permitting them to write off investments they make in equipment this year.

        These kinds of expenses typically take years to depreciate, but under this law, businesses will be able to invest up to $250,000 – in say, factory equipment – and write it off right away. Put simply, we’ll give businesses an incentive to invest in their own future – and to do it today.

      3. Third, we’ll reform municipal bonds to encourage job-creation by expanding investment in schools and clean energy projects.

        Say a town wants to put people to work rebuilding a crumbling elementary school or putting up wind turbines. With this law, we’ll make it easier for them to raise the money they need to do what the want to do by using a model we call Build America Bonds – one of the most successful programs in the Recovery Act. We’ll give Americans a better chance to invest in the future of their communities and of our country.

      4. Finally, this jobs bill will maintain crucial investments in our roads and bridges as we head into the spring and summer months, when construction jobs are picking up.

      I want to commend all of those Members of Congress – and their leadership is what made this bill possible, many of themare with us today.

      I’m also gratified that over a dozen Republicans agreed that the need for this jobs bill was urgent, and that they were willing to break out of the partisan morass to help us take this forward-step for the American people.

      I hope this’s a prelude to further cooperation in the days and months to come, as we continue the work of digging our way out of this recession and rebuilding our economy in a way that works for all Americans.

      After all, the jobs bill I’m signing today – and our broader efforts to achieve a recovery – aren’t about politics. They’re not about Democrat versus Republican. This isn’t some game we’re playing her. They’re about the people in this country who are out of work and looking for a job; they’re about all of the Americans – of every race, region, and age – who’ve shared their stories with me.

      • The single mother who’s told me she’s filled out hundreds of job applications and been on dozens of interviews, but still hasn’t found a job.

      • The father whose son told me he started working when he was a teenager, and recently found himself out of a job for the first time in his life.

      • The children who write to me, worried about their mums, worried about what the future holds for their families.

      That’s who I’m thinking about every morning when I enter into the Oval Office.

      That is who I am signing this bill For and that’s who I will continue to fight for so long as I’m President of the United States.

      So, with that, let me sign this bill and let’ get to work.


      Hire Acts Jobs Bill Signing Ceremony

      Hire Acts Jobs Bill Signing Ceremony


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      ]]>       http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/21/us-president-barack-obama-signs-the-hire-act-jobs-bill/feed/ 0       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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