ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » hiring 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 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 The Survivors Guide To Overcoming Unemployment http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/13/the-survivors-guide-to-overcoming-unemployment/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/13/the-survivors-guide-to-overcoming-unemployment/#comments Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:46:02 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3098

The Survivors Guide To Overcoming Unemployment

The Survivors Guide To Overcoming Unemployment

Several years ago, I had a conversation with a lady who had a computer science degree but was unable to get hired for any type of Information technology (IT) job.

I realized right away, that what she lacked was an understanding of how the IT job / career market works. The sort of information that is generally omitted in schools because no one thinks it is important enough.

So, after she shared her story with me, I did some research and came to the startling conclusion that she was not alone.

I discovered that there was a big gap in our educational system and I am not just talking about schools, but staffing / recruiting / training agencies as well.

The problem was that all the players were in a hurry to make ends meet and no one really cared about the professional whose career or job was at stake.

For example, recruiters / staffing agencies will only work with you when your skills and experience matches that required on a job posting.

They will not think of helping you bridge the gaps in your skills, resume or experience or advancing your career further through coaching and mentoring.

So I started educating people on how to thrive or succeed in the Information Technology (IT) world and as a result this website (www.it-career-coach.net) was born.

Today, I have been giving another unique opportunity to help because a number of you are talking to me about their unemployment situations or asking for my advice or suggestions along those lines.

I want to say, thank you to everyone who has been talking to me about their unemployment situations.

I appreciate the trust you place in me and more importantly, your courage in talking about it!

I am dedicating the “FREE Survivors Guide To Overcoming Unemployment” below to those of you who are out of work..

Please download and read this career guide and learn how to survive unemployment or get productive by earning an income again.

I retain all the copyrights to this career guide. However, you have my permission to distribute it or share it with anyone (friends, strangers, colleagues, etc) or post it anywhere.

Download The Survivors Guide To Overcoming Unemployment Below


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/13/the-survivors-guide-to-overcoming-unemployment/feed/ 2 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 #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 When Life Throws You a Curve Ball, Throw it Back! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/24/when-life-throws-you-a-curve-ball-throw-it-back/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/24/when-life-throws-you-a-curve-ball-throw-it-back/#comments Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:01:10 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3012

Life Throws A Curve Ball, Then What?

Life Throws A Curve Ball, Then What?


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

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

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

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

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

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

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

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

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

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

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

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

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

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

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

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

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

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

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

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

HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

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

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

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

The Law Of Inertia – Sir Isaac Newton

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

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1726)

Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1726)

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

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

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

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

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

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/11/24/when-life-throws-you-a-curve-ball-throw-it-back/feed/ 1 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 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     College Graduates Paying for Unpaid Internships! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/college-graduates-paying-for-unpaid-internships/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/college-graduates-paying-for-unpaid-internships/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:36:07 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2741

    Will Pay For Work!

    Will Pay For Work!

    It is generally accepted that hands-on experience is one of the more important qualifications for getting a job and that you may get handson experience through paid or unpaid internship programs.

    So this article on NyTimes.com about how job seekers are paying thousands of dollars for internships is not surprising considering how competitive the job market has become.

    What is surprising is that these are college graduates from prestigious colleges paying for nonpaying internship programs!

    The article is titled “Unpaid Work, but They Pay for Privilege” and you can read it here:

    This article mentions that;

    1. College graduates are unable to find paying internships

    2. College graduates are paying to get into an unpaid internship programs

    3. Job seekers don’t have problems with finding internships. They have problems with getting accepted!

    4. Job seekers are paying significant sums of money to get into a non-paying internship programs. For example, a job seeker may pay $9,450 for an internship program in London or as little as $5,499 for an internship in Costa Rica.

    5. Online startups are now selling internships worth thousands of

    Now the question for you is:

    • How far will you go to get into an unpaid or paid internship?

    • What do you think about online startups selling internships?

    • Is paying for an unpaid internship smart or is there a better way?

    • Will you pay for an internship?


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/college-graduates-paying-for-unpaid-internships/feed/ 0     Did I Mess Up My Career? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/did-i-mess-up-my-career-part-2/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/did-i-mess-up-my-career-part-2/#comments Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:39:02 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2185

    Ask IT Career Coach

    Ask IT Career Coach

    Po Bronson, author of “What Should I Do with My Life?” listened to more than 900 people who dared to be honest with themselves about their line of work or careers!

    In the end, he discovered that it comes down to a simple gut check: “You either love what you do or you don’t.“

    With that in mind, here’s question posted by a reader who needs advice on “what to do about making wrong career choices”.

    What To Do About making Wrong Career Choices

    I think I did myself well careerwise by reading for a degree that bears no inclination to what I am trying to aspire to in life.

    The programme entitled: Degree in Computing with Management Studies is embeded with C++, COBOL and Report Programme Generator (RPG) courses.

    The final year I underwent a gruelling course in Artificial Intelligence that I haven’t started to utilise in anyway in my career path.

    What I strongly desire is a competence in database management and its integration with records management and design.

    Regards

    Career Transitions Are A Fact Of Life

    Hello,

    I feel your pain because I have been in your shoes – in a similar situation.

    I’ve had to transition career several times from Chemical Engineering to IT Sales to IT Consulting to IT Career Coaching!

    I’m reasonably sure that my last transition is permanent … but that doesn’t mean much because I expect my IT Career Coaching skills to change so much that I would literally be re-inventing myself every year!

    Think about it for a moment. The world around us is constantly changing and we have to remain flexible and adaptable or we become as dead as the DoDo!

    Fact is … “career transitions are a part of life“!

    What I’ve learnt that I would like to share with you is this: “march boldly in the direction of your dreams!“

    Start by forgiving yourself thoroughly.

    Forgiving yourself is really not as easy as it sounds … put some effort into giving yourself a break because you did the best that you could based on the information you had.

    Don’t be too hard on yourself; make sure you take out some time to love on yourself before you do the next big thing.

    Now, having done that, “follow your call wherever it leads without any hesitation“!

    Since your heart is saying that you need to become a database professional, do exactly that!

    “Jump into the water with both feet and don’t be afraid of getting your feet wet”.

    What I mean is: “pursue your dreams fearlessly, follow your heart wherever it leads and don’t be afraid of making mistakes”.

    You owe yourself the pursuit of “life, liberty and love”.

    What Should I Do with My Life?

    Po Bronson, author of “What Should I Do with My Life?” listened to more than 900 people who dared to be honest with themselves about their line of work or careers!

    In the end, he discovered that it comes down to a simple gut check: “You either love what you do or you don’t!”

    So, if you find yourself doubting or regretting the choices you’ve made for your career or work, do these:

    1. Do What You Love; Start building your career around what you love or enjoy doing. Be honest with yourself by finding out what type of work fulfills you and doing it.

    2. Discover Your Strengths; Don’t spend your entire career or life building on weaknesses by doing what you don’t love.

      Discover what you excel at doing and then pursue opportunities that align with them.

      Use a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis to reposition your career.

    3. Follow Your Dreams; It’s never too late to discover or follow your dreams, aspirations or happiness.

      Don’t deny yourself the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness because everyone including your dear self, deserves better!

    4. Develop A Positive Mental Attitude; Don’t let past mistakes or career choices hinder you from making better decisions going forward!

      Believe that “you can do better and you will” because “if you think that you can, you can!“

    5. Learn From Past Mistakes; Don’t be reacting to past failures, learn from them!

      We all do the best that we can, based on the information we have. Now, re-invent your career by making better, informed decisions based on your past failures!

    6. Plan to Succeed; Now prepare a step by step plan for transitioning to a your new career!

      Start with a SWOT Analysis that addresses specific issues like “how you will learn new skills” and “how you will gain hands-on experience“.

      You need to plan your career transition because “failing to plan is the same as planning to fail!”

    7. Now, Do What You Love; You’ve learnt from past mistakes and planned a better career transition, now start doing what you love.

      Stick to doing what you love even when it’s tough on your purse or ego.

      Because a day will come when you’ll start reaping the financial and emotional rewards of “Career Nirvana!”

    How To Achieve Career Nirvana

    You’re not alone in making wrong career choices. But you must overcome the past by learning from it and by making better, informed decisions going forward!

    This post answers a question posted by a reader who needs advice on “what to do about making wrong career choices”!

    If you have a question about your career or are facing a challenge, be sure to post it as a comment on this page and I will answer it for you!


    What Is The Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career?



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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/did-i-mess-up-my-career-part-2/feed/ 5     How To Gain Cutting-Edge IT Skills Easily http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/27/how-to-get-cutting-edge-it-skills-easily/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/27/how-to-get-cutting-edge-it-skills-easily/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:30:23 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1416

    Top Paying Skills in High Demand

    Top Paying Skills in High Demand

    Read How to Protect Your IT Career or Gain In-Demand IT Skills or Critical Hands-ON Experience Sought After By IT Managers …

      1. You Can Enroll for IT Training Easily

        • You can enroll for training at anytime because our training is provided online through videos, a web based training software and live course instructors who help you gain critical hands-on project experience

      2. Our Training Software Helps You Manage Your Study Time

        • You can enroll for one or more training programs at the same time because our web-based training software manages, schedules or keeps tracks of your progress on each training course

      3. Our Training Sharpens Your Skills And Helps You Gain Critical Hands-On Experience

        • After you enroll in a training course, the web based training software creates a new training schedule for you and then sends you a personalized e-mail with links to your training videos, assignments or quizzes.
        • You are assigned a number of days for each video, quiz, assignment or hands on lab activity by the web based training software.
        • You complete the assignment or activity and submit your work back to a live course instructor using a feature on the training system.
        • Your instructor is notified that you submitted an assignment and grades your work or provides help, assistance or corrective feedback to you.
        • Your grade is automatically dsiplayed in your secure, private online report card. Your report card displays the grades of each completed training module, quiz, assignment or hands on lab work.
        • The web based system sends out the next video to you and you continue to learn, practice and understand new information

      4. You Can Access Our Training Videos After You Complete Training

        • You will be able to login and access all the training videos after you complete our training
        • All the videos, transcripts, e-books or resources are accessible through the “Resources” Menu on our training system during training and after you complete training

      5. Our Training Is Designed To Be Flexible Or Convenient

        • Yes, you are given ample time to complete each training activity including the video training or practice tests or hands on lab work
        • You can login at any time during the day or evening and take you video training
        • If you want to pause your training at any time because of work or life committments you may simply click on the “Pause Training” feature in the online training software
        • You may pause your training for as long as you want to and click on the “Continue Training” feature whenever you want to
        • You are not required to start or finish your training at the same time as everyone else
        • You are not required login to the online training system at the same time as everyone else or at a specific time of the day or night
        • Your training is a “go at your own pace”, anytime, anywhere, anypace training. Your personalized, flexible training schedue is managed by our web based online training software system

      6. You Do Not Need Any Prerequisite Course Or Preparation Before You Begin Training

        • All our training courses are step by step, beginner to advanced training
        • We do not assume anything about your background, so we walk you through the basics and then take you to the advanced topics
        • Our Videos are step by step, instructional videos. You will learn by watching our Instructors explain or perform hands on activities or teach new concepts
        • Our training videos cover both the theoretical knowledge and practical hands on activity required to master each new skill or topic
        • You do not have to take out time to prepare for our training courses. All the preparation, foundational topics and pre-requisite knowledge is inbuilt or included as part of each training course

      7. We Train You For The Hottest, In-Demand IT Careers

        • SQL Boot Camp: The SQL Boot Camp online training course for database developers, computer programmers, data analysts or business analysts
        • Software Developer Boot Camp: The Software Developer Boot Camp online training course for computer programmers or web developers
        • Data Analyst Boot Camp: The Data Analyst Boot Camp online training course for data analysts, business analysts or database developers
        • Business Analyst Boot Camp: The Business Analyst Boot Camp online training course for business analysts or system analysts
        • Job Search Coaching: The Job Search online coaching for the IT Job Search process including Resume Review, Interview Coaching & Job Search Coaching
        • IT Mentorship Program: The IT Hands-On Training Program for IT Consultants

      8. You Control The Pace Of Training

        • Yes, you can accelerate or speedup your training course or complete training in a shorter time
        • Yes, you can finish your training in more time or less time than the estimated duration
        • You can control your training pace because our web-based training software allows you to run at a more customized, personalized pace. So you don’t have to start or finish at the same time as eveyone else

      9. You Don’t Need To Install Additional Software Programs to Run Our Training Courses

        • You don’t need to install additional software progarms to view our training courses online
        • We used a web-based system that allows you to view our training courses anytime from anywhere or place.
        • All the software training features you need for your training are already buit into our web based training system.
        • You don’t even need to worry about browser requirements.

    Don’t miss out on these limited time discounts because they are ending soon!

    For a limited time only …

    • get the SQL Boot Camp + Business Analyst Boot Camp or

    • get the SQL Boot Camp + Software Developer Boot Camp or

    • get two or more training courses for instant multiple discounts on the shopping cart!

    Click here to get the special discount before it expires


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/27/how-to-get-cutting-edge-it-skills-easily/feed/ 0     What Is The Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/06/toughest-challenge-facing-your-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/06/toughest-challenge-facing-your-career/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:37:33 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1317

    Ask a Burning Question

    Ask a Burning Question

    Dear Friend,

    What is the “Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career Right Now“?

    Your challenge may be about how to get a job or how to improve your skills or how to get promoted on the job

    Perhaps your challenge is about how to transition out of or into a business analyst or computer programming or database developer career. Whatever they are, go ahead and post your comment and we will deal with them for you.

    Post your challenging issues as a comment on this post and I would be glad to answer it for you. I may answer it by writing a new article that addresses your concern or by posting a comprehensive reply to your comment

    Ask a Burning Question On:

    • How to Transition Easily From One IT Career Track to Another

    • How to Gain Real-World IT Experience

    • How to Improve Your Job Performance

    • How to Advance Your IT Career, Move Up the Ladder or Get a Promotion

    • How to Increase Your Job Satisfaction

    • How to Quickly Gain Advanced IT Skills

    • How to Shorten Your Learning Curve with Mentoring & Coaching

    • How to Learn the Hottest Information Technology (IT) Skills

    • How to Shorten Your Job Search, Ace Your Technical Interviews or Get Hired Fast

    The concerns or challenges facing you are important to me, so go right away and post your question as a comment below:

    Thank You


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/06/toughest-challenge-facing-your-career/feed/ 22     Tech Predictions for 2009 http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/01/05/tech-predictions-for-2009/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/01/05/tech-predictions-for-2009/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:00:34 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=328

    2009 Tech Predictions

    2009 Tech Predictions

    Happy New Year!! Here are some technology predictions for 2009 that are worth a read for software developers, business analysts and database developers who want to position themselves for success in 2009:

    1. Pay attention to Social Media says CapGemini:

    “2009 will be the year when use of social networking tools within companies will be the talk of the town. Yes, it has been around for a while but to be honest, nothing much has really happened apart from that Serena Software uses Facebook internally.

    So when our global heads of Capgemini Consulting visited Sweden office last week and started talking about the power of social networking only five minutes into the talk I felt that something had changed. For the better. Substantial growth is predicted in web 2.0 for the enterprise within the next five years.”

    2. The economy looms large says PCWorld:

    “Ultimately, economic conditions will play a huge role in how 2009 pans out for the developer community. When customers aren’t buying, tool vendors don’t innovate — so don’t expect many groundbreaking new technologies to debut this year.

    Among enterprise customers, tightening budgets are likely to put the kibosh on many an ambitious new project. But smart companies will realize that process automation is one of the best ways to reduce costs in any business.

    Now may actually be the ideal time to revisit old software schemes that got shelved back when staffing budgets were flush. Layoffs and hiring freezes will mean there are fewer developers to go around, however, which could make smart projects infeasible for the time being.”

    3. Agile development is a must says Barry Gervin:

    “Many of my customers began large-scale re-writes of their key software assets in 2008, many of them against my recommendations. For most of my key customers in 2008 and into 2009 I’m an advocate of providing incremental value in short iterative releases, not major re-writes that take 6+ months to develop.

    Even if your application is written in PowerBuilder 6 or Classic ASP, avoid the temptation to rewrite any code that won’t see production for 4 months or longer. We can work towards componentized software by refactoring legacy assets and providing key integration points so that we can release updated modules towards gradual migration.

    It is difficult for software teams in this economy to produce big-bang, “boil the ocean”, build cathedral type projects. We simply can’t predict what our project’s funding will be in 4 months from now, or if we’ll be owned by another company, scaled down, out sourced or just plain laid off. That is of course unless you work for the government.

    Government spending will continue if not increase in 2009, but still, try to spend our taxpayer money wisely by delivering short incremental software releases. It allows you to build trust with your customers, mark a line in the sand and move onward and upward, and let’s you move quickly in times of fluid business requirements and funding issues.

    Incremental, Value-Based software development isn’t easy.
    It takes lots of work, creative thinking, and much interop and integration work than one would prefer. It might easily seem like an approach that costs more in the long term, and in some cases you could be right. But if a company has to throw out work in progress after 6-8 months or never sees the value of it because of other changing business conditions, then what have you saved? Probably not your job anyway.”

    For more technology predictions for 2009, Bob Stumpel has an impressive compilation of tech predictions from around the web here.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/01/05/tech-predictions-for-2009/feed/ 0     How To Find, Hire Or Retain Good Software Developers Easily http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/02/13/how-to-find-hire-or-retain-good-software-developers-easily/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/02/13/how-to-find-hire-or-retain-good-software-developers-easily/#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:05:29 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/02/13/how-to-find-hire-or-retain-good-software-developers-easily/

    There is a high demand by IT managers for good, competent and skilled software
    developers right now.A good number of software development job postings for
    leading or cutting edge software development skills are taking longer and longer
    to fill.

    1. The demand for experienced, skilled software developers in Java, C# .NET,
    Visual Basic .NET, SQL Server, SharePoint and ASP.NET exceeds the supply of
    available, skilled and competent computer programmers.

    2. Software job postings are taking longer to fill. In some cases, they are not
    getting filled at all. I have seen IT directors, IT managers and hiring managers
    post "job wanted" advertisements for .NET programmers or C# programmers that
    take months to fill.

    3. When IT directors, IT managers or hiring managers use recruiting firms, they
    have to pay a premium to find competent computer programmers. IT staffing
    agencies bill $70/hr. or more for finding and placing skilled temporary
    Java, C#, ASP.NET and SQL Server computer programmers. Employers sometimes have
    to pay as much as a hefty 20% placement fee to convert skilled temporary
    software developers into a permanent employees.

    Here a few tips that can help you with finding or hiring good, competent or
    expert software developers.

    How to find and hire competent software developers

    1. Telecommuting:

    Offer your software developers the option to telecommute as a perk.

    I am amazed at how in 2008, not enough IT managers are offering telecommuting as
    a benefit. Offering partial or full telecommuting will allow you to attract more
    highly skilled and competent software developers because it is getting harder to
    compete for and win software developers based on offering better salaries, 401K
    or medical benefits. But you can more easily attract the attention of software
    developers by offering telecommuting as a benefit.

    2. Software Development Tools:

    Invest in enterprise software development tools to attract and keep the right
    software development talent. If you are an IT manager, project manager, IT
    director, hiring manager, software development manager or you have the authority
    to hire and manage software developers, make sure that you have a budget for
    software development tools such as testing tools, requirement management tools,
    database development tools, web development tools, source code management and
    versioning tools and software build management tools.

    If you don't or you skip buying the professional tools your software developers
    need, you may find it more difficult to hire, attract or retain good software
    development talent. Good, experienced or competent software developers expect to
    use these software development tools for their day-to-day tasks and rank
    employers who provide them with professional software development tools higher
    than employers who don't.

    3. Train your programmers:

    Invest in the training of your computer programmers and other information
    technology workers who are interested in learning computer programming.

    Don't lose sight of the fact that computer programming is a skill that can be
    learned just like any other skill. With the shortage of skilled, competent and
    experienced computer programmers, you need to explore training employees who are
    interested in learning programming knowing that you can get the return on your
    investment (ROI) within a year.

    Training has the effect of raising employee morale because it demonstrates that
    you care and believe in the employee. It also provides you with a means of
    standing out in the industry as an employer who invests in their employees.
    Training your existing computer programmers also signals to senior, experienced
    and competent software developers that you are the kind of employer who looks
    after the career of your software developers.

    These tips will make it is easier, less expensive and faster for you to find,
    hire or retain good software developers. If you need assistance with
    implementing any of these tips,
    target="_blank"
    title="contact the author">click here to get in touch with me    .

    About The Author

    My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis,
    Missouri. I write about the training, coaching, mentoring
    and personal development of software development professionals including
    business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web
    designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other
    information technology professionals .

    My firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for
    clients throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and
    New Zealand. If you are in need of software development consultants or training,
    target="_blank"
    title="contact the author">click here to get in touch with me    .


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