Put Your Blinders On Before You Read This!

Blinders are useful in potentially distracting situations because they increase one’s ability to focus.

For example, blinders are useful for removing potentially distracting or scary scenes from a horse’s vision.

By preventing the horse from seeing everything in it’s peripheral vision, the rider can better control the horse’s focus or keep it on target.

So, what does “blinders on horses have to do with job descriptions”?

As you go about reading job descriptions and applying to jobs, you may become distracted, discouraged or even depressed by the skills or experience requirements posted on these job descriptions.

The posted requirements posted may overwhelm you, cause you considerable agitation or cause you to lose hope and count yourself out before you even apply for the job!

The solution? Put your job description blinders on …

#1: Give Yourself A Gut Check:

After reading a job description, ask yourself this singular, most important question: “do I have the ability to do this job?“

If the answer to this simple gut check is a yes; go ahead and e-mail your resume, regardless of the skills you seem to be lacking based on the job description!

A lot of the confusion with job descriptions stems from the fact that they are not written by technical folks or their managers but by Human Resources (HR) professionals, recruiters and staffing agencies.

I have had to help out HR professionals and recruiters with the wordings on job descriptions because they couldn’t understand the jobs, tools or careers they were hiring for, which in turn, impaired the clarity of the job description.

Even when technical folks (business analysts, computer programmers, project managers, etc.) write job descriptions, HR folks still extract sections from these, rewrite them based on their understanding before posting the final job description!

Unfortunately, the result is pain, confusion or discouragement for the professionals reading the job description.

#2: Put Your Job Description Blinders On:

So, to read or interpret job descriptions accurately, you must learn how to put filters on sentences, phrases or even entire paragraphs that serve only to discourage or distract you!

Here are some examples of misleading or inaccurate job descriptions:

1. When a business analyst description specifies a Use Case Modeling tool as a required skill, put your job description blinders on!

   Why?

   Well, if you really understand Use Cases, you can create the document in any reasonable tool, even if you have to learn that Use Case modeling tool on the job.

   Information technology (IT) tools are generally designed to work for their users and not against them.

   So, if you really understand Use Cases, you can learn any new Use Case modeling tool in a reasonably short time and then write Use Case with that tool.

   If you are a qualified business analyst, apply for the job and confidently explain why your knowledge / skill in Use Cases is more important than the knowledge of one Use Case modeling tool versus another.

   What the employer really needs is your ability to write Use Cases and not the knowledge of a specific Use Case tool … that has little or no business value!

2. When a programming job description specifies Visual Studio 2005 / 2008 / 2010 as a required skill instead of a specific programming language skill (C# or VB.NET), put your programming job description blinders on!

   Why?

   For all practical purposes, if you have good C# or VB.NET programming skills, you also have Visual Studio skills.

   Don’t obsess over the lack of a Visual Studio version posted on the job description because it was probably written by a non-technical person for whom the Visual Studio version number is a big deal!

On a final note, whenever you see a potentially distracting job description, put your blinders on, write up your resume to match the job description and then go ahead email your resume!

Can you think of any distracting, misleading or inaccurate requirements you have come across while reading job descriptions?

If you have, I will be glad to hear more about it …

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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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Certifications Or Experience Which Is Better?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can a certificate take the place of experience?

Thank you

Russ

Can a Certificate Take the Place of Experience?

1. What does a certificate prove to hiring managers?
   

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

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

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

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

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

2. What Is The Best Predictor Of Performance?
   

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

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

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

3. What Is The Value of a Certificate?
   

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

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

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

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

How To Prove That You Can Perform

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

4. Make Your Past Experience Count

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Submit questions about your career using the [Ask IT Career Coach] service and I will answer it for you just like I am answering the question in this post …

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This post was submitted by Russ Woodward.

How To Overcome Lack of References

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

Submit questions about your career using the [Ask IT Career Coach] service and I will answer it for you just like I am answering this question …

Here Is A Job Search, Resume & Job Interview Coaching Question

Worked for a private company for 12 years. All 18 other employees quit through time and I was left alone the last two years with the CEO trying to save the company.

I had finally to quit under bad terms. The CEO spoke very highly of my abilities, but I do not dare name him as a reference under the circumstances.

My references are mainly European companies we did business with but no specific individuals.

Any ideas as to how I can address the lack of business references in my resume and interviews?

• When Are References Needed In The Hiring Process?

  Do you realize that you don’t need to provide references for verification purposes until you actually have a job offer?

  It is kind of putting the horse before the cart to focus on or worry about references before you actually have a job because that is the last step in the hiring process.

  Now, some recruiters and staffing agencies will try and reverse the hiring order by asking for references when you submit a resume!

  You have a few options: You may ask the recruiter to verify the references only after you are given a job offer and you accept it.

  This is important because if you manage to get a few references and then submit your resume to 20 jobs, you don’t want your references to receive 20 phone calls each!

  If you subject your references to that number of phone calls … you are allowing recruiters / staffing agencies to abuse the hiring process and your references will probably feel harassed and ask you to desist from using their names before you even get a job offer.

  So my advice is: treat your few references like they are gold and don’t subject them to unnecessary harassment, abuse or phone calls.

  The other route that you may take with recruiters who ask for references before they offer you a job is to tell them that you will provide that when you have an actual job offer!

• Don’t Over Think The Reference Process

  From your question, I think that you may be putting an undue burden on yourself and over-thinking the reference and hiring process.

  It used to be that job candidates will include their references in their resume or use a line like … “references available upon request“.

  I would say that is really old school to use that line.

  Don’t mention your references on your resume and don’t even bother to say that you will furnish references upon request because that is just too early in the process.

  There is one exception to this rule. If you are filling an employment application form and you are not using a staffing agency, you may have to include a few references.

  In this situation, I will say that you may include anyone you know professionally.

• Work Your Professional Contacts

  Do not focus just on managers, include your co-workers and even subordinates in your search for references.

  Join LinkedIn, and take the time to get in touch with every company that you have worked for in your professional life or who you provided services to at any point in time in your career.

  Once you get your contacts sorted out, call and talk to each of them or e-mail them for a reference and you would be surprised how many people will be ready to give you a job reference

  If you work through all your contacts, you will find a few people that will give you references, unless you are an absolute, total jerk … and I know you are not one because jerks don’t hang out at my blog

  I believe that if you work through all your professional contacts, you will find at least three (3) people who will be willing to give you a good reference.

• Don’t obsess over the quality of your reference.

  If your CEO spoke highly of your abilities, you should used him except if he is standing trial for crime, fraud or something crazy like that.

  If the reason why you are hesitating to use your CEO is that your company went bankrupt or became insolvent and then I will say that you should use him because companies go bankrupt all the time and those same CEOS will be hired to start a new company by another group of shareholders … that is how business gets done!

  So, don’t shut yourself out of the hiring game by taking things too personal.

My final advice is this .. don’t carry the responsibility for the failure of your company around with you.

If your CEO wants to give you a good reference, be very grateful for that because a CEO’s reference carries a lot of weight even in the circumstances that you described as long as your CEO is not facing charges for illegal conduct.

So, that is it my friend … free yourself from all that false responsibility and go get the job you want!

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This post was submitted by mina_g.

Make your Knowledge or Skills Work

There is such a wealth of information out there that it can be overwhelming to someone trying to figure out what they need to learn.

I mean, when you look in your local bookstore you will see a huge section of books to help, but what you won’t find is the insider information that teaches you exactly the most profitable techniques or what you absolutely must know.

You also won’t find any resources that will give you the inside information about what you need to know so that you stand out from the crowd.

You also won’t find the inside information about what to expect at information technology job interviews and more importantly – how to answer them!

Our online online career coaching or online training classes provides this information and more.

And not only that, but it is structured in such a way that it is easy to learn. Each step builds on what you learn in the previous step so you never get overwhelmed.

Here is how we help make knowledge and skills work.

Learn Whenever – Why Not Learn At Your Own Time?

You may login to our learning management system (LMS) and take your training at a time that is convenient for you.

And you don’t have to worry about following our timetable or rearranging your schedule to meet our class schedules ever!

Open Enrollment – Let the Scheduling Work for You

Registration for our online classes is always open and because of this, you may enroll at any time.

This is quite unlike other vendors that force you to enroll on specific days or restrict enrollments to their own schedule.

Pause & Resume – Take A Break When You Want

You may pause or resume your training at will and you will never be penalized for doing that.

Use this to catch up with pressing work or life commitments and for taking vacations or time off.

This is in contrast to rigid classroom training that forces you to start or finish your at the same time as everyone else!

Progress Monitoring – How Are You Doing?

As you complete learning activities like quizzes and assignments, your grade is recorded in real-time on an online report card that doubles as your virtual transcript.

Your online report card gives a measurable, objective assessment of how you are doing at a glance.

Virtual Coaching – What Do You Want To Learn?

Your ability to post questions for your course instructor as you learn or progress through your material differentiates our training from other vendors that dump videos on you or leave you to figure it out by yourself!

Our instructors do not walk away because online collaboration is built right into our learning management system (LMS) as part of our core service offering and not as an afterthought!

Real Learning – Resources For Work

Did you know that you still retain login access to our learning management system even after your training is completed?

This access allows you to watch your training videos as often as you want or use those videos as a reference resource on the job!

For Utter Beginners or Experienced Professionals

Our classes take you from novice or utter beginner to advanced level topics in a step by step fashion with each lesson building on the topics taught in previous lessons so you don’t feel overwhelmed or dumped on!

We make no assumptions about your background and that is why we also teach all the pre-requisite knowledge as part our classes.

Practice Tests – Better or More Effective Online Learning

Use the online quizzes integrated into our learning management system (LMS) to improve your retention, comprehension or recall for work or job interview purposes.

Retrieval based tests have been scientifically proven to boost your ability to learn new information and that is why we recommend or use them.

In other words, taking our practice tests will help reduce the learning curve typically associated with mastering new concepts.

Assignments – Bridging the Gap Between Knowledge and Practice

We provide assignments similar to those performed on the job so that you get handson practice at solving problems.

Assignments matter because they help you practice putting your knowledge or skills to work in a safe, virtual environment before you tackle them in the real world.

Bridging that gap between what you know and what you can do, helps you become better, more confident and successful at work!

Comprehensive Learning – Stay Ahead of the Technology Curve

Information Technology (IT) skills easily become rusty or out-dated because of the rapid pace of technological change.

Besides, information changes so quickly and so often that keeping up with is a challenge for everyone.

But now, with our comprehensive online curriculum, you may enroll and catchup with what you really need to know just by signing up for a class!

Social Learning – Research Best Practices

While our private discussion groups are for you and the course instructors only, our public study groups are for you and other participants registered for the same course.

Use our public discussion groups for researching best practices employed at other organizations or for learning from other participants who may contribute helpful solutions challenges or problems facing you at work.

Affordable, Convenient & Effective Learning

Our online coaching or training offers are all based on the same premise:

Anyone (regardless) of their background should be able to learn from any location in the world at any time of the day or night that fits their geographic, life or work commitments.

• We make learning more affordable by combining the information you need including both entry level and advanced topics in one course.

• Our private, web-based, learning management system allows you to enroll when you want or pause and resume your training at your own convenience.

• Using practice tests which have been scientifically proven to boost your ability to retain, recall or understand new material, we make your learning more effective.

Right now, we are fulfilling coaching and training services for a world-wide information technology audience which includes course participants from USA, Canada, UK, Australia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, South Africa and several other countries … so why don’t you join us?

Let us help make your knowledge or skills work. Our secret is the sequence: what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and for how long, so that it all make sense.

So, why not enroll right now in an online career coaching or online training class and learn how to make your knowledge or skills work?

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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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how to: ace technical interviews and land jobs

This question was submitted by Vijay who needs advice on “how to ace programming interviews and land the next job!“

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

Question: How To Impress Hiring Manager at Programming Interviews

Here is the question submitted by Vijay:

On my last job I was given a technical test to write nested SQL queries.

I did not write the nested SQL query in one statement rather I created a temp table and then later join the results.

Even though the rest of the interview went ok and was able to answer other technical questions on face to face interview.

I am looking for an entry level job and I have been practicing my programming skill in C#/ASP.net and SQL queries, but in the last interview I missed the nested query question and I am thinking that it is because of this that am not selected.

So how should some one impress the hiring manager if they have not performed well on the written technical questions.

How can somebody cover the weakness in one skill while other skills are stronger and impress the hiring manager.

Thanks

Vijay

Answer: Programming Interviews Exposed: Secrets to Landing Your Next Job

Knowing how to ace technical interviews is important because it determines whether you land the next job or not.

With this in mind, here is some advice on how to ace your next technical interview or get a job.

1. Self Confidence at Programming Interviews: failing to get one technical / programming question is usually not enough to fail you at the interview.

   The real reason is that you lost confidence after missing one (1) technical question and the hiring manager noticed that!

   It may not be realistic to expect that you will pass all your technical questions. What you need to do, is to continue in a self assured or confident manner as that signals that you know what you are doing!

   For more information, read this post titled: “Fear And Self Confidence In Programming Interviews“.

2. Kaizen Principle Applied To Programming Interviews: there is a Japanese quality improvement term known as Kaizen.

   Kaizen practitioners achieve significant results through small, incremental improvements.

   What this means for you is that, you can land the next computer programmer job making incremental improvements in your performance at the job interview!

   Bringing it home, you should make a note of all your weak technical skills like nested sql queries and then practice and improve on it before your next programming job interview.

   Also, you should keep a journal of all the questions that find challenging at job interviews and then research, practice and improve on them.

3. How To Impress Hiring Managers: note that it is hard to impress the hiring manager if you fail to perform at the job interview.

   So, a better question to ask may be: how do I impress the hiring manager at a programmer job interview?

   If you really want to impress the hiring manager, start your preparing for technical interviews really early … before you have to take them!

   Why? … Because making significant improvements in skill level takes time. So, it cannot be treated like you are ordering fast food or buying soda from a vending machine!

   So start preparing intensively for your programming job interview really early and you will have the knowledge needed to impress hiring managers!

This post is one in a series dedicated to answering questions submitted by readers.

If you have a burning question or challenging situation in your career … be sure to post it as a comment on this page and we will take care of it for you!

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This post was submitted by Vijay.

How To Boost IT Skills Rapidly Or Get Hired Fast

Learning a skill is one thing … knowing how to market, a skill a completely different thing!

That is why for example, some qualified business analysts fail to get a job that other less experienced business analysts succeed in getting.

Don’t assume that because you know a skill through self study, formal education or training, you can just go out and get a job … because there is more to finding a job than that!

Some people are really good at selling themselves … even when they know little about the subject at hand.

Others cringe at the thought of promoting themselves at job interviews and unfortunately, this works against them!

In a job interview, you will hardly get credit for your skills or experience, if you can’t prove or present it.

For example, if you know the answers to a question but you’re not sharp, detailed or timely enough in your reply … then you are assumed not to know it!

If you know the answers to a question but are slow or hesitant in answering the questions, you are assumed not to know it.

So, to succeed at job interviews, you have to be good at both your preparation and presentation.

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance

Here are three (3) great techniques that will help you ace your next job interview.

1. Be Timely: to succeed at your job interviews, don’t start your preparation a week before your interview … start three (3) months ahead of your job interview. That is how to start prepare excellently for your interview.

2. Be Smart: don’t depend solely on textbooks or videos for your job interview preparation.

   Use practice tests or quizzes!

   Your success at the job interview depends on how correct, comprehensive and timely your answers are.

   If you really want to blow your interviewer away, start preparing with quizzes, several months ahead of the job interview and your quality of preparation will shine through!

3. Be Confident: answer your interview questions confidently if you want the job!

   If you fail to believe in yourself and that shows through at the job interview, what makes you think that the hiring manager will believe in you?

   If you start preparing three months ahead of your job interview and you use practice tests extensively … then all that remains is to believe in yourself!

So, here they are … three simple but highly effective secrets that guarantee success at job interviews; be timely, smart and confident.

Just follow these three rules to get the job you want!

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Is Mindless Resume Submission Working?

Finding a job is just a numbers game, so submitting my resume to several job postings will get me hired … says a business analyst!

This is the mindset of some IT job seekers who approach the business of finding a job as if it is purely a numbers game.

But is a successful job search simply a numbers game or is there more to getting a job than that?

Why Resumes Get Tossed

1. Learn It First – Before you start submitting resumes, first learn how to do the job you are applying for.

   Getting the right knowledge and skills does more for your job search because it assures the attention of hiring managers.

   Yet some job seekers assume that they can get the attention of hiring managers by simply re-writing their resume without significantly improving their skills!

   In a real life example, a marketing and sales professional with no real world business analysis knowledge, skills or experience, just keeps rewriting or submitting resumes for business analyst jobs without taking the time to study or learn!

   There is danger when one conditions the mind to act reflexively without thinking.

   Applying for jobs is not meant to be a mindless task that one attempts like an unthinking robot.

   You be the judge of the job prospects of anyone who thinks that “finding a job is just a numbers game“.

2. Which Comes First Learning Or Doing – learning has always been the forerunner to doing. You always have to learn a career before you can start performing the roles, responsibilities or duties belonging to the career.

   As a basic rule, everyone has to first learn a skill before they can start producing or working with the skill.

   In some careers, the practice of learning before doing is regulated and enforced by law.

   For example, you cannot become a Medical Doctor without going though Medical school and training. And you cannot just assume that you are a Medical Doctor and start submitting your resume for jobs without first learning, studying for and passing medical examinations.

   In information technology careers, the practice of learning before doing is not enforced by laws or exams or any set of IT schools because it is enforced by the Information Technology (IT) employer.

   Employers want to know that you’ve mastered the knowledge, skills and experience needed for the job before you are hired.

   And when you think of the rigorous credentialing, certification and licensing standards applied to other non information technology careers, you will agree that IT employers are not asking for much!

   The good news is that, it is not how you learn new skills, careers or work that matters (self study, books, coaching, training, college is ok) but that you learn it well … in a rigorous, thorough, step by step way!

3. Learning Comes Before Finding A Job – employers don’t want to re-train new hires. In other words, job postings are written for those who will be productive from day one.

   What this means is that if you are looking for a new job, you need to take the time to learn or master the skills required for the job and not just shop your resume around.

   Posting your resume mindlessly without first learning the required skills is a black hole that either sucks up your time and energy or brands you in a negative light as thoughtless to employers.

4. Take a Personal Inventory of your Skills – Do yourself a favor during this holiday season.

   Take a personal inventory of the skills required for your job. List all the skills required; (for example: UML, Use Cases, Requirements Management, SQL, Databases) and then rate yourself on a scale of one to ten on each skill.

   Finally, take the time to study, learn and improve on your weak areas because that is one of the best gifts you can give to yourself or your family!

This post discusses why most resumes get tossed by hiring managers. If you have a question or need some help with your career, post it as a comment on this page and we will be glad to answer it for you!

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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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The Domain Business Analyst Career Path

By looking at how business analyst job descriptions are written, you may be tempted to say yes!

Business Analyst job descriptions are written as if there is a distinction between IT oriented business analysts with skills in UML, Use Cases, Requirements Elicitation, Requirements Modeling and domain oriented business analysts with knowledge in specific domains like sales, marketing, customer relationship management, insurance, finance!

For some reasons, hiring managers, staffing agencies and employers behave as if there is a difference between domain oriented business analyst job descriptions and IT business analyst job descriptions.

So, the question is How important is domain knowledge for a Business Analyst? and Is a Domain Oriented Business Analyst worth more than an IT Business Analyst?

A Question About The Value Of Business Analyst Domain Knowledge

I am a bored corporate research professional working at a big services company and wish to move to a different domain.

The ones I have identified are pre-sales, business analysis or marketing communications …

I think BA could be a good step forward from where I stand. But doesn’t a BA require domain specific knowledge?

Most of the job ads I see prefer a BA in (say) the finance domain to be from that background …

How important is domain knowledge for a BA? Can it be built on-the-job or is it an absolute pre-requisite?

Why Do Business Analyst Job Ads Specify Domain Knowledge?

In the rest of this article, I will discuss why hiring managers, staffing agencies and employers specify domain specific knowledge in business analyst job descriptions.

I will answer this question by looking at “who is better positioned to increase productivity when hired”.

1. Who Costs More To Train? Companies that hire business analysts without domain knowledge resort to training the new BA hires by enlisting the help of senior business analysts, subject matter experts or training vendors.

   Even when employers use internal resources for training new BA hires, they incur costs of lost revenue, reduced productivity and increased administrative expenses .

2. Who Is Positioned To Help The Business Now? Business Analysts lacking industry insight or domain knowledge needs more time on the job to learn and understand their domains before tackling any business problems.

   This may be unacceptable to stakeholders or business managers who can’t wait to get results now!

   A business analyst with domain experience who can start troubleshooting business problems is seen as being worth more than another business analyst (lacking domain expertise) who may only observe, learn or ask questions!

3. Who Can Lead The Business? Senior Managers, IT Directors, Business Owners and other high level executives place more value on business analysts who can be trusted to lead the business.

   Business analysts unlike their counterparts in computer programming are expected to provide leadership for business-line units and organizations for which they are hired!

   Because of how business is done , managers, directors or business executives place less value on the judgment of business analysts without domain knowledge or industry experience!

   The perception which may be unfounded is that; a business analyst with domain knowledge has more potential to lead than another who lacks domain experience!

So hiring managers or employers tend to write business analyst job descriptions as if there are two business analyst career paths:

• The business analyst with IT business analyst training and specialized domain knowledge. This is the Specialist Business Analyst.

• The business analyst with IT business analyst training only! This is the Generalist Business Analyst.

Are You A Specialist Or Generalist Business Analyst?

So, are specialist business analysts worth more than generalist business analysts?

The answer doesn’t depend on “how you feel about the fairness of business analyst job postings” but on plain common sense which is always hiding in plain sight

If you’re applying only to IT Business Analyst Jobs, then don’t worry about your lack of domain knowledge.

If you’re applying to domain specific business analyst job postings like those for healthcare, finance, insurance, marketing, sales, customer relationship management (CRM) domains, then you had better do something about your lack of domain knowledge!

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Ask IT Career Coach

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

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

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Here is the Reader’s Question:

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

Here is my Answer

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 transitiion 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”.

Let me know if I can do anything to help.

Regards,

Kingsley Tagbo – Your IT Career Coach

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

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Ask IT Career Coach

This question was posted by a reader who wants to overcome obstacles posed by employment gaps in an Oracle Programming Career!

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Here is the Reader’s Question:

Hello,

The toughest challege facing my career right now is, I have been unemployeed for an extended period of time.

I have nine years of Oracle programming experience, but I have been out of work for some years now.

I have been told by employeers that it has been too long since I have had any professional experience.

The job market is very competitive right now.

How do I compete with other programmers who may not have been out of work as long as I have?

I am attending classes so that I am not completely idle. My major is Computer Information Systems. However, I urgently need to work.

Here is my Answer:

Although, the job market is competitive, getting back into full-time employment after a stay at home period is not impossible.

Follow these guidelines to boost your competitiveness compared to that of other computer programmers.

1. Broaden Your Skills: To stay competitive in the job market, you must broaden your skills because IT Managers are hiring for a broader range of skills!

   Begin by learning those skill that are in high demand and are also a natural complement to your existing skill base.

   For example, SQL Server programming skills are in high-demand and will complement your existing skill sets. By learning SQL Server programming you will be able to target both Oracle Programming Jobs and SQL Server Database Programming Jobs.

2. Transition To a Software Developer Career: Take advantage of your existing programming strengths by learning a new programming language!

   Draw upon your understanding of Oracle programming to learn a completely new programming tool.

   This will help your career by giving you skills that make you more attractive to employers.

   For example, there are lots of programming jobs that require Microsoft .NET Front-End Programming Skills and Oracle Database or SQL Server Back-End Developer Skills.

   By learning Microsoft.NET you will become competitive in the current job market as you gain the ability to work on the User Interface Front-End or Business Logic Layer or Database Back-End!

3. Overcome Employment Gaps By Becoming More Marketable: There is nothing that you can do about your employment gaps because it’s already happened and it is going to stay on your resume!

   However there is plenty you can do if you understand the power of having a marketable skill.

   When you hear employers complaining about the gaps in your employment, what they are really saying is that they don’t find your resume or skills compelling enough!

   You can completely by-pass this objection by acquiring the kind of skills that make you a marketable, in-demand IT Professional.

   This is the single, most important thing within your power to do … Learn a new skill or career that makes you instantly attractive, desirable and employable!

How to Overcome Your Employment Gap?

Not too long ago, I was helping someone who hadn’t worked for a number of years. He was in a pretty bad situation because he had a very short employment history and also an employment gap for no good reason.

The way we got around that situation was by getting him to update his skills by learning Microsoft .NET Software Development.

The demand for Microsoft .NET programmers is so high that this guy got hired at his very first interview … despite not having a credible explanation for the gaps on his resume!

I ‘m saying that considering your Nine Years of Oracle programming experience, all you have to do is to make yourself more marketable.

Remember that you already have a far better resume than the individual in question.

So, How Do You Become A Microsoft .NET Software Developer?

1. You become a Microsoft .NET Software Developer by enrolling at the SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP!

   The software developers boot camp is an Online, Video Based, Web Based, Instructor Led, Beginner to Advanced Software Developer Training that incorporates knowledge based training in the form of Video Lessons and Hands-On Skill Building Microsoft.NET Training in the form of Microsoft .NET Projects, Case Studies, Labs, Hands-On Coding Activities and more.

2. The SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP provides you with the skill needed to become a professional software developer or consultant. You learn ASP.NET, C#, Web-Based development in a practical, real-world, hands-on online computer programming course!

3. Finally, I will also advise you to register for the SQL Boot Camp because SQL Server Database skills are usually required in Microsoft .NET software developer positions. You should register for both the SQL Boot Camp and the Software Developers Boot Camp at the same time to get the best results.

   So, register here for the SQL BOOT CAMP and also register here for the SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS BOOT CAMP!

This post answers a question posted by a reader on “How To Overcome Employment Gaps in Oracle Programming Career! If you have any Question about your career, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!

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Beat the Recession

Finding a Job doesn’t have to be a traumatic, nerve racking or frustrating experience filled with rejection, fear and pain!

Just follow this article series to find out what’s wrong or get back in control of YOUR job search.

1. Do You Have a Marketable Skill? Did you assume that because your skills were in-demand a few years ago, they are relevant today?

   The market doesn’t lie! … If your phone isn’t ringing or you aren’t getting job interviews then your skills need to be updated!

   What looks like a minor skill gap to you is a major skill gap to hiring managers because that’s what they’re paying for!

2. Is Your Resume Killing Your Career? Your resume screams “hire me because I need this job” and says little about what you can do for the employer!

   Get a clue, no-one cares about you until you prove that you care about them!

   Put yourself in the employer’s shoes by re-writing your resume to say: “here is what I can do for you” and you’ll get a job paying surprisingly more than you asked for!

3. Are You Flying by the Seat of Your Pants? Your failure to plan your job search is the reason why your job search is falling apart!

   Start your job search with a competitive analysis of your strengths and weaknesses in the current job market (SWOT Analysis) and then create a strategic job search plan that addresses your findings!

   Applying for every online job doesn’t work because everyone else is doing the same thing and you must differentiate yourself to succeed.

4. Do You Suck at Job Interviews? You need to learn “how to interview properly” because something you’re doing is freaking out potential employers!

   Face-to-face or phone interviews are make or break opportunities that can’t be treated casually or left to chance.

   So learn “how to slam dunk job interviews” to improve your job search or get hired fast!

5. Can You Perform? Prove It! Performers get hired wherever they go!

   Everything about your resume, job interviews or attitude must prove that you’re a performer because that’s what potential employers wants to hear!

   Remember that IT Managers view: your past performance as the best indicator of your future performance.

   So, get your act together and differentiate yourself from the competition. Prove that you’re a job candidate worthy of hire!

Remember that Employers are still hiring for Information Technology (IT) jobs despite the economy … so, if you can’t find an IT Job, you’re doing something wrong!

Finding a job doesn’t have to be an emotionally demanding, long-drawn out process. Just learn the process outlined in this series of articles and you will be in-charge of your job search.

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How To Succeed at Business Analyst Job Interviews

Business analyst interviews are designed to evaluate two things:

• Your business analyst skills
• Your business analyst experience

How Sharp Are Your Business Analyst Skills?

At your business analyst interview, you are evaluated based on the correctness, promptness or comprehensiveness of your answers.

Give the correct answers

Your answers are evaluated based on how precise or correct they are.

Even when the business analyst interview questions are open ended, your answers are still evaluated as correct or incorrect.

Be prompt in your replies

You are evaluated based on how quickly you respond to business analyst interview questions.

The quicker you are in responding to business analyst interview questions, the sharper your skills are perceived to be.

So, you lose points when you take too long to answer a business analyst question and you gain points or credibility, when your answers are quick or instinctive.

Provide comprehensive answers

Your interviewer evaluates your business analysis level of knowledge when you answer a business analyst question.

So, a comprehensive, detailed or factual answer will score more points than a sketchy, skimpy answer.

When you are asked a business analyst question, you really need to wow your interviewer by demonstrating that you have more than a superficial understanding of the topic.

You need to do this by giving the correct answer promptly and comprehensively or by providing as much detail as the time you are given permits.

How Do You Sharpen Your Business Analyst Interviewing Skills?

If you want to succeed at business analyst interviews, you must sharpen your business analyst skills to the point where you can wow any interviewer.

This is the strategy that will get you through your business analyst job interviews … sharpen your skills to the point where you stand out at any business analyst job interview!

You sharpen or improve your business analysis skills by using business analyst quizzes or practice tests to prepare for your business analyst interviews ahead of time.

Quizzes are scientific tools that are proven to boost recall, retention and understanding.

The scientific principle of using quizzes to improve your understanding of a material was covered here: Use Practice Tests Or Quizzes To Boost Your Skills Rapidly

The way to sharpen your business analyst interviewing skills is by using a Quiz software such as included with the Business Analyst Boot Camp.

How To Answer Business Analyst Interview Questions Correctly

The business analyst practice test software mentioned above present a list of business analyst interview questions and then evaluates your answer to each question as either true of false … which helps you identify the correct answers.

How to Answer Business Analyst Interview Questions Promptly

Because the questions are presented using a software program, you have a reliable way of recording, tracking or monitoring the time it takes you to answer the interview questions.

You also need to know that your ability to answer interview questions promptly is a function of your familiarity with the question or topic.

As your level of familiarity with a business analyst topic increases, your promptness in answering questions based on it also increases!

How to Answer Business Analyst Interview Questions Comprehensively

After each Business Analyst Interview Question is presented in the Business Analyst Boot Camp, you are also presented with the correct answer and an explanation to go along with it.

You need to study each explanation, understand why it is correct and why the other answers are incorrect.

You also need to attempt the same question several times until your answers are consistently correct.

This type of practice test / quiz software which is incorporated into the business analyst boot camp prepares you for real-world interviews so that you can respond back promptly, correctly or comprehensively and succeed at your business analyst job interview!

How To Demonstrate Hands-On Business Analyst Experience

The other important section of your business analyst job interview … that may decide if you get hired or not is how you demonstrate hands-on business analysis experience.

It is not enough to say that you have six months or six years of hands-on business analysis experience, you must demonstrate that convincingly to your interviewer.

When you attend the Business Analyst Boot Camp, you gain additional hands-on experience because you receive different types of business analysis work as you watch the training videos and work your way through the course at your own pace.

Because you are working on practical assignments, you also gain additional hands-on business analysis experience!

Note that the Business Analyst Boot Camp provides you with a Quiz module for sharpening or improving your business analysis skills and practical tasks that help you develop hands-on business analysis experience!

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How To Boost IT Skills Rapidly Or Get Hired Fast

I discovered the power of practice tests in 1999 after I aced a job interview test with a score in the mid-nineties and got hired fast!

Over the next few months, I mastered how to boost my skills rapidly using the technique that I will share with you in the rest of this article.

Research has shown that practice tests or quizzes improve your retention, recall or understanding.

Research that studies how people learn skills effectively also demonstrates that students who study and take quizzes have better long-term recall than their colleagues who study without taking quizzes.

Perhaps, you have been using practice tests only when preparing for certification exams.

However, practice tests are useful for much more than that.

Quizzes have proven effective for improving IT skills, retention, recall of information and for acing technical job interviews!

That is why we use the Quiz Module in our online, video-based training programs to sharpen the skills, improve memory, retention, recall and understanding of our students after they watch our training videos.

We’ve also incorporated a practice testing software into the Business Analyst Book – Business Analyst Interview Questions and Answers

Let’s go ahead and review how you may used practice tests to improve your skills or advance your IT career or get an IT job.

Use Quizzes to Ace IT Job Interviews Or Get An IT Job:

The more effective preparation for IT job interviews includes using quizzes or practice tests to ask Single Choice, Multiple Choice or Essay Type interview questions.

This technique is effective for acing IT job interviews because the Quiz software presents the questions to you, rates your answers as correct or incorrect and then displays the correct answer for feedback or correction

Quizzes or practice tests are also effective for acing job interviews because they closely mimic the question and answer format of IT job interviews.

In IT job interviews, the interviewer asks a questions and then reviews your answer for correctness, promptness of reply and comprehensiveness. Not displaying these three traits are among the top reasons why IT workers fail to ace their job interviews. The interviewer rated their answers and felt that they where wrong (correctness), slow in coming, (promptness) or not detailed enough (comprehensiveness).

The good news is that our online video-based training programs include a Quiz Module which helps students prepare for job interviews at no additional costs.

The Quiz Module asks technical questions in a random order, rates the answer to Single Choice, Multiple Choice or Essay Type Questions, presents the correct answer with an explanation and then grades the student for the entire quiz.

Use Quizzes to Sharpen Your IT Skills Or Advance Your Career:

The other major benefit of using practice tests or quizzes in our online training programs, is that practice tests actually improve your ability to remember, recall or understand the information you gain from watching our training videos.

Repetition in training is the key to skill mastery. To master any new skill you repeat the same set of tasks multiple times until it sinks in and becomes second nature … and that is exactly what our Quiz modules does for you!

At designated periods in your online, video training program, you will get an invitation to take a Quiz for a number of days.

While taking the quiz, you will be presented with a number of questions or scenarios repeatedly until the learning concept becomes second nature.

This feature … only available at select Quiz training programs … is included with your online, video-based training boot camps at no additional cost!

So, if you are looking for a scientific way to boost your career or advance your skills or ace your job interviews, get our online, video-based training courses or web-based training courses now.

References

1. Chan, J.C., McDermott, K.B., & Roediger, H.L. (2007). Retrieval-induced facilitation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 135(4), 553-571

2. How to Become a More Effective Learner in Tips from Psychology to Improve Learning Effectiveness & Efficiency By Kendra Van Wagner

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As hiring managers are cutting costs and reducing staff size they are also hiring hiring professionals with a broader range of skills

As workers are laid off, the lucky ones left behind are asked to work longer hours or work on a broader range of tasks

IT Managers are now hiring for a broader range of skill sets. Business Analysts are being asked to perform light programming jobs and software developers are being asked to perform light business analysis tasks

As the job market gets more competitive, IT Managers are hiring workers who have the mindset, training and inclination to work on a broader range of tasks. Gone are the days when it was okay to say “I can only do this” or “please, don’t make me do that“. Nowadays if you are asked to work on a task that is not aligned with your core competency … it may better to do the job or get trained on how to do it!

Business Analysts With Programming Skills Wanted!

IT Managers are hiring for business analysts with light computer programming skills

Business analysts are not expected to learn the full suite of programming languages that software developers need. They are expected to LEARN LIGHT PROGRAMMING SKILLS including HTML, XHTML, CSS, SQL, Data Analysis or Reporting

Business Analysts who’ve learnt a range of light programming skills in addition to the traditional, business analysis skills will find that they are more marketable. These business analysts will also be able to match a wider range of candidate profiles sought by an increasing number of hiring managers. One thing is for sure, showing your IT manager that you are willing or flexible enough to accept assignments outside your core competencies will help you get hired or keep your current job

Should Computer Programmers Learn Business Analysis?

Computer Programmers also need to be ready in today’s job market to acquire a broader range of skills in other to get hired or retain their jobs.

Computer programmers need to be ready to have or demonstrate LIGHT BUSINESS ANALYSIS SKILLS including UML, Use Cases or Requirements Analysis skills.

Because firms are cutting costs, computer programmers should also expect to start seeing more traditional data analysis or reporting tasks assigned to them.

What Extra Skills Are You Getting?

Business analysts are reporting an increase in the number of job postings requiring light programming skills in-addition to the core business analysis skills

Industry wide, there is an increasing trend to cut costs and retain tech workers who have a broader range of software development (project management, data analysis, business analysis, computer programming) skills.

What about you? Do you plan to learn any new skill or stay competitive in today’s job market?

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How To Slam Dunk Your Next Job Interview

This post is an answer to a question asked by Chris who is attending his tenth (10) job interview. You may click here to read the original question or add your own question or comment to the discussion.

The original post is a No Holds Barred Discussion on challenges, problems or issues facing my readers. If you have a Burning Question or Challenge you need help with, be sure to add your question to that page and i will answer it fully just as I am answering Tom’s question below!

The definition of the word “slam dunk” below is from Wikipedia and the rest of the article is my anwer to Chris’s challenge with Job Interviews!

A slam dunk (or simply a dunk) is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim.

The term “slam dunk” was coined by Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn and is one of the highest percentage shots one can attempt in basketball.

50 Ways To Slam Dunk Any Job Interview

1. Dress appropriately for your job interviews

2. Never be late for your job interviews

3. Verify the interviewer’s timezone ahead of your job interview

4. Verify the location of the interview ahead of time

5. Print a mapquest or step by step driving direction to the interview location

6. Before going for the interview, find out more about the culture of the company, what they like in employees or consultants or why they are hiring

7. Greet the receptionist and other people in the lounge or interview room courteously and with a smile

8. Research your potential employer using the internet before the interview

9. Research your potential employer by finding out about their products, services, industry and corporate history

10. Take samples or proof of your expertise to the interview

11. Demonstrate to the interviewer how portions or sections of the job posting relate to your resume and skills

12. Do not negotiate compensation before you get an offer

13. Do not talk down your current or previous positions

14. Be prepared to answer the “what are your strengths?” question

15. Be prepared to answer the “what is your weakness?” question

16. Be prepared to answer the “do you prefer working in teams or alone?” question

17. Give the appropriate level of technical detail for each interviewer. A senior business analyst or a tech lead will need detailed technical answers while managers or directors may need concise summaries.

18. Be prepared to answer the “what is your greatest accomplishment?” question

19. Be prepared to answer the “why are you looking for a position?” question

20. Be prepared to answer the “how do you handle stress?” question

21. Answer each interview question with specifics, examples and illustrations from your career

22. Answer each interview question quickly, completely and to the point

23. Answer each interview question and ask your interviewer if you provided enough information

24. Answer each interview question with confidence, command and authority

25. Answer each interview question by looking the interviewer in the eye

26. Answer each interview question by looking briefly at each interviewer in the room and returning back to the originator of the question

27. Answer each interview question with a smile and a relaxed, calm demeanor

28. Say you don’t know on interview questions, that you don’t have any idea about

29. If you interviewer corrects you on your answers, be courteous and thank the interviewer for taking the time to correct your response

30. Take the phone interview as seriously as a face to face interview because may even get hired on the phone without another face to face

31. Take you phone interviews in a quiet, distraction free room

32. Give an alternate phone number to the employer as a backup ahead of your phone interviews

33. Practice taking phone interviews while standing up or sitting down and then choose the style that works for you

34. Start your interview preparation a month or more before you take the interview

35. When preparing for a job interview, first prepare a list of frequently asked questions and answers

36. Prepare the questions to ask the interviewer about the job position before your interview date

37. When preparing for job interview, rehearse or practice answering the questions 10 or more times beforehand

38. When preparing for job interview, rehearse or practice before an audience that will give you immediate feedback

39. After taking a job interview, let the interviewer know that you really want and care about landing the job

40. After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer what are the issues that must be tackled immediately and effectively by you, if you are hired

41. After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer what personal attributes or traits are common among the sucessful employees or consultants

42. After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer who you will be reporting to if you are hired

43. After taking a job interview, thank the interviewer for their time and interest in hiring you before leaving the room

44. After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer for their contact information

45. After taking a job interview, send a thank you email to your job interviewers when you get home

46. After taking a job interview, decline to discuss your pay until you get a job offer

47. After taking a job interview, let the interviewer know that you are flexible when it comes to pay

48. After taking a job interview, ask the interviewer how long you it will take for them to get back to you

49. After taking a job interview, prepare a list of the challenging questions you had to answer

50. After taking a job interview, research, document and rehearse the answers to all the challenging questions you answered

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It’s not news anymore. We are officially in a recession and people are being laid off everywhere. At first, it looked like the IT sector was going to come through this relatively unscathed, but that is no longer the case. Microsoft, IBM and Intel all announced job cuts this week.

In 2008, the US economy shed 1.2 million jobs. 10% of those jobs were Information Technology jobs. As of December, over 100,000 IT jobs had been lost and it doesn’t look like the situation is going to get better any time soon.

If you haven’t been laid off already, there is a real possibility that it may happen to you. It’s time to hunker down and prepare for the worst. The good news is that even in a recession, there are still jobs out there.

To offer you some hope and prepare you to be successful in the economic downturn, I will be writing a series of articles packed with tips to help you get through the current recession/depression.

These articles will help you prepare to sail right through to your next position if you’ve been laid off and prepare to not miss a beat if you do get a pink slip.

In addition, I am scouring the web to bring you the best of what’s been written about surviving the current tough economy.

Here are two great articles from Robert Scoble chock full of tips for holding on to your job and getting a new one right away if you do get laid off.

If You Are Laid Off, Here’s How to Socially Network

What to Do If You’re Laid Off in 2008 recession

And on a more humorous note:

7 Essential Steps to Surviving a Post-Layoff Existence

Check out the ‘IT-Career-Coach’ Resume, Job Search and Interview training program that walks you through the process of finding a new job immediately.

You’ll Learn Step-by-Step

• How to Run an Accelerated Job Search
• How to Find Unadvertised Jobs
• What Employers Want to See on Your Resume
• How to Be the Best Candidate in a Technical Interview
• Advanced Techniques that 98% of Job Searchers Don’t Know (This Means You’ll Be Ahead of the Game)

How the Coaching Works

• You Get Step By Step Video Training that Shows You How to Get Hired Fast!
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• You are Coached on How To Be the Top Candidate by Selling Yourself During Your Technical Interviews.

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I’m finally done with it … the book that’s 10 years in the making and tonight I”m releasing the How To Ace Programming Job Interviews Book.

Why The Programming Job Interviews Book Took Ten Years To Write

If you are my customer, by that I mean you’ve bought one of my books, you will realize that i’m pretty thorough and not one to release a half-baked book. You will also realize that my computer programming books and business analyst books are practical, comprehensive and based on tactics, strategies and information that gets results in the software development industry.

So, after a decade of taking software developer job interviews for both full-time programming positions and well paying contract programming jobs, I’ve decided to come out with the book that says it all: The Ultimate Guide to Computer Programming Jobs and Software Developer Job Interviews.

I Interviewed for Programming Jobs for Over a Decade

I’ve taken dozens of programming job interviews with various IT departments ranging from small software development shops to Fortune 500 IT departments to non-profits to consulting firms to staffing/recruitment agencies.

I’ve been interviewed and hired for both management and non-management software developer positions. I’ve personally interviewed software developers and also coached software developers who’ve gone on to wow their interviewers and ace the programming positions they want.

I’ve been in several situations where to get the next assigment, I interviewed with several firms and received multiple competing programming job offers.

I’ve been in situations where firms competed for my programming services by trying to hire me away or go out of their way to impress me with pretty good offers.

I’ve been hired for high visibility programming jobs in large organizations with one single phone interview without going through a face to face interview. I’ve taken more programming interviews than I care to count, closing and getting job offers 9 times out of ten.

I’ve even taken and aced programming phone interviews while driving and while on vacation.

I’ve been interviewed by a team of technical people several times during my career and sometimes without any warning and still wowed my team of interviewers without any prior preparation. As far as programming job interviews are concerned, I’ve been there and i’ve done it.

I Have Something To Say

I have a lot to say about programming job interviews and I’m asking you to learn from me, so that you can truly be the master of your own fortune because you desire to be the best that you can be.

Are you are ready to be all you can be, break out of your personal limitations and experience the success you want? Begin by learning from an expert on “how to ace programming job interviews”.

Are you teachable and open to learning? If you are, Click Here To Get Your Own Copy of How To Ace Programming Job Interviews.

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