ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » job search 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 Earn Significantly More Money, When Your Career Hits a Plateau! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/12/06/how-to-earn-significantly-more-money-when-your-career-hits-a-plateau/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/12/06/how-to-earn-significantly-more-money-when-your-career-hits-a-plateau/#comments Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:38:28 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3359

How To Earn Significantly More Money, When Your Career Hits a Plateau!

How To Earn Significantly More Money, When Your Career Hits a Plateau!


Have you you reached a plateau in your career?

If you have, consider becoming a contractor.

As a contractor, you may earn significantly more money (20% to 50% more) and you will find more challenging work for your skill sets.

In this post, I will show how you to minimize the risks while maximizing the benefits of being a contractor so that you end up with significantly more money in your pocket!

Is A Contracting Lifestyle Right For You?

Contractors actually have a corner on the market because they have better, more up-to-date skills, better job exposure, more hands-on experience and better marketing skills which leads to more (and not less) job stability.

Contractors have a refined sense for making money because being a contractor is one step removed from being a business owner.

Contractors focus on learning marketable skills and on staying ahead of the technology curve because the best paid contractors have the sharpest, most marketable skills.

Being a contractor, involves striking a balance between the false sense of security that regular, full-time employees are sometimes lulled into and the fear that sometimes overwhelms business owners.

Contractors also have access to full medical, dental and 401K plans just like regular, full-time employees.

So, my question to you is: have you considered becoming a contractor?

Here are some of the signs that your career has hit a plateau:

  • You are not being challenged at work: you have not worked on a project that challenges or stretches you for a long time
  • Your skills have stagnated: your skills have stagnated because you no longer work on leading / cutting edge projects
  • You have lost your sense of direction: you spend more time dealing with corporate politics and less time getting results
  • You are not getting any recognition: you can’t seem to move up in your career or earn more money regardless of how hard you work
  • You have a boring job: you dread going to work because you job is boring … boring … boring!

If have been affected by any of these situations, there is good news for you.

Becoming a contractor can lift the ceiling on your salary or provide you with more challenging work, without causing you to lose the best benefits of a full-time, permanent / regular job.

Here are some tips to help you create a successful contracting career

TIP #1: Build Your Contracting Career Around Marketable Skills

Analyze your local economy to find out the sectors that are hiring. Based on these sectors, you can figure out the type of contracting experience that is going to sell.

Note: One industry that hires professionals from all sorts of backgrounds is the “Web Development Industry”.

TIP #2: Manage The Longevity of Contracting Jobs

Contracting positions should be six months or longer. I would advice you to stay away from contracting jobs that are less than 6 months because they are just too short to get anything useful done.

When you hear that a contracting gig is less than six (6) months, you may need to walk away, because that kind of job may come with a lot of pressure to perform or a lot of stress.

Focus on long-term contracting jobs, except if you are starting from scratch or you are willing to work any job, just to succeed.

On the other hand, contracting jobs that last 1, 2 years or more are desirable because they offer just about as much security as regular, permanent, full-time jobs.

Contracting jobs have longevity. They may not last as long as full-time, permanent jobs but they last long enough to be meaningful!

TIP #3: Bill A Lot More!

How do contractors handle the shorter employment periods? They bill a lot more!

Assuming that as a business analyst contractor, you earn $65,000 (USD) or £41,675 (British Pounds).

When you become a contract business analyst, you may earn anywhere from 20 percent ($13,000 or £8,345) to 50 percent ($32,500 to £20,800) more .. without changing your career or going to college for a masters or post-graduate education!

Now, that extra money should not to be invested in your lifestyle, buying a bigger house or more cars. Instead, it should be put away in a savings, retirement or investment account because you will need it!

Contractors have to account for down-times. A down-time is the time between projects, contracts or jobs when a contractor is looking for the next gig, assignment or project.

Contractors may encounter down-times in between their assignments which last up to a month or longer.

A business-savvy contractor will use down-times to learn new skills or sharpen existing skills.

As a contractor, learning a new (marketable) skill or sharpening an existing skill, means that you will encounter less and less of a downtime and that you will be paid more money because you always bring the best skill-sets to your projects!

So, it is not uncommon to see contractors, earn 50% more than their full-time contemporaries because they have better, more marketable, sharper skills!

TIP #4: Contractors Don’t Have To Travel

Contrary to popular opinions, contractors are not really required to travel except when:

  • They don’t have marketable skills and because of that, have to travel to different locations to get a good job
  • They choose to travel because they like being on the road even though there are contracting jobs that do not involve traveling.

Keep in mind that the majority of employers will disclose any traveling requirements before you are hired.

I won’t advice that you to bring up the question of traveling except if it’s mentioned in the job posting or interview.

If traveling is mentioned, be frank and tell the employer during a face to face job interview, that you don’t want to travel because of personal or family commitments.

Contractors do not have to travel. So, if you find yourself traveling excessively, you either have the wrong skills or you are in the wrong job.

TIP #5: Contracting Does Not Negatively Affect Your Credit

As a contractor, you actually have a full-time job and your bank, financial institution or creditors can call your staffing company and verify your employment history or salary just as easily as if you were a regular, full-time employee.

If you are working for yourself, or you are billing the employer directly, you may have a tougher time getting credit because you are self-employed.

However, most contractors are employed with a staffing agency, so they really have a full-time, regular job just like everyone else.

Getting loans, credit or financing for a contractor is usually just as easy as getting credit for a full-time employee because contractors earn a lot more money and they probably have more savings, which means that their credit is just as good.

TIP #6: Manage Your Contracting Profile

Let’s say that you use the same staffing agency all the time, then your employment history / profile will look like that of a full-time, permanent employee even though you change clients often, because you are still employed with one staffing company.

However, if you change staffing agencies every time you change jobs, your work profile will look less stable and that may negatively affect your employment profile during a job interview or a credit check.

Fortunately, you have a good measure of control over which staffing agency you work for.

For starters, make sure that you work with a recruiter that you like and then stay in close communication with that recruiter throughout the life of your project.

Money Making TIP:Get your recruiter to start looking for new projects at least six (6) weeks before the exit date or the ending of your project and you will be able to transition from one job to another with zero or little down-time.

TIP #7: YES, Contractors Must Be Highly Skilled

Contractors are the most skilled, knowledgeable and experienced professionals on a project. That is why they are paid all those big bucks.

Being a contractor does not mean that you have spent a lot of years in the industry. It does not mean that you have more formal education or more certifications than your regular, full-time colleagues.

You do not need a post-graduate degree, an MBA or a computer science background to become a contractor because college education does not parallel the functional skills required for success in Information Technology jobs.

Being a contractor does means that you are performance minded or that you are obsessed about achieving results.

Read this post titled: “Can You Perform, Prove It!”

This post was written in answer to a question posted by a business analyst

This question was submitted to “ASK IT Career Coach” by a business analyst looking for advice on how to become a contractor.

If you have a challenging career situation, be sure to [Submit A Question] using our Free, Amazing, [Ask IT Career Coach] – Ask A Question Service.

For more information, read this post titled” Do You Want To Become A Consultant?”


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/12/06/how-to-earn-significantly-more-money-when-your-career-hits-a-plateau/feed/ 0 Put Your Blinders On Before You Read This! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/01/put-your-blinders-on-before-you-read-this/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/01/put-your-blinders-on-before-you-read-this/#comments Sat, 01 Oct 2011 18:15:11 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3309

Put Your Blinders On Before You Read This!

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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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/01/put-your-blinders-on-before-you-read-this/feed/ 0 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 It’s Not What You Know It’s What You Do http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/22/its-not-what-you-know-its-what-you-do/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/22/its-not-what-you-know-its-what-you-do/#comments Tue, 22 Feb 2011 07:16:16 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3112

There is a lot of good career advice on this blog. This advice is for all you good people that have been so kind as to listen to me.

I am always interested in hearing from you, especially after you put my advice to work.

Today’s post is just a reminder to put my advice to work because it works.

Here is an email from a reader who got a JOB by doing what I say:

Hi, I kept reading your articles about the IT career to choose.

I was doing Field Service Engineering (Desktop support) and since when I was in school I have always in love with programming.

While I worked, I studied Intro to Java and Advanced J2ee and my wishful java career open right in front of my eyes.

I wanted to evolve from support to development so, I kept reading on how developers are getting paid and what to do to get your first java job without an industrial experience.

A company was looking for java devs and I applied and bam! in my face, my second interview for the java developer and I did my best during my interview and their assessment and got the JOB.

Thankx alot guys, I appreciate your work and your coaching is too valuable …

It’s Not What You Know It’s What You Do

Dear Friend,

When you read my article, take your pen and paper and jot down either things that you will do differently or questions that you want to ask me based on the information I’m given you.

Remember that reading all this precious advice is not enough. You’ve got to put it into practice and REAP the benefits in your career!

Thanks again for hanging out on my website, reading my blog posts daily and using my advice :-)

I appreciate you


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/02/22/its-not-what-you-know-its-what-you-do/feed/ 0 US President Barack Obama Signs the HIRE Act Jobs Bill – 17.6 Bllion Dollar Employment Package http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/21/us-president-barack-obama-signs-the-hire-act-jobs-bill/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/21/us-president-barack-obama-signs-the-hire-act-jobs-bill/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:13:57 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2883

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Do I have a decent job?

  • Can I provide for my family?

  • Do I feel a sense of financial security?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Hire Acts Jobs Bill Signing Ceremony

Hire Acts Jobs Bill Signing Ceremony


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/21/us-president-barack-obama-signs-the-hire-act-jobs-bill/feed/ 0 How To Break The Unemployment Cycle? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/07/how-to-break-the-unemployment-cycle/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/07/how-to-break-the-unemployment-cycle/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:50:43 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2863

How To Break The Unemployment Cycle

How To Break The Unemployment Cycle

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

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

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

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

How To Break The Cycle Of Unemployment Facing The USA

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

Why should you care about technology?

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

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

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

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

  • College Band-Aid

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

  • The Gold Watch Syndrome

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

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

  • Certified Incompetent

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

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

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

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

How To Be Employable

  • #1 – Bridge Technology Gaps by Learning New Skills

    Learn skills that are in-demand by employers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • #3 – Always Be Learning

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

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

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

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

  • #4 – Market Your Skills Better

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

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

    • Build Your Brand Or Become A Leader

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

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

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

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

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

  • #5 – Choose A New IT Career

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

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

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

You Deserve A Good Life … Go Get It :D

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/07/how-to-break-the-unemployment-cycle/feed/ 0 5 Steps to a New Business Analyst Career http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/16/5-steps-to-a-new-business-analyst-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/16/5-steps-to-a-new-business-analyst-career/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:03:41 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2834

business analyst in 5 steps

business analyst in 5 steps

5 Steps to a New Business Analyst Career

I talk to a number of business analysts interested in changing careers to new domains.

They come from diverse backgrounds (insurance, sales, financial, etc.) and they all share a common goal … that of switching careers to new domains.

So, when one of these business analysts asked; if I would like to throw more light on changing BA careers / domains at job interviews, I was glad to say yes :-)

How To Switch Business Analyst Domains

Some degree of sales or marketing skills is needed to get a job. And your understanding of the sales process determines how successful your career switch will be.

Here is what you need to know about switching business analyst careers:

  1. Put Yourself In Employers Shoes:

    Don’t make the classic mistake of approaching the business analyst job interview from the standpoint of what you can get out of it!

    Rather, put yourself in the employer’s shoes and talk to their interests and needs … that is basic human nature and selling 101.

    This matters because job interviewers will not care about you or get interested in you, if you don’t care about or show a genuine interest in them (read Dale Carnegie’s classic – “How To Win Friends and Influence People”).

  2. Emphasize Cross Functional Skills:

    Accept that employers will be skeptical of your resume, skill-sets and suitability for the job, when switching careers or domains.

    Now, resolve the employer’s doubts by showing how your skill-sets are a better match to their needs.

    Do this by emphasizing cross-functional skills like your communication and presentation skills. Then, go further and explain how your business analysis skills (like those taught at the business analyst boot camp) will be useful to the employer inspite of your previous domain or background.

  3. Tailor your Resume to the Job:

    Yes, tailoring your resume to the job helps, when you have some relevant background information that will be lost in your traditional resume.

    Several years ago, I transitioned from a chemical engineering job to an information technology (IT) consulting career.

    I only had a few months of relevant IT experience but several more years of irrelevant chemical engineering training and experience.

    Following the advice of a recruiter, I re-wrote my resume to focus, expand and highlight my strong>limited information technology background while reducing my chemical engineering background to a foot note … which worked like a charm!

    The lesson hear is to “reduce the employer’s doubt and anxiety by rewriting sections of your resume that doesn’t directly relate to the job you’re interviewing for“.

  4. Leave your Pride at the Door:

    Don’t let any negative behavior or comments cause you to lose your cool at the job interview.

    Instead, carry yourself as a true professional regardless of what you see or hear at the interview.

    I was fortunate to be interviewed for a Procter & Gamble Management Trainee program out-of-college.

    However, before I was hired, I had to maintain my composure under some negative, psycho-analysis by an interviewer whose main goal was to see if I would lose my cool under the pressure of the interview.

    So, do whatever it takes to get the job interview … that is your sole mission and objective.

  5. Study your Prospective Employer’s Industry:

    I have been to a few job interviews where I used my knowledge of the company’s market place to advantage.

    This is not something that you can do, if you’re looking for an easy job. But it is definitely something that you can do, if you’re really interested in the company.

    Research the prospective employer’s competitors, industry, technology, business processes and come prepared with suggestions, ideas or information that would genuinely help the prospective employer.

So., now I have given it to you … skills, techniques or steps for changing your business analyst career or domain. What are you going to do with it?

If you would like to leave discuss more about your experience at job interviews, just go ahead and leave a comment below.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/16/5-steps-to-a-new-business-analyst-career/feed/ 1 #4 Success Principle: Preparation and Presentation, Key For Job Interviews http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/12/preparation-presentation-key-job-interviews/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/12/preparation-presentation-key-job-interviews/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:49:10 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2762

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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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/01/12/preparation-presentation-key-job-interviews/feed/ 0 Why Your Resume Gets Tossed http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/why-your-resume-gets-tossed/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/why-your-resume-gets-tossed/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:28:15 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2743

Is Mindless Resume Submission Working?

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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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/why-your-resume-gets-tossed/feed/ 6 Do Business Analysts Need Computer Programmer Skills? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:43:55 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2268

Business Analysts Learn Computer Programming

Business Analysts Learn Computer Programming

Are database development, computer programming, data analysis or web development required skills for Business Analysts?

Perhaps you’ve seen, heard about or applied for jobs asking for a broad or seemingly impossible range of skill sets?

Like those job descriptions for business analysts requiring computer programming skills or those for PMP Certified Project Managers with 5 years of software development experience!

This post addresses “how to bridge the gap between business analyst skills and unfair job descriptions written-up by Information Technology (IT) departments”

Bridging The Gap Between Business And Information Technology (IT) Careers

I would like to know if Business analysts are expected to know more about programming.

I attended a job interview last week and the interviewer was hesitant to consider me for the post of business analyst (BA) as i have no coding experience.

Do i need to know about database design, structure etc for me to be a good BA?

All along in my previous projects the database design, architecture and technology were decided by the technical team and DBA’s and i come into the picture as BA only after everything has been finalized.

But i was a Junior (jr.) BA and now im applying for the position of senior BA and people point out my lack of coding experience.

“Here is the answer to the challenges created by business analyst job descriptions which are worded to include programming and database skills”!

  1. Looking from the business analysts (job seekers) perspective, you may be tempted to say NO.

    You may also argue that computer programming tasks should be left ONLY to software developer job descriptions.

  2. Looking from the perspective of employers, recruiters or hiring managers, you may say YES because business analyst job descriptions are just a means to an end!

    For employers or hiring managers, the end is always the same (the job that needs to be done) … and job descriptions are just a means to achieving that!

So, which of these two perspectives (the employers or the job seekers) is the right one?

  1. The employer who only cares about getting work done and will use any job description to achieve that end or …

  2. The business analyst who feels overwhelmed by requirements for computer programming skills on business analyst job descriptions?

To this question correctly, we need to understand the roots of the conflict! So, let’s take a look at the source of gaps between IT Job Descriptions and Business Analyst Careers.

Introducing The IT Business Analyst

  • The Information Technology (IT) Business Analyst Role Is Slowly Coming To Maturity

    As the roles of the computer programmer, database developer and systems analyst matured, the “IT Business Analyst” role evolved to fill analysis and requirements tasks left out of software development roles.

  • The Accidental Business Analyst?

    As software development teams improve their requirements management or software development processes, some computer programmers begin picking up the requirements gathering and analysis tasks left undone by their team members.

    These Accidental Business Analysts are usually computer programmers or systems analysts with strong people, communication, business and requirements management skills who transition into or assume the role of the IT Business Analyst.

Some employers have not achieved a separation between “IT Business Analyst Roles” and “Computer Programmer Roles” in their minds.

For these employers, the distinctions between IT Business Analysts and Computer Programmers are a superficial play on words … hence the business analyst job description written-up to include computer programming languages!

So, back again to the question; “should a business analyst learn computer programming languages or acquire database development skills”?

  • Are You Looking For A Business Analyst Job?

    1. If you’re not looking for a business analyst job then you don’t need to learn computer programming (except if your employer mandates it).

      If you’re really that secure in your current business analyst job and know for a fact that you won’t be looking anytime soon … then you may argue that programming is not for business analysts :-)

    2. If you’re looking for a business analyst job and you want to go the extra mile for prospective employers, then go-ahead and learn some computer programming!

      It’s really the attitude that matters because job descriptions are not intended to be perfect and in the employer’s eyes, they’re just a means to an end.

      Put Yourself In The Employers Shoes for a moment and you will begin to see that it’s not personal. The employer only wants what’s best for the company and if they’re so inclined, you may help them by learning some computer programming!

    Give Employers What They’re Asking For

    I strongly believe that you should give employers what they want instead of wondering about the fairness or correctness of business analyst job descriptions!

    1. Perhaps, you feel overwhelmed by the requirements for computer programming or database skills in business analyst job descriptions.

    2. Or you feel that it’s unfair to expect business analysts to perform programming tasks

    Get a clue, if you’re not the one hiring, then your feelings are irrelevant!

    In today’s competitive job market, you will fare better by addressing the employers concerns because if you don’t, someone else … who is more hungry or desperate than you will!

    Another business analyst who wants to provide the required programing services will get the job you need!


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    ]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/19/do-business-analysts-need-computer-programmer-skills/feed/ 21 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!


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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 Become A Highly Paid Corporate Programmer http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/how-to-become-a-highly-paid-corporate-programmer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/how-to-become-a-highly-paid-corporate-programmer/#comments Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:49:37 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2138

    highly paid corporate programmer

    highly paid corporate programmer

    Becoming a corporate software developer is not the same thing as becoming a freelance programmer or a systems programmer.

    • Corporate programmers are hired for coding skills in programming languages like Microsoft .NET (ASP.NET, C#, VB.NET, SQL Server) and they tend to work regular, office jobs as contract or full-time programmers.

    • Systems programmers tend to work with programming languages like C/C++ and they also work for companies like Microsoft that build operating systems or systems software.

    • Freelance programmers work on their own hours and they tend to focus exclusively on web development, web design and user interface (UI) jobs using programming languages and platforms like PHP, WordPress or Microsoft .NET.

    Microsoft .NET is the recommended programming language for Corporate Programmers.

    However, transitioning careers to Microsoft .NET programming may seem like a daunting or impossible task because you need solid Hands-ON experience which is hard to get without a full-time Microsoft.NET job!

    So, the question is, “How Do You Gain Hands-On Experience For Microsoft.NET Corporate Programmer Jobs Outside Regular, Full-Time Employment?“

    How To Get An Entry Level Corporate Programming Job

    Start by transitioning into a Microsoft.NET Software Developer Career in manageable steps or phases which allows you to achieve career success.

    Your first step in becoming a highly paid corporate programmer is to learn Microsoft.NET Programming.

    The next step after that, is to gain solid hands-on programming experience!

    Both steps must be completed before you can achieve the goal of becoming a corporate programmer!

    First Step: The first step in your career transition is to learn the ins and outs of Microsoft .NET Programming. This would include learning ASP.NET, C#, SQL SERVER and the Microsoft.NET Framework.

    You can’t bypass the requirement to learn Microsoft.NET programming because you’ll be asked programming questions at your technical interview which you will have to ace before you are hired!

    Second Step: The next step involves getting solid, hands-on Microsoft.NET programming experience.

    Handson experience is a requirement for information technology jobs because this is a handson, practical industry where what you can do is valued even more than your educational qualifications.

    Click here to read more about how to get handson computer programming experience!

    1. Become a Freelance Microsoft.NET Software Developer:

      You may consider starting your career as a freelance programmer before you get hired for corporate / full-time programming jobs.

      The experience or skill-level required for some freelance jobs is not as extensive as that of full-time programming jobs because clients can easily work away if they don’t like your job or try your services and see if they like working with you first before hiring you on a longer-term basis.

      Freelance Programming Jobs are not necessarily as lucrative as full-time or contract programming jobs but they do allow you to gain the mandatory hands-on programming experience by working on real-world software development projects for real-world clients.

      Becoming a freelance programmer while in training as a Microsoft.NET Programmer may also provide you with additional income, which is helpful whether you’re just transitioning careers or looking for a full-time programming job.

      Your initial focus should not be to earn a high income but to gain the hands-on programming experience which is required for programming positions.

    2. Become a Highly-Paid Corporate Programmer:

      After you’ve completed learning Microsoft.NET, C#, ASP.NET, SQL Server and worked on some freelance computer programming projects, you may transition into a regular full-time or independent Contract Programming job.

      Independent Contract Programmers are highly paid corporate programmers with billing rates ranging from $45/hr. to $60/hr. and even more!

      However, Independent Contract Programming is not for everyone because you have to pay your own employment taxes or provide your own benefits or face some downtime in-between projects meaning that your income may fluctuate.

      As an independent contract programmer, you also have to market your skills consistently to compensate for any downtime in-between programming projects.

      The good news is that “the demand for contract programmers is quite high” and each programming project usually lasts for a while (between 6 months and two years).

    3. Become a Full-Time Computer Programmer:

      Finally, after you’ve gained strong freelance or contract programming experience or you’ve worked on a number of corporate consulting gigs, you may be ready to become a full-time, salaried computer programmer.

      The upside of a full-time, permanent, salaried computer programming job is that you’re guaranteed medical benefits, a good paycheck and some stability in your employment.

      You won’t have to pay your own taxes or be on the look-out for the next consulting gig or wonder where your next paycheck is going to come from!

      The downside of a full-time, salaried programming career is that you may not earn as much as a corporate programmer because you don’t handle as much risk.

      Also, you don’t have the flexibility of deciding who to work for or the ability to switch programming projects or teams when you want!

    If you’re interested in learning more about the differences or distinction between full-time and contract programming jobs, read this article titled: “full time programming compared to contract programming jobs …”

    How To Overcome Hurdles In Transitioning To A Computer Programming Career

    1. Transition your Career in Phases

      Break up your career transition into phases and set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable and Realistic) goals for each phase.

      Transitioning your career in steps helps because you set achievable goals and build up the momentum that helps you follow though on a plan that leads to career success.

    2. Take Your Software Developer Training

      Transitioning to a new career begins with learning new skills.

      So, don’t neglect to acquire the required skills and don’t be looking for alternatives that promise a career transition without learning or acquiring new programming skills!

    3. Give Employers What They Want!

      Employers require hands-on programming experience which may seem unfair because you need their jobs to gain experience.

      However, don’t waste time hoping that employers will change their requirement for hands-on programming experience because you will be more successful at giving employers what they want than at getting them to change their minds.

    So, you may transition into a highly paid computer programming career by following this step-by-step plan that allows you to build on past successes or achieve your goals in stages!

    You may also enroll for the Software Developer Boot Camp Training and the Sql Boot Camp Training, since both SQL and Microsoft .NET programming skills are required for Software Developer Jobs.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/how-to-become-a-highly-paid-corporate-programmer/feed/ 0     How Effective Are Resume Writers? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/29/how-effective-are-resume-writers/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/29/how-effective-are-resume-writers/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:01:27 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2117

    Miracle Worker?

    Miracle Worker?

    A Mainframe Programmer who “received zero (0) interest” after hiring someone to rewrite his resume for Microsoft.NET Jobs is wondering why his resume rewriting strategy is not working!

    So, the question is “are resume writers miracle workers or are there situations where hiring professionals to rewrite a resume will not help“?

    Why Would You Hire A Resume Writer?

    Let’s look at some of the reasons why you may want to hire a resume writer:

    1. Career Transitions: you are transitioning to a new career so you hire a resume writer to reposition your resume.

      While a resume rewrite can highlight significant achievements, skills or experience, it may not provide you with the additional skills or hands-on experience required for career transitions.

    2. Employment Gaps: you’re coming back to work after a stay-at-home period so you get your resume updated to cover-up or hide the stay at home period.

      You may be able to hide gaps in employment using a resume rewriting service but that may not help you the job if your stay-at-home period made your skills obsolete.

    3. Hands On Experience: the feedback you’re getting from interviews is that you lack sufficient hands-on experience, so you hire a resume writer to make your resume look better!

      A resume rewriting service is helpful for job postings where you actually have the years of experience required.

      If you don’t already have the required hands-on experience, then paying a service to rewrite your resume is a waste of your hard-earned money!

    Resume Writers Are Not Miracle Workers!

    Hiring someone to rewrite your resume when the feedback you are getting from your job interviews is that you lack the requisite skills or sufficient hands-on experience is a waste of money!

    This is true especially for Information Technology (IT) job postings which typically require cutting-edge skills and strong hands-on experience!

    Rewriting your resume without also acquiring the required hands-on experience and sharp skills, is simply throwing good money after a bad cause! Here is what works with or without a resume rewrite:

    1. Upgrade Your Skills, Get Strong Hands-ON Experience: Employers hire for cutting edge skills and strong hands-on experience. Your time and money will be better spent on “giving employers what they are looking for” in-addition to a resume rewrite :-)

      First Things First! If you’re looking for a Microsoft.NET Job, then first get a thorough knowledge, cutting-edge skills and strong hands-on programming experience in C#, ASP.NET, SQL Server, Visual Studio .NET and Microsoft .NET Framework before worrying about the state of your resume!

    2. Technical Interviews Are For Strong Candidates Only! Employers receive a lot of resumes and they can’t interview everyone, so they focus on the strongest job applicants.

      That means your resume won’t stand-up to that of your competition because you really don’t have the skills or experience or the insight that they poses!

      Even if you’re invited for a job interview you won’t be able to support the claims on your resume with real world examples, cases or situations where you used those skills on a project!

    3. Performance Driven Careers: Employers hire for specific skills like UML, Use Cases, Microsoft.NET ASP.NET, C# because they intend to put those skills to work.

      So, getting hired for skills that you don’t poses is setting yourself up for failure because you won’t be able to perform for your employer who ends up having to fire you!

    Depending on a resume rewrite to get you a job without first acquiring the required skills or hands-on experience is like asking your resume writer to perform a miracle!

    The path to your dream Microsoft .NET IT Job starts with acquiring cutting-edge programming skills and hands-on programming experience.

    You’re practically guaranteed an IT (Microsoft .NET) Job when you have both.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/29/how-effective-are-resume-writers/feed/ 15     Did I Mess Up My Career? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/16/did-i-mess-up-my-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/16/did-i-mess-up-my-career/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:40:21 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2064

    Ask IT Career Coach

    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!

    Please, send this post to your friends using the “Tell a Friend” Button button below. You earn points or cash each time you refer an article to your friends using the Tell a Friend Button.

    Here is the 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”!

    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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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/16/did-i-mess-up-my-career/feed/ 9     How Do I Overcome Employment Gaps In My Oracle Programming Career? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/how-do-i-overcome-employment-gaps-in-my-oracle-programming-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/how-do-i-overcome-employment-gaps-in-my-oracle-programming-career/#comments Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:18:30 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2022

    Ask IT Career Coach

    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!

    Please, send this post to your friends using the “Tell a Friend” Button button below. You earn points or cash each time you refer an article to your friends using the Tell a Friend Button.

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

    Here is the Reader’s Question:

    Hello,

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

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

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

    The job market is very competitive right now.

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

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

    Here is my Answer:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    How to Overcome Your Employment Gap?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/how-do-i-overcome-employment-gaps-in-my-oracle-programming-career/feed/ 10     Why Can’t I Find A Job? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/why-cant-i-find-a-job/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/why-cant-i-find-a-job/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:21:11 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2002

    Beat the Recession

    Beat the Recession

    You’ve got a college degree, a good looking resume and an impressive listing of Information Technology (IT) skills but can’t seem to find an IT job.

    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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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/why-cant-i-find-a-job/feed/ 6     How To Ace Job Interviews Using Practice Tests http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/10/ace-job-interviews-using-practice-tests/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/10/ace-job-interviews-using-practice-tests/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:38:28 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1348

    How To Boost IT Skills Rapidly Or Get Hired Fast

    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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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/04/10/ace-job-interviews-using-practice-tests/feed/ 4     IT Managers Hiring Broader Range Of Skills http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/03/09/it-managers-hiring-broader-range-of-skills/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/03/09/it-managers-hiring-broader-range-of-skills/#comments Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:07:10 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1258

    careersAs 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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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/03/09/it-managers-hiring-broader-range-of-skills/feed/ 0     How To Plan For Career Success http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/17/how-to-plan-your-tech-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/17/how-to-plan-your-tech-career/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:23:27 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1041

    jobs-employment-recession

    On of my readers needs help with putting together his career advancement plan. I posted the information I provided to him below. If you have any question about this or about your career, post it as comment at the end of the post and I would answer it for you.

    1. Set a SMART Goal

      Begin by creating a comprehensive end to end career roadmap or plan.

      Your career roadmap needs to include a SMART goal (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely goal) That means that you need to define an end objective (for example, mastering business analysis or learning computer programming or improving your software testing skills) and a timeline for achieving it.

    2. Follow a Strategy

      Then you need to have a strategy for achieving your career goals. Your strategy is the “how to achieve your goal” part. So without a good strategy, you are not going to achieve your goal, no matter how hard you try at doing so.

      Your core career strategy needs to include: “gaining the requisite knowledge, skills and experience” needed to advance in your career as well as soft skills like “technical presentation / interviewing skills”.

    3. Execute your Strategy

      You need to define the specific tactics that would allow you to achieve your strategy. Your tactics is more like a day to day plan that you would carry out that aligns with your strategy. Your tactics is the execution part of the plan and if you don’t execute your strategy well, all the goal setting and strategizing in the world won’t help you.

    How to Follow Through On Your Career Strategy

    How do you ensure that on a daily or weekly basis, that you will get the knowledge, skills and experience required to succeed in your career?

    To ensure that you succeed in your career, you need to define:

    • How you will gain the requisite knowledge

    • How you will gain mastery and turn your knowledge into skills

    • How to gain hands on, real-world, experience. Note that without experience, you won’t get be able to transition to new roles or get hired or get promoted

    Here is some more information on how to gain more knowledge, skills and experience … which is required for IT career success:

    • How To Improve Your Knowledge:

      Would you use books, free website content, onsite technical training, online training, coaching or mentoring services, newsletters, etc. You need to come up with what works best for you based on your work, family and budget

    • How to Turn your Knowldege into skills:

      Note that knowledge and skills are not the same. Knowledge is theoretical and skill is practical. You must turn theoretical knowledge, education, certifications, etc into practical skills to succeed in your tech career

    • How To Gain Hands On Experience:

      The most valuable asset in your career is your hands on, real-world, experience. IT careers unlike careers in law, medicine and some other professional disciplines put more emphasis on experience than accrediattion.

    So, before you do anything, you need to make sure you have defined the specific steps you will take to get your hands on experience. Also, not every experience is equal. Employers give more weight to experience gained in some specific ways compared to experience gained in other ways.

    TO CERTIFY OR NOT?

    This is a hot topic. Tech workers are worrying if their certifications, degrees, education, would hold up in the current economic climate.

    There seems to be two schools of thought. One school asserts that certifications and educational degrees are everything. The other school asserts that certified tech workers may not necessarily have the experience to back it up and that certifications don’t matter anyway.

    There may be a better way to answer this question. Instead of worrying about your certifications, educational qualifications, etc. focus on a developing complete, end to end career plan. In a complete career plan you may get additional certifications and educational qualifications as long as you do not neglect the core essentials needed for information technology career success: knowledge, skills and experience.

    So, I want to know hear from you. Was this post helpful? Do certifications, degrees and educational qualifications matter? Does knowldege, skill or experience matter? If you have a question or concern I can address, post it as a comment at the end of this post and I will answer it for you.


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    ]]>     http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/17/how-to-plan-your-tech-career/feed/ 11     How To Gain Handson, Web Programming Experience http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/08/how-to-gain-handson-web-programming-experience/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/08/how-to-gain-handson-web-programming-experience/#comments Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:47:05 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=906

    How To Become A Web Programmer

    How To Become A Web Programmer

    The post which you are just about to read answers the question of:“what is the most compelling thing on a web programmer’s resume or how do you gain the type of resume that will make you standout in the web development industry!“

    Let me begin by saying that, the key thing that hiring managers are looking for on your resume is not your programming certifications or your college degrees or computer science education but your handson web programming experience.

    It is only after software development managers are satisfied that you have the required experience that they will start considering other things like your training, certification, degrees, education or qualifications.

    So the real questions here are:

    • How do you get strong, hands on web programming experience?
    • How do you document web programming experience on your resume?

    How To Gain Compelling Web Programming Resume

    • Build ASP.NET Applications for you own personal use: Begin by developing asp.net web applications that have some real world, practical and personal benefit.

      An example would be a web application that stores and catalogs links to useful ASP.net articles that you find on the web

    • Volunteer for open source ASP.NET projects: There are several open-source ASP.NET projects on sites like http://www.CodePlex.com.

      Some of these open source projects need help from volunteer asp.net developers like you, who can design or develop new features or fix existing bugs in the open source project.

    • Volunteer for non profit projects: Find a non-profit organization close to your heart and volunteer to help with creating or improving their websites or software applications.

    • Work on freelance projects on websites like Elance or ODesk. Don’t get hung-up on trying to win the big bids, instead work on winning the smaller bids because you are still looking to build your skills, experience and clients and not to make a lot of money.

      Working on real-world projects will help you get used to communicating with clients or managing project scope, deadlines or deliverables.

    How To Document Web Programming Experience On your Resume

    • Go back and document all the projects or tasks or features you wrote or completed.

    • Describe the technologies you used, the business processes you supported, the type of project you worked on, the positive reviews giving by your clients or project managers or colleagues.

      One of the biggest mistakes that computer programmers make on their resume is that giving too little credence to the tasks they perform on a project.

      This is sometimes due to them because of low self-confidence or self-esteem.

    • Don’t have to wait until you complete a big project before you document your work or results.

      Give a lot of time, attention and effort to documenting the smaller victories (tasks, features or software applications) you either created from scratch or completed.

      Trust me, your resume would look much better than the other folks that don’t do use this highly effective technique.

    One of the folks in our online training bootcamps applied the last technique to his business analyst resume and saw the activity on his resume jump by 300%.

    A coaching participant did the same thing and started getting pulled into business analyst job interviews that he wasn’t even qualified to attend.

    When he saw that recruiters were taking him seriously and that he was getting a lot of calls for business analyst consulting jobs beginning at $30/hr., he decided to run back and complete his training … that is how powerful the techniques posted on this article are!

    Though this article is written for computer programmers, you can adapt these techniques or use them to improve your resumes or get hand on experience for business analyst, data analyst, database or any other information technology (IT) jobs and careers.

    This post is an answer to a question asked by Talibah Coleman on “How to put together a compelling ASP.NET programmer resume from watching ASP.NET software developer videos“.

    You may click here to add your own No Holds Barred Questions, Comments or Discussion on challenges, problems or issues facing your career and i will respond to your question just as I answered Talibah’s question in this post!


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