ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » programmers 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 Get Extensive Hands-on Experience In Information Technology http://www.it-career-coach.net/2012/01/10/how-to-get-extensive-hands-on-experience-in-information-technology/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2012/01/10/how-to-get-extensive-hands-on-experience-in-information-technology/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:36:27 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3375

How To Gain Hands-on Experience in-Information Technology

How To Gain Hands-on Experience in-Information Technology

When it comes to the Information Technology Industry, getting more hands-on experience is one of your most important professional development activities.

In this post, I will explain how information technology workers including business analysts, computer programmers, database developers, data analysts, project managers, software testers and infrastructure / networking professionals can gain extensive, high visibility, career defining hands-on experience!

More Opportunities To Get Hands-on Experience

By far, the number one place to find hands-on project experience in the information technology industry is in web or software development projects!

Now, does that mean that you need to become a software developer?

Absolutely Not!

An enterprise software development project employs a diverse set of software testers, project managers, business analysts, computer programmers, infrastructure specialists, database developers, technical writers, etc.

So, dis-abuse your mind of the notion that software development is primarily a coding or programming effort, because it is not!

Business Analysts / Project Managers

Before a single line of code is written, project managers and business analysts have to gather the specifications and then plan the amount of work that needs to be completed at each phase of the project before handing over the coding to software developers.

Infrastructure Specialists

The Computer Networking / Infrastructure team has to plan or architect the servers, computer networks and workstations that will be used by the entire project team.

They may have to install software testing, development or planning software and they will also have to monitor all the equipment used in building or hosting the software, so that they can guarantee that it is up and running!

Software Testers / Quality Assurance Analysts

After computer programmers finish with their coding, software testers, business analysts or quality assurance specialists have to test the code and assure the client or project sponsor that the software being delivered is reasonably bug free and designed according to specifications.

And while all this is happening, the project managers are busy monitoring the cost and resource usage versus estimates.

With all this mind, here is why software development work provides you with the best opportunities for hands-on experience regardless of your career, industry, domain or background.

Following The Money Trail Works

Better Pay / Compensation

Software development project experience is guaranteed to boost your career options because employers pay more for software development experience regardless of whether the project is outsourced, maintained in-house or developed from scratch.

Software development experience also provides you with better career stability. Since there is so much work available, employers are always looking for or hiring motivated, talented, experienced, skilled workers.

Software development projects are readily available because they cut across all domains and industries!

Highly Portable Experience

Regardless of the industry you work in: healthcare, pharmaceutical (pharma), telecommunications (telco), insurance, banking and finance, securities, utility, customer relationship management (CRM) or sales and marketing, you will find plenty of software development projects.

Software development experience is also highly portable because you can move your experience from one industry or domain to another.

For example, as a business analyst, computer programmer or project manager; you may transition from a web project in the CRM industry to another web development project in the Healthcare / Medical Management industry.

You can significantly improve your chance of getting your foot in through the door even when you don’t have the required domain experience by gaining web / software development experience because that is portable across industries, jobs, careers or domains!

For example, even when you transition from a software development career to a business analyst or project management career, your software development background will still be relevant or useful helpful to your new project or employer.

Why Is There So Much Work In The Software Development Industry?

The software development industry employs professionals from a wide, extensive and varied background.

There is a lot of software development project work available because:

  1. Software development projects cut across the mobile, desktop, web, system development industry
  2. A large number of software development projects fail which means that software development projects last longer than they are expected to
  3. Websites are now integral to the marketing and sales functions of many organizations which means that funding website development is a top priority
  4. Organizations are constantly retooling or upgrading their websites because of competitive forces, marketplace or technological changes

So, if you are looking for a well-paying, portable, cutting-edge career, start building your web / software development project experience now.

When it comes to the information technology industry, your hands-on experience trumps your certifications or post graduate college degrees.

One Good Reason, Why This Won’t Work For You!

Here is one good reason why you may fail to gain hands-on software development experience … looking for a hands-on position without first taking the time to gain the requisite knowledge or skills that will qualify you !

Hear me now, I do not recommend you walk up to an employer and ask for a position for the purpose of gaining hands-on software development experience … except if you are truly qualified to be on the team.

Look, regardless of the position you are interested in: business analysis, computer programming, project management, software testing, etc., you must first take the time to study for the position before you start working on getting hands-on experience.

Why? because without the prerequisite knowledge, you have little or nothing to offer the employer, who therefore, has no incentive to hire you.

Why Is Knowledge A Prerequisite For Hands-on Experience?

When it comes to gaining knowledge, what matters is whether you have the requisite knowledge and not how you did you gain the knowledge; college, coaching, training, self study, articles, professional textbooks, on the job, etc.

Here is why you must gain the requisite knowledge first before you start focusing on building hands-on experience:

  • Can You Perform?: software project teams typical focus on delivering working software and not on mentoring or coaching team members.

    So, without the requisite knowledge, you will be a liability rather than an asset to the team since you won’t be able to keep up with the pace of work.

    Furthermore, you may even slow others down who stop and try to help you or wait upon you to deliver.

  • Return On Investment (ROI): don’t assume that an employer will pay for your hands-on software development experience because most employers want a quick return on their investment (ROI).

    This is because of the costs associated with training information technology (IT) professionals which makes employers picky about who gets to work on their projects.

    You are going to be limited in your ability to gain software development experience, if you do not first take the time to learn your discipline: business analysis, computer programming, project management, etc. so that you are prepared to run when the right opportunity presents itself.

This article is #1 of a 2 article series. The second installation of this article (part 2) may be viewed here …

You may review the references for this article series below.

References

  1. Learn more: The Most Important Thing on Your Resume
  2. Learn more: Which Courses or Certifications Guarantee A Job?
  3. Learn more: Can Certifications Take The Place Of Experience?
  4. Learn more: How To Get Computer Programming Experience
  5. Learn more: Stuck in a College Mindset After Graduation
  6. Learn more: Which Software Development Life Cycle Is Best?
  7. Learn more: Can You Perform? Prove It!
  8. Learn more: This Type Of Hands-On Experience Can JumpStart Your Career!

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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2012/01/10/how-to-get-extensive-hands-on-experience-in-information-technology/feed/ 0 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 Can a 55 year old female become a programmer? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/10/can-a-55-year-old-female-become-a-programmer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/10/can-a-55-year-old-female-become-a-programmer/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:56:27 +0000 ana http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3236

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  2. Become The Best Computer Programmer You Can Be

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


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

  3. Can You Perform? Prove It

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  5. Multiple Career Paths For Computer Programmers


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

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

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

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

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

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


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This post was submitted by ana.

]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/10/can-a-55-year-old-female-become-a-programmer/feed/ 2 How To Learn Programming In 6 Months And Get A Job! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/09/how-to-learn-programming-in-6-months-and-get-a-job/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/09/how-to-learn-programming-in-6-months-and-get-a-job/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:00:15 +0000 joshkemp http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3225

How To Learn .NET Programming In Six (6) Months And Get A Job

How To Learn .NET Programming In Six (6) Months And Get A Job


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

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

Hi My name is Josh Kemp I am 26 married and self employed currently, I have read almost half of “Learn .Net 3.5 in 24 hours” by SAMs.

I like it so far I’ve also done a very little of python and enjoyed that.

I am going to be done the 3.5 .Net book by July 4th doing a chapter a day after my day job.

I am willing to work hard and study and take your software developer bootcamp.

I like your website I love all the information. When should I take the Software Developer Bootcamp?

After I finish the current book? Where do I go after the Bootcamp?

Is it possibe to land a job here in the Northern Virginia area …I would obviously have less then 2 years experience.

Thank You for your advice, and all the very informative articles. Josh Kemp

Is It Possible To Get An Entry Level .NET Programmer Job In Six (6) Months?

The answer to this question is YES because of the high demand for competent or skilled Microsoft .NET Software Developers in the Information Technology (IT) Industry.

The demand for skilled computer programmers is so high that the US for example uses a unique H1B Visa program to fill Software Developer job vacancies.

Unlike what obtains with other careers, even within the Information Technology industry, a lot of software developer positions go unfilled and to fulfill the backlog of Computer Programmer Job Vacancies, a lot of foreign national are hired to work in the USA as computer programmers every year!

Now I want to stress this … the current demand for skilled computer programmers does not extend to every programming language under the sun.

I mean, some programming languages like Perl, Python, Cobol, Foxpro, Clipper are not in demand.

In other words, you have to choose the right programming languages otherwise you career will end up being as dead as the Dodo.

Even though Microsoft .NET Software Developer Jobs can pay between $60,000 – $100,000 for less than two (2) years of experience, they are still hard to fill because computer programming as a career has been mystified.

It is the misconceptions or myths and the computer programming career that stops people like you from pursuing a rewarding career as a computer programmer …

Do You Believe The Myths About Computer Programming

Do you believe the myths, half truths or outright lies about the computer programming career? They read like this:

  1. You need a formal Math, Computer Science or Technology background to become a computer programmer

  2. You need to learn computer programming in a formal college environment

  3. Computer Programming is difficult to learn because it involves mastering low-level programming languages like C/C++, Assembly Language, etc.

  4. All the computer programming jobs in the USA are either outsourced or about to be outsourced

  5. It takes years to become a competent computer programmer because mastering programming languages is difficult

  6. All programming languages are equal, in other words, it doesn’t matter which programming language you learn

If you think that any of these myths is true, then your career is headed for deep waters.

While these myths may be true for careers in medicine, law, etc. they are not true and they do not apply especially to computer programming careers.

Let me start by debunking these myths one by one.

  1. You don’t need a formal math, computer science or technology background to learn programming

    There are lots of computer programmers with Music, Arts, Humanities, Social Science or Business backgrounds because becoming a computer programmer is not tied to understanding computer science but to learning specific software tools like Microsoft Visual Studio or Languages like PHP, C# or Visual Basic .NET or even Office Productivity Tools like Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access!

  2. You don’t need to learn computer programming in a formal college environment

    Colleges are focused on teaching the science of computer programming which is not what makes you a computer programmer.

    What makes you a computer programmer is acquiring practical skills & handson experience in specific software languages especially does that are in high demand.

    For example, high school graduate who spends 4 years building websites with HTML, XHTML, CSS, ASP.NET, Csharp (C#) is a computer programmer regardless of the lack of a formal college degree.

  3. Computer Programming Is Easy To Learn!

    Back in the days when computer programming languages like C/C++, Clipper, Foxpro, Cobol or even Assembly Language where the only viale options for building software applications, learning computer programming was a long, painful task and the image of programming as a tedious, boring, geeky job was perhaps justified!

    But with the advent of Microsoft Visual Basic and Microsoft Access, computer programming became a fast paced, exciting, cutting edge job.

    Computer Programmers now work on fashionable, high profile projects like designing and coding Blogs, Social Media Networks and E-Commerce Websites.

  4. Computer Programmers now have multiple career options

    Computer Programmers may focus exclusively on designing websites using only HTML & CSS, building databases using Microsoft Access, customizing Office Productivity Tools like Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) or on building enterprise, highly scalable and reliable websites using ASP.NET, Csharp (C#), Sql Server, HTML, CSS !

    With programming languages like Microsoft C#, ASP.NET and Sql Server, the time to market for Computer Programming Projects has now been shortened to weeks instead of years and competent computer programmers have no shortage of clients, projects, opportunities or work as long as they are willing to work very hard.

  5. The Outsourcing of Programming Jobs Is Not An Issue!

    It is true that some companies are outsourcing computer programmer jobs since highly skilled developers in the USA can command as much as six (6) figure salaries.

    However the cost of hiring competent computer programmers living in developing nations is rising because these software developers are either immigrating back to the US or asking for bigger salaries in their home country thereby raising the cost of doing business with them.

    In addition, outsourcing costs are also increasing because US employers have to continue investing in the administrative, project management, business analysis and software testing facilities required to make outsourced projects work.

    And there are several cases where outsourced projects are brought back to the US because the projects were not managed properly because of language, time or cultural differences between how we do do business.

    With all this in mind, the future for computer programmers living anywhere in the world including the United States is bright and the job outlook is comparable or better than what obtains in many other careers.

  6. Computer Programming Languages Are Not Equal

    Computer Programming languages are not equal in the number of career opportunities they will provide you with.

    For example, while Mainframe Computer Programmers are currently experiencing a shortage in the demand for their skills, Microsoft .NET Developers with real-world web development expertise are currently in high demand.

    If you don’t waste your time learning languages like Python, Cobol, Perl and instead focus on becoming highly skilled and experienced in Microsoft ASP.NET, Csharp (C#), SQL Server and Microsoft Visual Studio .NET … you will be able to get a well-paying job in the current economy even if you only have six (6) months of experience.

Tips For Getting A Microsoft .NET Developer Job In 6 Months

Here are some practical tips for getting a Microsoft .NET Developer Job with as little as six (6) months of strong hands-on experience:

  • First learn everything that you can about these programming languages: Microsoft ASP.NET, SQL Server, CSharp (C#), CSS, HTML, XHTML

  • Work on completing at least one (1) Web Development Project started by you or someone else using the programming languages: Microsoft ASP.NET, SQL Server, CSharp (C#), CSS, HTML, XHTML

  • Take a lot of practice tests on the following programming languages: Microsoft ASP.NET, SQL Server, CSharp (C#), CSS, HTML, XHTML

  • Market your resume to a lot of recruiters and staffing agencies when you start your job search.

    Use a website like Dice.com to research the number of programming jobs in your city and if there isn’t a lot of them, consider relocating!

That is it! Follow these few simple steps to get a Microsoft .NET programming job in as little as six (6) months ...


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This post was submitted by joshkemp.

]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/09/how-to-learn-programming-in-6-months-and-get-a-job/feed/ 4 How To Be A Faster Programmer http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/05/13/how-to-be-a-faster-programmer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/05/13/how-to-be-a-faster-programmer/#comments Fri, 13 May 2011 20:17:09 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3198

How To Become A Faster Programmer?

How To Become A Faster Programmer?

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

This post answers the question of “how to write or code faster in ASP.NET, C#, .NET Framework or Visual Studio” or any computer programming language.

If you have a question about your computer programmer or software developer career, post it here and I will answer it for you, just like I am answering this computer programmer’s question today!

How To Become A Faster Computer Programmer

Compared to PHP or classic Visual Basic Programming, the .NET Framework (C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET) is a big, enterprise class library.

The sheer size of .NET Framework, makes it hard to master or wrap your head around easily, which can create a feeling of insecurity or instability.

In this post, I will coach on programming practices that will help you write ASP.NET and C# Code faster, resulting in you feeling better or more secure about your programming career!

Coding Under Pressure Will Not Make You Faster!

Your inability to code fast may starts from you not taking the time to study or master the .NET Programming Language before getting a job.

As a result, you are forced to study the programming language at work where you are constantly under pressure to produce results!

Computer programmers with a computer science or engineering degree may fail to master the .NET Framework Programming Language because they assume that their college education is enough for a real-world programming job!

Don’t let your formal education cause you to underrate the complexity of a modern, enterprise programming language like the .NET Framework!

If this describes your situation, STOP whatever you are doing right now and make a concerted effort to study or master .NET Framework for at least 6 months or you will get completely discouraged or even quit altogether because of the complexity of the language!

Staying Ahead Of Technology Will Make You Faster!

While a computer programming career pays well, it is also a fast paced career that is constantly evolving because of new technology.

The only way you can stay ahead of the technology curve, is to develop a reading and studying habit that is second to none.

Listen, regardless of how much pressure you face at work, you will never be able to code code faster or more confidently, if you don’t dedicate a serious amount of time on a daily or consistent basis to mastering the .NET Framework Programming Library!

As a programmer, you are expected to have sharp skills or stay on the edge of the technology curve.

The only way that you will be able to keep up, is to dedicate consistent, serious blocks of time to mastering the .Net Framework Programming Language instead of trying to wing it at work!

Writing More Code Will Not Make Your Faster!

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you can master a programming language like .NET Framework by writing more code or working on lots of projects because you will end up repeating all of your bad coding practices or mistakes all over the place!

It is a mistake to assume that you can just jump into coding with an enterprise programming language like .NET Framework and become a fast programmer without careful thought, planning or taking out the time to study or master the programming language.

Here is my advice; make it your #1 priority (not your #2 or #3) to study everything that you can about the .NET Framework Library.

Keep in mind that this library is large and that there are several parts to it : (CSharp, ASP.NET, .NET Framework, etc.).

Taking the time to master the library used in any programming language will actually help you code faster or better.

Writing more code will not make you a faster programmer. Studying and understanding a programming language to the point where it’s usage is committed to your memory will make you a faster, better and more confident computer programmer!

Taking Lots Of Practice Tests Will Make You Faster!

Here is another technique that will help you learn or master C#, ASP.NET, .NET Framework or any programming language extremely well … practice tests!

Click here to read more about how Practice Tests Can Boost Your Skills

That is why in our Online Software Developers Boot Camp Training, we use Practice Tests to coach or train the software developers enrolled in the program.

Practice tests are useful for boosting your retention, recall and understanding of programming languages and not just for certifications!

So, you have it … how to become a better, more confident or expert programmer!

Follow the coaching advice in this post and your self-confidence will improve as you start writing better, faster code!

Click here to read the original question submitted by Anil titled: “How To Write C#, ASP.NET Code Faster?” or Click Here To Submit A New Question about your Software Developer Career.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/05/13/how-to-be-a-faster-programmer/feed/ 3 Java, C/C++ or C#, Which Is Better? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/04/20/java-cplus-or-csharp-which-is-better/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/04/20/java-cplus-or-csharp-which-is-better/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:50:24 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3172

Java, C#, C++, Which Is Better?

Java, C# or C++, Which Is Better?

Sometimes, you have to look to the past to see the future. To see the future of our more popular programming languages including Java, C#, Visual Basic, C/C++, let’s first review their histories.

Is C/C++ the Best Programming Language?

The C programming language was standardized in the early 70s for the UNIX operating system (and not Windows) by Dennis Ritchie.

In the early 80s Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs invented the C++ programming language as classes that extend the C language.

The C/C++ programming language is primarily used in writing operating systems, video games, device drivers, embedded systems and commercial, shrink-wrapped windows based software programs.

In the MS-DOS or Windows 3.1 era, C/C++ was probably the most capable compiler for developing windows based programs

Is Visual Basic the Best Programming Language?

The folks at Microsoft who were the sharpest minds in the software development business at that time realized that they were not catering enough to hobby or beginner programmers … keeping in mind that Bill Gates started his career as a hobby programmer without any formal computer science college education.

The issue was that working with C/C++ or most of the programming languages in existence at that time, required a strong computer science background or a formal computer science college education and lots of tedious, coding hours.

At that time, programmers had to repetitively code for mundane windows features or behaviors like detecting or responding to keyboard clicks or mouse movements.

So, in keeping with their founder’s (Bill Gates) history, Microsoft decided to do away with a lot of the repetitious, boring coding by developing Visual Basic (VB) 1.0 as a Drag and Drop, User Interface Driven, Rapid Application Development Environment.

VB 1.0 was introduced in 1991 to make computer programming accessible to everyone including hobby programmers, inexperienced software developers, beginners or anyone without a strong, formal, computer science background.

Visual Basic succeeded at making programming fun, less tedious or less expensive by giving programmers an easier, more productive coding environment.

A Paradigm Shift in Computing

Because of Visual Basic, millions of professionals without a formal computer science college education or background could learn how to program or get fun jobs without experiencing the drudgery or pain traditionally associated with programming languages.

Because of this paradigm shift, business owners could bring their windows software projects more quickly to market because the amount of time that programmers spend writing code had been dramatically reduced.

This paradigm shift also separated systems programming for which C/C++ was still the best from windows-based business software development for which Visual Basic was better suited.

What differentiated Visual Basic was its graphical, windows development environment which allowed inexperienced programmers to write less code by dragging or dropping pre-built windows features from a toolbox!

This meant that programmers no longer had to write thousands of lines of code before their software would receive user input in data entry forms, interact with back-end databases or detect and respond to mouse or keyboard actions from users.

Is Java the Best Programming Language?

While Microsoft was busy at work, the Internet appeared as if from nowhere and pulled the rug from other programming languages like Visual Basic and C/C++ which were not designed with the Web in mind.

The question no longer was “can you program in visual basic” but rather “can you program for the web or build a website?“

Sun Microsystems answered that question by releasing Java in 1995 with the intention that unlike Microsoft software, Java programs will run easily on web browsers and is portable to most hardware or software environments.

Java became very popular for many reasons. It was a superior object oriented programming language to Visual Basic which at that time was not object oriented.

Java was easier to code with than C/C++ and Sun designed Java programs so you could port or run them on all sorts of hardware systems unlike Visual Basic or C/C++.

Though Java became popular in the late 90s with experienced programmers, it still lacked Rapid Application Development features just like its cousin C/C++.

Today, Java still does not appeal to inexperienced software developers, beginner programmers or web developers without a strong, formal computer science education.

Java is also not the language of choice for writing web applications or designing websites! Web application development skills are currently more in demand than windows, systems, hardware programming skills.

Is C# the Best Programming Language?

Then Microsoft had another brainwave and released C# in February 13th 2002 which changed the web and windows programming industry again.

Here was a programming language that incorporated the object oriented programming capabilities of Java or C/C+ and the Rapid Application Development environment of classic Visual Basic and at the same time, provided a first-class web programming environment!

With all the facts in this article in mind, here are my recommendations for choosing a programming language.

  • Lower Learning Curves Is Good For You

    C/C++ has the highest learning curve (level of difficulty) followed by Java.

    C# is the easiest of the three (3) programming languages to learn because of its Visual or Graphical Programming features and language intellisense, which explains the meaning of programming commands as you type!

    C# also offers a large set of pre-built classes that save you from writing thousands of repetitious lines of code before you read, write or update databases or accept user input.

  • Acing Programming Interviews or Finding A Job

    Acing a programming interview or finding a job depends on your mastery of the programming language in question.

    Keep in mind find that mastering C# is easier than learning Java which in turn is easier than learning C/C++.

    Also, C# is preferred to either C/C++ or Java for building web applications.

    This means that if you want a web development career, you will do better to choose C# over Java or C/C++!

  • Bringing It To Market Matters Most

    The speed or ease with which you write code determines the time, money or effort required to complete a software development project.

    That is why it takes longer to build websites in C/C++ compared to Java. That is also why C# is easier or most productive for building web or windows applications compared to C/C++ or Java.

    Finally, software development managers are typically more concerned about the ease or speed with which you code than how fast your code runs, keep in mind that C/C++ is the the fastest or how portable your program is: Java is designed with portability in mind.

  • Code Potability or Processor Speed Is Irrelevant

    The amount of processing power available to Computer power has been dramatically boosted since the 90s.

    Software programs now run in 4GB to 8GB of memory instead of 256MB.

    Furthermore, computer processing power has grown from 16MHZ to QUAD CORE 2GHZ CPUs.

    So, the speed of your compiled software code is no longer a determining or driving business factor for most software development projects.

    The web / internet removes the need to address the question of code portability because HTML, XHTML and CSS is the native programming language for the web.

    Your Web Software is 100% portable if it emits pure or valid HTML, XHTML or CSS, so saying that Java is portable gets you nowhere!

Please answer the questions below. But before you answer the questions posted below, take a moment to read this article titled: “Is Learning C/C++ Programming Language Good For You?”

Discussion Questions

  1. Today, we live in a digital, information rich, mobile, internet era and my first question is: “how relevant is C/C++, Java, C# to the Web / Internet Age?“

  2. What is the difference between Operating Systems / Hardware programming and Business Software Application programming?

  3. No one programming language is best suited for every project. With this in mind, “what sort of software development project is each of these programming languages best suited for: Java, C#, C/C++?“

This post answers a question posted by Josh on the quickest way to get into a computer programmer career..


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/04/20/java-cplus-or-csharp-which-is-better/feed/ 5 In The Software Developer Industry, Experience Is King! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/14/are-software-developer-internships-key-to-landing-good-jobs/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/14/are-software-developer-internships-key-to-landing-good-jobs/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:02:04 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3137

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Do You Get A Software Developer Internship?

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

  1. Start by learning marketable programming skills:

    Internships opportunities go to those with marketable computer programming skills.

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

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

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

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

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

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

  3. Finally, get yourself a good programming job:

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Announcing the Software Developer Internship Program

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

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

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

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

Special Pricing Discount – Enrollment Starts Now!

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

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

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

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/03/14/are-software-developer-internships-key-to-landing-good-jobs/feed/ 0 Which Programming Language Is Best To Start With? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/18/which-programming-language-is-best-to-start-with/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/18/which-programming-language-is-best-to-start-with/#comments Sat, 18 Dec 2010 14:44:24 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3039

Are You Chasing Rabbits For A Living?

Are You Chasing Rabbits For A Living?

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

Do not worry about how to get handson experience in a programming language before you actually learn the programming language … that is called putting the cart before the horse.

If you choose to worry about handson experience before learning the programming language, all that you will end up achieving is nothing … those worries, fears or doubts will only delay your progress because they are either imaginary or harmful!

Rather, choose the path of action or get your hands dirty learning the programming languages that I recommend below and opportunities to get more handson experience will present themselves.

So, don’t hesitate or procrastinate … remember, he who hesitates is lost!

Click here to read this article on hesitation or procrastination

Which Programming Language Is Best To Start With?

Here is a question submitted by a reader on getting handson programming experience and the best programming language to start with.

The toughest challenge facing my career right now is boredom and a feeling of restlessness.

I’m about to graduate college with a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, and I’m itching to start a real career that is more technical than the help desk that I work on.

Therein lies another challenge: I have no experience.

I’m very interested in programming and software development right now, but I don’t know what is hot in the job market in my area right now.

I’ve been searching the IT job sites, and there are positions open for Java, .NET, and Unix developers (each with a minimum five years of experience).

I appreciate your website and the excellent articles!

I now know to self-teach myself programming skills and work on open source projects, freelance and try for some contracting jobs.

Thank you!

Here Is The Answer To This Reader’s Questions

Hi, I am glad that you know how to self-teach yourself programming skills, work on open source projects, freelance and try for some contracting jobs … it seems that you just want to choose the right programming language since you’ve already heard about Java, .NET and Unix.

Choose Web Development Languages:

Don’t waste your time learning programming languages that are not suited for web development. This is because out of all the software development language careers, web developers are the most in-demand!

Choose a Rapid Application Development (RAD) Programming Language:

The best programming languages for your career will be the ones that are the most productive to code with.

Several years ago, software developers were using languages like Clipper, Foxpro, C/C++. That was back in the days when computer programmers were just transitioning from programming for DOS to programming for WINDOWS.

While all that was happening, Microsoft released a programming language known as Visual Basic which revolutionized the programming industry.

Visual Basic was a Rapid Application Development (RAD) Language which contained visual cues for building desktop applications.

For example, it allowed you to drag an icon representing a button onto a screen and then it generated the code for the button for you.

Because it made programming easier, Microsoft’s Visual Basic quickly became one of the most popular and productive languages for building software applications.

For example, using a Visual Basic enabled database software like Microsoft Access, a developer could create a functional application in a fraction of the time it takes a Java or C/C++ developer to code the same application.

Finally, Microsoft changed the game again with the introduction of .NET Framework which incorporates some of the best features of programming with Java, Visual Basic and C/C++!

So, if you want to be successful computer programmer, go with a productive Rapid Application Development (RAD) Language like Microsoft.NET, learn C# and SQL Server … which is the database language that is most compatible with .NET Framework.

Note that you also have to learn a relational database system because both web and windows software developers have to design or develop databases for their software applications … so, learning SQL query writing and database development is required for software developers.

Study Or Handson Experience, Which Comes First?

And don’t be worrying about not having handson programming experience before you get to learn the programming language … that is putting the cart before the horse.

Answer These Questions …

  1. Are you learning the right programming languages?
  2. How productive are the programming languages that you are learning?
  3. Are you worrying about how to get handson experience?

When you start out learning the programming languages that I recommended, opportunities to get your hands dirty will present themselves.

Don’t hesitate or procrastinate … remember, he who hesitates is lost! Click here to read this article on hesitation or procrastination

Another reason why you should stick with my recommendations is that … studying computer programming can quickly become an overwhelming experience because of the myriad of computer programming languages.

So, if you make the mistake of dabbling in different programming languages, you may end up not being skilled in any!

Don’t waste your time chasing rabbits … learning programming languages for which there is little or no market demand.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/12/18/which-programming-language-is-best-to-start-with/feed/ 16 Career Roadmap For Programmers: Keeping Your Skills Current Or In Demand http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/14/keep-your-skills-current-or-in-demand/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/14/keep-your-skills-current-or-in-demand/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:24:42 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2932

Keep your Skills Current or In Demand

Keep your Skills Current or In Demand

It is a commonly held belief that once you learn “how to code in one programming language“, you can easily transition your programming skills to another.

Yet many computer programmers never quite make it because they get lost in the transition from one programming language to another.

This is true of computer programmers transitioning away from legacy programming languages like Cobol or relatively more modern programming languages like classic Visual Basic.

When a computer programmer falls behind the technology (programming language) curve, the developer may experience:

  1. Loss of job security
  2. Difficulty in finding new employment
  3. Loss of income

This article focuses on how to keep your programming skills current, relevant or indispensable in a constantly evolving marketplace.

Always Be Learning: Computer Programming Languages

There are several reasons why computer programmers seem to forever be learning new languages. Some of these reasons are:

  1. New Programming Languages:Computer programming languages become obsolete and new ones are introduced to replace them (Fortran has pretty much been replaced by more modern, Object Oriented Programming (OOP) languages).

  2. Updated Programming Language Versions:Programming languages are constantly being updated to newer versions by their vendors (for example, classic Visual Basic has been replaced by Visual Basic .NET).

  3. New Software Application Markets: New software applications markets create a demand for specialized programming skills (IPhone application development needs fueling a demand for Objective C and Cocoa programming languages).

So to be successful, computer programmers have to accept that learning new programming languages comes with the territory or they will fall behind the technology curve.

So, given that the demand for programming skills is constantly evolving from a technology / market standpoint, here is how to make the jump from one programming language to another:

Believe In Yourself: Be Confident In Your Ability To Learn

Believe that if you know how to code in one programming language, you can pick up another one.

Learning a new language may require some time, effort or dedication but you can do it again because you have done it successfully before.

The fear of learning new programming languages seems to be higher with legacy application developers, e.g. cobol or mainframe programmers.

This may be because legacy (cobol, mainframe etc.) programmers have not faced the challenge of updating their skills in a long a while and because of that see learning new, modern object oriented languages like .NET Framework as being more difficult job than they really are!

Career Path for Programmers: Keep Your Skills Marketable

Since the demand for programming skills changes all the time (for example, the shift from desktop to web applications), you have to update your skills or you risk ending up with unmarketable skills or losing your job.

Right now the marketable programming skills include Microsoft .NET Framework (ASP.NET, SQL SERVER and C#), PHP/MYSQL and Cocoa / Objective C (Iphone application development).

So, in terms of a Career Roadmap for computer programmers, you need to have one of these marketable skills.

Learn By Doing: Build Practical Software Applications

Programming skills are not learnt by getting certifications or more educational qualifications. They are gained by building applications outside the classroom.

So, build small applications in the programming languages you are learning … even if you have to build it for yourself!

Don’t get over yourself and end up tackling a project that is so complex that your skills are quickly overwhelmed because that may cause you to lose confidence in your budding programming skills.

The Software Developer Boot Camp builds on this by presenting you with graduated, step by step, beginner to advanced programming lessons. Here is some additional information:

Build New Programming Skills Repetitively

Programming skills have to be exercised repeatedly before they are transferred from the conscious areas of your brain to your optimized, sub-conscious mind.

That is why in the Software Developer Boot Camp, we present you with a number of single or multiple-choice questions that helps you understand, retain or recall the concepts presented in the videos.

Learn Programming In Steps

One of the major challenges facing programmers learning new programming languages is that they often bite of more than they can chew. When this happens, developers will more often than not, pin their wheels or quit the project altogether.

In the Software Developer Boot Camp, we prevent this type of failure by making sure that all the Programming Lessons are graduated and that you don’t learn a more complex topic like Object Oriented Programming (OOP) before learning the building blocks of the topic (like using Methods vs. Procedures).

Follow these tips to make a successful transition from one programming language to another.

The best time to learn a new programming language is now regardless of your situation (with/without a job): because it keeps you employed and marketable.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/06/14/keep-your-skills-current-or-in-demand/feed/ 2 Why Microsoft .NET Jobs for COBOL Mainframe Programmers? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/17/why-microsoft-net-jobs-for-cobol-mainframe-programmers/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/17/why-microsoft-net-jobs-for-cobol-mainframe-programmers/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:33:25 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2878

Cobol Mainframe Programmers Changing Careers!

Cobol Mainframe Programmers Changing Careers!

COBOL Mainframe Programmers switching careers have to overcome several challenges including the fear of learning new programming languages.

In addition, cobol programmers have to pick the right programming language which is not an easy task considering the range of possibilities (C#, Java, C/C++, PHP, Python, Visual Basic, Perl, etc.).

Cobol programmers also have to brand their resumes to look like that of modern, object oriented software developers.

Considering these challenges, one is not surprised whenever a cobol programmer decides to stick with legacy programming skills.

That is why I am dedicating this post to helping cobol mainframe programmers transition their skills or careers.

How To Transition Cobol Mainframe Legacy Programming Skills

I will start by answering a question which is at the core of the challenges faced by many cobol programmers.

Here is the question submitted by a cobol mainframe programmer from Stafford, Texas.

I am a Cobol programmer but I have been out of the business for more than 5 years due to layoff.

I have been driving an 18-wheeler for 6 years and I want to get back into programming.

What is the best route to take?

I am planning to take A+ Certification class at Houston Community College in the Summer.

In the meantime, I need to stop driving.

Changing Careers For Mainframe Cobol Programmers

I would advice that you start with learning the Microsoft .NET suite of programming languages.

Learning Microsoft .NET is not a small undertaking, but it currently presents the best career path for modern, object oriented computer programmers.

Learning Microsoft.NET includes learning the following family of programming languages or platforms:

  • .NET Framework
  • ASP.NET

  • C# or Visual Basic .NET … I recommend C#
  • SQL Server for database Development

I don’t recommend that you start with A+ certification because that is taking an in-direct route to a programming career.

That path will take you to a desktop support job and you may actually end up getting lost in that role … which is okay if that is what you really want!

If you really want to become a computer programmer, then you need to learn Microsoft .NET

Here is why learning Microsoft .NET will be a better option for you:

High Demand For Microsoft.NET Programming Skills

  • There is such a high demand for Microsoft.NET programming skills in the current economy, that you’re virtually guaranteed a job, as soon as you’re skilled or competent at programming with .NET Framework.

Shorter Training Time For Microsoft.NET

Here is why I advocate that you learn Microsoft.NET instead of Java or C/C++.

It has a shorter learning curve or training time because the language is easier to master and Microsoft provides you with a Rapid Application Development (RAD) environment which allows you to write full-featured applications in a shorter time.

These RAD tools have intelligence built-in which presents you with tips on the programming syntax as you code.

This reduces the challenge of memorizing .NET Framework programming syntax and it also reduces the time it will cost you to create complete, working business applications.

More Career Options for .NET Developers

Becoming a .NET Developer opens up your career to the corporate computer programmer career path.

  1. As a .NET Developer, you have more career options because Microsoft.NET is designed to work with other Microsoft products. This makes your skills more portable and it opens up a bigger programming market for you.

  2. If you’re a .NET developer, you may also get a job creating websites or work as a database developer or focus on developing MS Office applications.

  3. You can also work as a windows developer or as a mobile developer.

  4. You can even work on enterprise business applications like Commerce Server, Sharepoint or Reporting Services.

Since you have some previous programming background (even though it was as a cobol programmer) and you are still interested in computer programming, I would advice you to jump into learning .NET Framework immediately and not to waste your time on other pursuits!

Finally I would like to mention that we are running a special discount where you can get trained on both the Microsoft .NET Framework and SQL Server database development.

All you really have to do is, place an order for both the Software Developer Boot Camp and the SQL Boot Camp and this special discount would be applied to you.

Here is what you need to do to be fully enrolled as a Microsoft .NET Framework Developer … enroll for both the SQL Boot Camp and the Software Developer Boot Camp at the same time using the links below:

  1. Click here to Add the Software Developer Boot Camp

  2. Click here to Add the SQL Boot Camp Training

Once you add both the SQL and Software Developer Boot Camp, you will get the on-going special discount for the Microsoft .NET Software Developer Training Track.

In this post we discussed the challenges facing legacy cobol mainframe programmers and suggested the best path for those interested in changing careers.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/03/17/why-microsoft-net-jobs-for-cobol-mainframe-programmers/feed/ 14 Cowboy Coder Or Agile Programmer? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/26/cowboy-coder-or-agile-programmer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/26/cowboy-coder-or-agile-programmer/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:21:56 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2845

Cowboy Coder Or Agile Programmer

Cowboy Coder Or Agile Programmer

Are You A Cowboy Coder Or Agile Software Developer?

Software Developers facing a new programming project sometimes start coding before thinking through or planning an approach.

Coding without first planning or thinking through is a programming method known as cowboy coding.

Cowboy coders approach work with the mindset of coding without estimating or planning.

And they are at a complete lost when the results achieved by their cowboy coding tactics does not meet expectations.

Cowboy Coding Is Dead, Long Live Cowboy Coding

While many programmers publicly ridicule cowboy coding, they privately practice cowboy coding because it is the easier thing to do.

Look around you for cowboy coders. They exhibit some of the following tell-tale signs:

  1. They do not estimate the work required for a software development project before coding because that is too difficult or unnecessary for them

  2. They hack away at code instead of taking time to find the best algorithmic or coding approach for solving a programming challenge

  3. They frequently under-estimate the complexity of software development projects and so they work late nights, weekends or even holidays in a bid to catch up with late deliverables

  4. They dislike working with system architects, business analysts and project managers because the only work that matters to them … is that of writing code

  5. They can’t find time to sharpen or improve their programming skills because all their time must be spent on coding

  6. They get stuck in their code or hit dead walls because they under-estimate the complexity or difficulty of working with technology

  7. Cowboy Coders get frustrated because their programming projects always seem to take a longer time to market than they estimated.

    Unable to see the complexity of their code ahead of time, they are stumped when their efforts fail to produce working software on time or under budget.

  8. Cowboy Coders bite off more than they can chew by embarking on projects that are too large for such tactics.

    Since they do not take time to understand the complexity of their code, they are also likely to under-estimate the time or effort required.

  9. Cowboy Coders develop poorly designed, buggy, unreliable software because of a lack of proper architecture and a lack of a software development methodology

  10. Cowboy Coders produce poor quality software because of a lack of unit testing skills or good co-ordination with other software testers or quality assurance professionals

We Are Cowboys

Despite the superiority of iterative, agile or even Waterfall software development, Cowboy Coding is very much alive and well … and here are the reasons why:

  • Software Developers resort to cowboy coding because structured software development including Agile or Waterfall methods requires more thinking and planning skills from the developers.

  • Formal software development practice is more of an art than a science.

    And it requires additional formal training, education or discipline beyond that of just learning a programming language.

  • Agile or waterfall software development methods places an initial burden or responsibility on the programmer to think or plan their work first before coding.

    This goes against the natural habit of undisciplined cowboy coders.

  • Asking cowboy coders to go Agile hurts their feelings because it suggests that they cannot instantly, easily or intuitively come up with the best code for a programming challenge

  • Agile and Waterfall software development methods require more planning, design and architecture skills which are harder to come by or less intuitive than simply coding before thinking or cowboy coding.

Developers Go Agile!

Why the Waterfall model may seem like the next step up from Cowboy Coding, I recommend that developers bite the bullet and go agile for the following reasons

  1. Faster Time To Market:

    Agile developers work for their clients or customers.

    Agile Software Development helps you get the most important features to market first knowing that about 60% of software features are never used.

  2. Customer As King:

    Agile software developers work for the customer and not for the development process.

    They are empowered to focus, respond and adapt to the customer’s needs with the end goal of giving the customers what they want!

  3. Agile Project Management:

    Agile project managers focus on the current iteration or use it to make better estimates for the next one.

    Agile software developers have better, more realistic or more accurate project plans to work with because they are only tasked with producing working software for the current iteration and not for the entire project at once!

  4. Agile Software Testing:

    Agile software testers work with software developers to produce high-quality software a the end of each iteration instead of waiting for the entire project to complete before testing!

    Testing for bugs at the end of each iteration, reduces the chances of producing unreliable, buggy software at the end of the entire project unlike the waterfall model.

Case Study: An Agile Developer Breaks The Cycle Of Unemployment

Here is a real-life case study of how I helped a C/C++ programmer break the cycle of un-employment using Agile Programming techniques.

Un-employed C/C++ Programmer

Sometime ago, I was approached by a C/C++ programmer with a college degree who had been unemployed for a couple of years.

Transition From C/C++ Programming

Instead of just re-writing the programmer’s resume, I counseled the C/C++ programmer to learn a new programming language and database platform from scratch.

Agile Hands-ON ExperienceFor acquiring hands-on experience in the new programming language, I gave the C/C++ programmer an iterative software development project to build from scratch.

I also tasked the programmer with building a working release of the project very early in the lifecycle and then presenting that to hiring managers immediately.

Guess what happened, including the agile development experience in a resume, got the developer hired in the very first job interview and with only 1 month of software development experience in a new programming language!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/26/cowboy-coder-or-agile-programmer/feed/ 7 Programming Interviews Exposed: Secrets to Landing Your Next Job http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/09/programming-interviews-exposed-secrets-to-landing-your-next-job/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/09/programming-interviews-exposed-secrets-to-landing-your-next-job/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:50:32 +0000 Vijay http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2779

how to: ace technical interviews and land jobs

how to: ace technical interviews and land jobs

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

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

Question: How To Impress Hiring Manager at Programming Interviews

Here is the question submitted by Vijay:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks

Vijay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Kaizen practitioners achieve significant results through small, incremental improvements.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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This post was submitted by Vijay.

]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2010/02/09/programming-interviews-exposed-secrets-to-landing-your-next-job/feed/ 1 Would You Like To Study A New Programming Language? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/10/28/would-you-like-to-study-a-new-programming-language/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/10/28/would-you-like-to-study-a-new-programming-language/#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:42:53 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2660

Learn Hot Programming Languages

Learn Hot Programming Languages

Learning new software development languages can be fun.

That is one of the reasons why software developers like their careers … they get to learn or solve problems with new software development languages.

However, learning a software development language is a real-world exercise because programming is learnt by doing.

That’s why computer programmer job interviews are designed to test practical programming skills or abilities.

Apparently, some college graduates have a hard time grasping this concept because they seem clueless on how to get a programming job despite their computer science degrees!

So, what do I advise?

  1. Practice as you learn – at the software developer boot camps, graduated hand-on assignments allow software developers to practice solving programming problems.

  2. Solve real world problems – Find a small, real world programming challenge and solve it. Solving real world problems improves your analysis, design and project management skills.

  3. Ask for help – Get help from skilled programmers. Don’t spend weeks sweating the small problems when an e-mail to a coach, mentor or colleague will do.

    Note: One-on-one private coaching is included in the software developers boot camp as part of the training. Click here for more information

Some tech workers still see programming as being difficult because they are unable to work through difficult programming problems by themselves. I argue that learning new programming languages is not difficult!

Register today and get an additional, free training program as part of our 2 for 1 promotional discount which ends this week!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/10/28/would-you-like-to-study-a-new-programming-language/feed/ 2 How to Become a Freelance Programmer http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/13/how-to-become-a-freelance-programmer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/13/how-to-become-a-freelance-programmer/#comments Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:02:07 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2445

Choose a Freelance Consulting Career

Choose a Freelance Career

This question was posted by Mallory who needs advice on “how to begin a freelance software developer career!”

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 Mallory’s questions below!

Mallory’s Questions Are:

I have started an account on scriptlance which is for programmers. However I am not a professional programmer.

I joined because I was looking for genuine data entry jobs i could do as a freelancer.

Do I need to be a professional in order to get jobs on that site or will they use newbies.

My second question is how can I go about learning my first language.

I am familiar with excel and microsoft word which are software.

Mallory, Here’s How To Start A Freelance Computer Programmer Career

You can start a freelance computer programmer career if you have at least one of these qualifications:

  1. Computer Programming Skills:

    If you’re a skilled computer programmer or you know how to develop software programs using one of the frequently asked for programming skills like PHP, ASP.NET, C# SQL SERVER, MYSQL, HTML, XHTML, CSS, JAVASCRIPT then you may consider starting a freelance computer programming career or business.

    If you choose the path of learning computer programming before starting your freelance software developer business, learn a popular, modern object oriented programming language like ASP.NET, C#, VISUAL BASIC.NET, SQL SERVER. You may also consider learning PHP, MYSQL, HTML, XHTML, CSS.

  2. Marketing or Project Management Skills:

    Consider starting a freelance computer programmer business if you have project management, marketing, advertising or pubic relations skills.

    You don’t have to learn computer programming or become a computer programmer if you’re starting a freelance computer programming business.

    Learning a programming language is not a requirement for a freelance computer programmer career because you can compensate for lack of computer programming skills by working on business tasks like accounting, marketing, public relations, advertising, project management, customer service or by hiring others to write he code for you!

You may learn computer programming languages and then start a freelance software developer business or you may utilize business management and marketing strengths to start your freelance programming business without learning a computer programming language!

Comparing Full-Time to Freelance Developer Careers

Starting a freelance computer programming business is not the same thing as starting a full-time or contract software developer career and here are some of the reasons why:

  1. In a full-time or contract programming job, you focus on the programming skills because your employer takes care of the business, management, marketing or money issues.

    In a Freelance Computer Programming career, you focus on the business, how to market your business or how to earn an income because you’re the employer!

  2. In a full-time or contract computer programming job, the employer expects you to write code all day along and not to outsource or delegate programming tasks!

    In a freelance computer programmer business, your clients expects you to get the software program written according to specifications!

    Unlike full-time or contract programmers, freelance computer programmers retain the right to delegate programming tasks and may choose not to do it by themselves!

  3. Full-time or contract computer programmers grow their careers through promotion to more senior development work.

    Freelance computer programmers grow their careers by adding on more clients, projects or computer programmers!

You succeed as a freelance computer programmer by working on your business and not by treating it like a regular 9AM to 5PM job!

The Benefits of Starting a Freelance Computer Programmer Career

  1. High-Demand: There is a high-demand for computer programming services. Elance, a top freelancers website reports that software development services like database programming, web design, web development are the most sought-after in the freelance job market!

  2. Flexible Lifestyle: You work from the comfort of your own home, on your own time and at a pace you’re comfortable with.

    You may run a freelance programming career at the time of day or night that suits your family, person or lifestyle

  3. Resume Building: Freelance Computer Programmers who write computer code by themselves can build-up their resume for full-time or contract software developer jobs quickly.

    Freelance computer programmers may transition into full-time or contract programming jobs because as they become skilled at solving problems.

    The benefit of solving problems for an industry is explained in this article: “become a leader and get the job you want!”

  4. Stops Unemployment: Starting a freelance career is a good way to deal with unemployment issues or handle the downtime between jobs!

    It starts you earning an income, gets you building skills that you can trade-in for a full-time job and keeps you doing productive work!

How to Succeed at a Freelance Computer Programmer Career

Starting a freelance programming career is not “a bed of roses”.

You have to deal with client’s demands, pressures or concerns, unpleasant computer programming bugs, the quirks of fellow computer programmers and competition from everyone else who wants a piece of the golden pie!

Here are some challenges that you would have to face or master to succeed at freelance computer programming:

  1. Positioning: You have to develop a position early in your business because of competition for freelance dollars!

  2. Marketing: How well you can market may be more important than how well you can code!

  3. Accounting: Sending invoices, tracking payments, managing accounts receivables, estimating and paying taxes and your cash flow will make or break your career!

  4. Project Management: You have to learn “how to delegate work” because you can’t learn every programming language or work on every project!

  5. Business Analysis: You may not be able to hire business analysts, so you have to elicit, analyze, validate or document requirements correctly and by yourself!

  6. Software Development Methodology: You need to establish processes for checking in code, collaborating with your clients or working on the same project with other team members!

  7. Specialization: Whether you write the code yourself or delegate all programming tasks, consider specializing in web design, web development or in a suite of software development tools.

Choosing a programming language is not your only consideration or even the major one!

There are tools, processes, methodologies and systems that you also have to put in place for your freelance computer programming business.

If you’re interested in starting a freelance career Click here to read or download a FREE Report on the TOP 100 most in-demand skills In The Freelance Industry … or contact us for more information.

This post answers the question of “how to become a freelance computer programmer”.

If you have a question, concern or challenge click here to post it and I will answer it for you!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/13/how-to-become-a-freelance-programmer/feed/ 12 How To Learn Many Programming Languages http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/10/how-to-learn-many-programming-languages/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/10/how-to-learn-many-programming-languages/#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:20:35 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2397

learning multiple programming languages?

learning multiple programming languages?

This question was posted by a reader who needs advice on “how to learn many programming languages!”.

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 Challenging Situation:

I want to learn many programming languages including C/C++, Java, PHP and Microsoft .NET Framework because this will make be very good at programming and employable.

What do you suggest? Are there languages I should learn first or not learn at all?

What’s the best way to go about learning many programming languages?

How To Learn Multiple Programming Languages

There are benefits and challenges to learning many programming languages. Sometimes it’s better to master just one programming language and some other times it’s advantageous to learn more !

Learning many programming languages poses a special challenge. Part of this challenge is remembering the syntax or coding paradigms behind each programming language.

The challenge of devoting the time it takes to learn or master just one programming language should not be under-estimated.

On the other hand, the benefits of successfully learning many programming languages includes having more employment options because you can work on a wide variety of software developemnt platforms.

Here is additional guidance on when you may learn multiple programming languages:

Should Junior / Entry-Level Programmers Learn Multiple Languages?

If you’re just starting your programming career, then I would advise you to focus on learning just one programming language at a time.

This is because there’s little to be gained by listing many programming languages on your resume without really being good or highly skilled in any of them!

As a general rule, it’s far better to learn one programming language and master it well before learning other programming languages.

Beginner, Entry Level, Junior or Hobby Programmers are more likely to fall into the trap of learning on too many programming languages.

They are likely to dabble in multiple programming languages ranging from PHP to C/C++ to Java. Unfortunately, while they may learn a little of each programming languages they are good at none!

The danger facing newbies to computer programming is that they understimate their own powers and the challenges of learning a programming language. So, in a bid to prove themselves, they bite on more than they can chew!

Without a lot of programming experience, newbie computer programmers really have no idea of what they’re trying to accomplish.

In trying to impress others by working on many programming languges, they end up “A Jack of All Trades and Master of None”.

Should I Learn A Software Development Platform?

On the other hand, while beginner programmers should not worry about learning many programming languages, they should learn or master all the programming languages for a platform, one at a time.

For example, if you’re learning PHP, you should also plan to learn MySQL and vice versa.

The reason is because, employers or clients hiring for PHP skills will also expect or need MySQL Database Services.

Another example is that of programmers learning .NET Framework who should plan on learning the entire Microsoft .NET Software Platform including ASP.NET (for building web applications), SQL Server for building Databases and C# or Visual Basic for programming.

Should I Mix and Match Programming Languages?

Programmers should look out and learn other technologies within their familiar programming languages.

For example, both PHP Programmers and ASP.NET Programmers should take the time to learn or master HTML, CSS and JavaScript as these are useful for all programmers.

However, learning PHP and then jumping to Java or C/C++ is a different matter altogether.

Here is “how to to learn many programming languages”:

  1. Learn programming languages one at time.

  2. Master, become highly competent or become an expert at one programming language before attempting to learn another.

  3. Learn all the tools, technologies and programming languages in one family (LAMP, MICROSOFT.NET, JAVA) first before switching tracks.

  4. Employers hire for quality (competency) and not quantity. So, be clear to yourself on why you’re learning many lanaguages!

  5. Learning many programming languages requires dedication and time. So, be sure to plan adequately and budget the right amount of effort or time to your learning. Don’t under-estimate the required effort.

  6. If you’re a skilled developer or a senior programmer or a software architect, there may be some good advantages and fewer risks to you branching out and learning many other languages.

This post is an answer to a “question on how to learn multiple programming languages.
If you have a question, concern or challenge, click here to post it and I will answer it for you!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/10/how-to-learn-many-programming-languages/feed/ 9 Develop Your Personal Brand And Become a Leader! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/11/develop-your-personal-brand-become-a-leader/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/11/develop-your-personal-brand-become-a-leader/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:03:38 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2244

Develop Your Personal Brand - Become A Leader

Develop Your Personal Brand - Become A Leader

Develop Your Personal Brand And Become a Leader

This course teaches you how to develop and use your competitive advantages in the workplace, job market and industry using the PULL method.

You will learn how to become a leader in your industry by developing and taking advantage of your personal brand using PULL techniques.

By the end of this course, you will have learnt how to select the best leadership projects for your industry based on your background, skills, education, training, job history and interests.

It’s Time To Stand Up and Be Noticed. Here is the course outline;

Coaching: Develop your Competitive Advantage

  • Introduce yourself, discuss your background, skills, interests and aspirations and submit your resume for review
  • Understand the PUSH vs. PULL method
  • Learn how to identify, develop and maximize your competitive advantage
  • Identify your career objective and discuss why it’s important to you
  • Workshop
    • Discuss your resume, career objective, challenges, skills, background, education, training, job history and career interests

Coaching: SWOT Analysis

  • Learn how to use SWOT Analysis to identify your competitive advantage and determine your unique offering in the workplace
  • Workshop
    • Prepare a SWOT Analysis document for your career objective

Coaching: OGSM

  • Consider alternative strategies for achieving your career objective
  • Determine the appropriate SMART goals based on your SWOT Analysis
  • Workshop
    • Develop an initial OGSM plan for achieving your career objective

Coaching: Personal Branding

  • Discover your personal brand based on your skills, backgrounds, interests, career objectives and SWOT Analysis
  • Develop your personal brand based on your unique, differentiating values
  • Workshop
    • Choose your personal brand based on your skills, backgrounds, interests and career objectives
    • Develop an action plan that supports your personal brand offline and online

Coaching: The PULL METHOD – Strategy

  • Learn how to use PULL techniques
  • Identify the relevant PULL methods for achieving your career objective
  • Discuss the implementation each PULL method
  • Workshop
    • Document the appropriate set of PULL techniques for your industry

Coaching: The PULL METHOD – Implementation

  • Identify the appropriate tools for implementing each PULL method
  • Workshop
    • Discuss the implementation and use of tools and platforms for the PULL method

Coaching: Become a Leader

  • Enhance your Personal Brand
    • Learn how to become an expert in your industry
    • Analyze the needs, problems, issues specific to your niche, domain or industry
    • Learn how to promote your brand, image and positioning
  • Identify and implement relevant tracking or monitoring tools including;
    • Time management plans
    • Project management plans
    • Personal branding plans
    • Business plans
    • Marketing plans
    • Job Search plans
  • Identify the relevant Leadership Projects for your Industry
  • Review and discuss cost and benefits of each leadership project
  • Workshop
    • Choose and implement your leadership projects

Coaching: Benefit From Your Brand Or Get The Job Your Want!

  • Understand how to profit from your personal branding activities
    • Learn how to be productive with or without a job
    • Learn how to earn an income from consulting, contracting, full-time or freelancing opportunities
  • Workshop
    • Take advantage of opportunities from your personal branding or leadership projects

Interested?

Contact Us or Apply Online …  

   

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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/11/develop-your-personal-brand-become-a-leader/feed/ 0 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 Become a Leader And Get The Job You Want! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/21/become-a-leader-and-get-the-job-you-want/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/21/become-a-leader-and-get-the-job-you-want/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:19:20 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2101

become a leader get the job you want

Become A Leader-Get The Job You Want!


Become a Leader And Get The Job You Want!

Getting a job by sending out resumes to employers is known as the push method because it depends on you pushing the employer to hire you!

The problem with the traditional method of getting a job is that everyone who is out-of-a-job is probably doing the same thing … pushing their resumes to hiring managers or employers!

Getting hired in a competitive job market doesn’t mean … “do what other job applicants are doing” … it means “do more than your competition!“

Stand-Out and Be Noticed!

You need to raise the bar higher by getting employers to notice you or call you with job offers! This is also known as the pull method.

It’s an enviable position to be in … to have jobs referred to you instead of you chasing after them.

I’ve had that happen to me, it’s happening for others and it can happen for you too!

Are you Getting Noticed?

You need to attract the attention of employers by taking actions that get you noticed or make you stand-out in comparison to others!

You may be thinking: “Why can’t I just send-out lots of resumes and get hired using the tried and proven push technique?”

If your resume is 2 or 3 times better than your competition and your skills and experience are head and shoulders over everyone else’s then you are okay to depend solely on your resume.

In the “dot-com bubble” or “I.T. bubble bust a lot of smart and talented IT professionals couldn’t get jobs by sending out their resumes.

Employers were receiving an unheard of 500+ resumes from doctoral, post graduate and well certified IT professionals!

Some employers stopped hiring, some stopped checking their mailboxes and others resorted to more discreet hiring methods!

Because so many resumes were being pushed to employers, the value of a resume sent by e-mail was next to nil!

That was when I learnt the value of becoming a leader. So, I started my first leadership project and ended up with invitations to interview and work for two major organizations because I was noticed!

Any Lessons Learned?

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by depending solely on your resume and online job postings!

The value of becoming a leader in your industry, is that you get hired through the back-door! That door that is left open for exceptional, talented or highly qualified job applicants only :-)

When you become an industry leader, employers are apt to call you with job offers and you’re guaranteed to stand out in comparison to other job seekers!

How Do You Become An Industry Leader?

The pull method depends on you working on projects, activities and problems that are important to employers even though you may not have a job.

You commit to solving problems specific to an industry or domain in a visible way!

Because you commit to solving business problems important to employers, you’re likely to get noticed or get more consulting, coaching or employment requests.

Lead Your Industry By Becoming a Domain Specialist

If all you’ve been doing is “sending out resumes” and that hasn’t worked too well for you … then it’s time to “change your approach” by demonstrating that you care!

Becoming a Leader means that you engage your down-time time in-between jobs more productively.

You work on getting hired by making yourself wanted, instead of mass mailing the same resume or a cosmetically improved version to employers!

Click here to get in touch with us and we will help you select the best leadership projects based on your background, skills, education, training, job history and interests

Specializing in a domain or industry raises your profile to that of an expert or highly-skilled resource. That’s how you get more consulting, coaching or full-time employment offers.

So, what are you waiting for? Click here to request more information on how to become a leader and get the recognition or type of employment (coaching, consulting or full-time) you deserve!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/21/become-a-leader-and-get-the-job-you-want/feed/ 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/ 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 How To Become a Microsoft .NET Software Developer http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/08/how-to-become-a-microsoft-net-software-developer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/08/how-to-become-a-microsoft-net-software-developer/#comments Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:16:42 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=1911

microsoft.net software developer job

microsoft.net software developer job

This question was posted by a reader who wants to become a Microsoft .NET Developer!

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 “This Link”.

By Sharing This Post you are helping your friends receive valuable information or succeed.

Here is the Reader’s Question:

First, a little bit about myself.

I have been in Information Technology for many years and most of my time was spent in software application development.

I can honestly say that I have truly enjoyed a majority of those years and what I have valued most is working with people and solving their problems.

Building relationships is one of my strengths, although that does not seem like a skill, which one can market.

Challenges facing me:

I am an application developer working with COBOL and VMS skills.

I have some experience with .NET but dont really feel well versed in the technology.

I have taken several training programs but all of them left me wanting. Besides being uninspiring, none of them really knew how to impart knowledge so that an individual could become productive in a short period of time.

Your website seems to indicate that you do know how to do that.

I have also begun to wonder if learning JAVA is the better way to go, since to some degree it is more open than Microsofts .NET technology.

How To Become A Microsoft.NET Software Developer

Passion as a Strength: I am glad you are passionate about your information technology career.

Passionate people are more likely to go out of their way to make their career work and the lack of passion is one of the reasons why people get burnt out or stop producing in their careers!

  1. Relationship Building Skills / Strengths: Your relationship building skill is actually a strength that can be marketed. That is one of the things that you learn from SWOT Analysis … “how to take advantage of your strengths by marketing to your opportunities“.

    The reason why it seems that your relationship skills are of little financial value is that you haven’t taken the time to identify or evaluate your opportunities in the light of your strengths.

    If I was to present you with a Cobol / VMS job, you will easily recognize it as an opportunity, because you have trained your mind to look out for or act on Cobol or VMS Job opportunities.

    But if I were to present you an opportunity to profit by exercising your relationship building skills, you may not recognize or act on it because you’ve not trained your mind to do so!

    SWOT Analysis helps you identify your opportunities in the light of your strengths and come up with a plan or strategy for acting on them.

    For example, you may be able to take advantage of or exercise your relationship building skills by referring contacts who need IT Career Advice, IT Coaching or IT Training to our website.

    If you have a really large list of contacts and you are really very skilled at building relationships, you may even go into a part-time or full time IT recruiting career!

    So opportunities to take advantage of your relationship building skills exist, you just have to take the time to properly identify, evaluate and act on them.

  2. How to Get Productive IT Knowledge in a Short Period of Time:

    Yes, you are right in saying that our website’s focus is “impacting productive knowledge in a short period of time“!

    Our definition of productive knowledge is practical, hands-on, job or career focused skills that you can put to work immediately you complete training. This is how our training works:

    • Knowledge + Practice Based Online Training:

      Our online training provides you with a blend of knowledge based training and hands-on skill building, practice based training.

      Knowledge based training is the training gained only from watching videos or instructors in a traditional classroom education or information gained just by just a book.

      Knowledge based training alone does not help because you also need practical job-based skills which are gained by working on real-world problems

      So you learn by doing and not just by watching others!

      You learn by doing or practicing what you’ve learned in a course. Our online training incorporates multiple types of hands-on, practical, real-world training.

      What this means to you as a software developer is that you practice writing actual working Microsoft .NET Code in our Hands-On Labs before you perform the same tasks for an employer.

    • Skill Sharpening Online Training: It is not enough to learn a new programming skill, you also need to sharpen your new programming skill to the point where it becomes productive or highly effective.

      In the real-world, IT Managers assign aggressive deadlines to their software development projects and only those Computer Programmers with sharp programming skills are be able to meet those deadlines.

      So, it is not enough to learn the Microsoft .NET Programming Language (ASP.NET, C#, Visual Basic .NET), you also have to be sharp, effective or productive at writing code especially if you intend to transition from being a hobby programmer to a professional Microsoft .NET Developer!

  3. Demand for Java versus Demand for Microsoft .NET Programming Skills:

    This is a sensitive question because whenever you compare the demand for a career like business analysis to the demand for another career like computer programming, people’s feelings and emotions get involved, hurt or mixed-up!

    So, I want to preface by answer with this statement: Java and Microsoft .NET are both excellent programming languages because they are both object oriented programming (OOP) languages.

    However if you are looking for a stable, full-time, professional software developer career, I will recommend Microsoft .NET over the Java programming language and here are a few reasons why:

    • High Demand for Microsoft .NET Software Developers:

      The demand for Microsoft .NET computer programming skills is high because there are more Microsoft .NET (ASP.NET, C#, VB.NET) software developer job postings than there are competent or skilled Microsoft .NET computer programmers.

      I have also observed that the demand for Microsoft .NET Programmers jumped in the last five years compared to the demand for Java Programming Skills.

      Previous to that, there was a higher demand for Java Programmers because Microsoft.NET was still relatively new in the market.

    • The Marketing of Microsoft.NET Compared to Java Programming Language:

      Another reason why I recommend Microsoft .NET (ASP.NET, VB.NET, C#) over Java is that Microsoft has been successful at marketing the Microsoft .NET development environment to businesses based on their bigger, better marketing team.

      Now, I am not a blind supporter of Microsoft Tools. I also hate those Microsoft products that have been failures.

      For example, I like PHP while I hate Windows Vista with a Passion :-)

      I also don’t use MSN Search and I use Google Search.

      However, Microsoft .NET Developers have more Career or Job options than their Java colleagues because the Microsoft .NET programming languages has also been extended to other platforms including Microsoft SharePoint (Collaboration, Communication), Microsoft Dynamics (Customer Relationship Management ), Microsoft SQL Server (Enterprise Database Computing), Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word), Microsoft Data Mining, Microsoft Mobile Devices.

    So, by learning Microsoft .NET you hook up your career or job prospects with Microsoft’s product leadership and huge marketing muscle.

    Finally, I recommend Microsoft.NET over Java because it offers you a shorter learning curve and more career prospects or job options.

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

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.

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!

Finally, I will also advise you to register for the SQL Boot Camp because SQL skills are usually required in 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 Become a Microsoft .NET Software Developer! 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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