ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » programming job 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 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programming languages become obsolete and new ones are introduced to replace them (Fortran has pretty much been replaced by more modern, Object Oriented Programming (OOP) languages).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languages are constantly being updated to newer versions by their vendors (for example, classic Visual Basic has been replaced by Visual Basic .NET).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 Free E-Book On How To Stay Ahead of the Technology Curve http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/21/free-e-book-on-how-to-stay-ahead-of-the-technology-curve/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/21/free-e-book-on-how-to-stay-ahead-of-the-technology-curve/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:03:59 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2517

Stay Ahead of the Curve!

Stay Ahead of the Curve!

Have you ever wondered how some people stay ahead of rapidly changing technologies while others seem to let their skills become extinct like the Dodo?

Well, apparently, someone in Dubai, U.A.E. wants to know the answer so badly that he sent in his question by postal mail!

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!

NOTE: There is an e-book at the bottom of this post on “How To Stay Ahead of The Technology Curve”. Be sure to download and read it, ok?

Here is The Question on How To Stay Ahead of the Technology Learning Curve

Dear Kingsley,

Having come to be known about you as a pioneer IT Coach, I need some information from you if you can help me.

At present, I am reading a book Microsoft Office 2003 bible which includes all the basic and in depth functionalities of excel, word, powepoint, access, outlook, frontpage, etc.

It’s a huge book with 1200 pages. I’d like to know how I can memorize this book quickly and efficiently.

There are other books on programming to be memorized. in this age of information overload, everyday we are presented with lots of paperwork, reports and books to remember.

As an IT coach, could you please show me the techniques to remember this amount of information so as to get the job done on time and move along with the rapidly changing technologies.

Fahim, Dubai, U.A.E.

Don’t Underestimate The Effort Required To Keep Up With Information Technology Careers!

Years, ago, while considering a career transition, I was advised not to pursue Information Technology careers because of the rapidly changing technologies, literature, techniques and tools.

At that point in time, many IT professionals had shipwrecked their careers because they couldn’t transition from legacy skills in Cobol or Fortran or Mainframes to the smaller, more modern computers running windows.

My adviser pointed out to me that succeeding in an information technology career would be a tough challenge because many IT professionals with graduate computer science degrees from good schools had failed!

Some of the reasons why IT professionals fail in their career include:

  1. The Challenge of Rapidly Changing Technologies: keeping up with rapidly changing tools, processes and technologies is a hard job. Some vendors release multiple versions of their products within a year forcing users to upgrade their skills or become obsolete.

  2. The Challenge of Poorly Written Textbooks: many IT books are written by geeks for geeks. They’re difficult to understand, slow to read and intimidating in size. Many tech workers still find challenging, the effort required to keep up with technology by studying IT books.

  3. The Challenge of Information Overload: There are various skills, technologies, tools and processes that need to be mastered for every unique employer or job situation. IT workers end up buying and studying lots of reference books in a bid to stay ahead of all the problems they aim to solve!

I Transitioned My Career By Overcoming The Information Overload!

I transitioned my career by learning the skills required for my new career in six weeks! and by acing my first technical job interview

In six weeks, I navigated an amazing amount of technical literature and reference books … to discover the hidden path that leads to IT career success.

The lessons I learned in those six weeks have become some of the hallmarks of my career including:

  1. How to study new IT skills quickly, comprehensively and competently (I studied mine in under six weeks)

  2. How to ace IT job interviews (I scored above 90% in my first interview test)

  3. How to get hands-on experience without a job (I got the required hands-on experience before my first job)

A Free E-Book To Help You Stay Ahead Of Rapidly Changing Technologies!

Fahim, I understand where you’re coming from and the challenges you’re facing.

The challenges of succeeding in Information Technology (IT) Careers as pointed out in this blog post are real. However, I’ve solved them and I don’t see any reasons why you can’t after I share my success strategies with you!

I’m going to e-mail you a free e-book that details “how you can solve the same problem in your career” and in addition, you will also get any future updates to the e-book free!

I will also be giving away a free copy of the same e-book to the biggest users of my “Tell a Friend” Button or Link on any of my blog posts!

How To Get a Free Copy of My E-Book!

This post answers a question posted by Fahim on “how to study or keep ahead of rapidly changing technologies.“

if you have a question about your career, be sure to post it as a question on this discussion page and I will answer it for you!

If you’ll like to get a free copy of the e-book on how to stay ahead of the technology curve, go ahead and download it now


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/09/21/free-e-book-on-how-to-stay-ahead-of-the-technology-curve/feed/ 3 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 How To Become A Highly Paid Corporate Programmer http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/how-to-become-a-highly-paid-corporate-programmer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/how-to-become-a-highly-paid-corporate-programmer/#comments Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:49:37 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2138

highly paid corporate programmer

highly paid corporate programmer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Get An Entry Level Corporate Programming Job

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  1. Become a Freelance Microsoft.NET Software Developer:

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

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

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

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

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

  2. Become a Highly-Paid Corporate Programmer:

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

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

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

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

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

  3. Become a Full-Time Computer Programmer:

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Overcome Hurdles In Transitioning To A Computer Programming Career

  1. Transition your Career in Phases

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

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

  2. Take Your Software Developer Training

    Transitioning to a new career begins with learning new skills.

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

  3. Give Employers What They Want!

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

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

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

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/08/02/how-to-become-a-highly-paid-corporate-programmer/feed/ 0 How To Become A Technical Expert http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/02/05/how-to-become-a-technical-expert/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/02/05/how-to-become-a-technical-expert/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:16:28 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/02/05/how-to-become-a-technical-expert/

When you meet someone who is a technical expert, you immediately make a few assumptions about the person’s education, income, competence, marketability and problem-solving skills.

While you may find it easy to identify the technical experts in your industry, it is much harder to become one..

Read the rest of this article and you will learn how you can become a technical expert easily.

Who Is An Expert?

An expert, according to Wikipedia, is a person with extensive knowledge or ability in a particular area of study.

An expert can be, by virtue of training, education, profession, publication or experience, believed to have special knowledge of a subject beyond that of the average person.

The last line in the definition of an expert deserves a closer look because it mentions some of the processes that turn an average person into an expert including training, education, profession, publication and experience.

Who Is A Technical Expert?

Borrowing from Wikipedia’s definition, for the purposes of this post, I will define a technical expert as someone who has the training, experience or education to give sound advice and information in a technical profession.

The technical professions referred to in this post include those of data analysts, database developers, software developers, business analysts, project managers, software architects, web designers, testers and other software development professional.

Why Should You Become A Technical Expert?

There are two (2) main reasons why you would want to become a technical expert.

  1. Compensation:

    If you are a technical expert you are compensated at levels far above the market rate for other professionals in your field.

    You will find it easier to name, ask for or negotiate your billing rate and prove that you are worth your billing rate.

  2. Name Recognition or Star Power:

    I have been in several technical interviews where the interviewer googled my name before the interview.

    Typically the interviewer will take a note of how many times my name gets mentioned on Google, who is mentioning my name and what websites my name where mentioned on.

    My interviewers frequently comment about the books I read or the blogs I manage.

    I have received both job offers and software consulting offers through visitors who stumbled upon my websites or blogs and then decided to do business with me.

    In my opinion, one of the biggest benefits of being considered a technical expert is that you will find it easier to get job offers or consulting offers as a technical expert since you have taken the time to make your expertise known and available to the general public

What Do Technical Experts Do?

  • Marketing Rules:

    Recognizing technical expertise is not a 100% objective exercise.

    A large part of becoming a technical expert deals with how willing you are to market yourself, your skills, your expertise and your domain of specialization to the general public.

    It is a virtually difficult or impossible to become a technical expert without a fair amount of marketing or writing or speaking or presentation of your skills to the public.

    No one gets to become a technical expert in the privacy of their own room without showing themselves to the public.

    This is one of the greatest secrets or reasons why some people become technical experts and others don’t.

    Simply put, the more you get your name out there and your name is associated with a field of expertise, the more you are considered to be a technical expert in that field.

  • The Role of Knowledge:

    The other way to enhance your career or profession and become a technical expert is simply to study, educate, train and increase your knowledge in a technical subject to a level far above that of others in your industry.

    Increasing your knowledge takes time, effort and dedicated practice.

    However, if you invest the time to master your technical domain and become an expert, your technical excellence will be noticed by your colleagues, your managers, your clients or the public as you begin to solve increasingly complex or difficult technical problems.

    For example, several times in my career, I have been called to a client site and given a problem that stumped the team or the experts on the team, only for me to resolve it within a few minutes or hours.

    When this happens, my client simply reason that since I solved in an hour, a problem that has kept the team back for several days, I am worth every penny I am paid and more.

    I have actually had clients prompt me to increase my billing rate because of the perceived and real value that I bring to the table.

    Advancing your skills and knowledge is important because no amount of marketing on your part will replace your ability to resolve a client’s problem within a few minutes of you encountering the problem.

    Your knowledge, expertise and personal ability to solve complex or difficult technical problems will also earn you your client’s loyalty, respect and keep you billable on a project long after everyone else is off the project.

So, here is a role of thumb for aspiring technical experts:

Your marketing skills will get you through your client’s or employers door but your technical expertise will keep you billable or engaged with your client or employer.

How Do You Become A Technical Expert?

Here are a few things you need to do to build up your skill and become a technical expert:

  1. Education:

    You need to stay educated and abreast of all the developments in your field.

    You must master both the theory, concepts and topics associated with your body of knowledge.

    When I refer to education, I mean both formal and informal education.

    If you can afford (time, money and effort) to go to college, do so.

    If you can afford (time, money and effort) to go to graduate school, do so.

    Whether you can attend college or graduate school or not, make sure you are not skimping on buying and reading your professional books (informal education).

  2. Training:

    Get as much training as you can. It will look good on your resume and will also improve your skills, knowledge and expertise.

    Pay attention to online training classes, distance learning or training programs and other training opportunities that present themselves.

  3. Coaching / Mentoring:

    Find someone who is experienced enough in your field of specialization to be your mentor or coach and then simply follow their instructions.

    In my opinion, choosing a qualified mentor or coach can make or break your career and not choosing one is simply not an option.

    When you find someone who has built a habit of successfully mentoring or coaching others, simply do what he or she tell asks you to do.Mentoring or coaching is critical to becoming a technical expert because there are so many nuances or details particular to each professional career, that you simply would not and cannot observe or learn in a classroom setting.

    These details are meant to be passed on to a willing student by an able mentor.

    If you miss out on your mentoring or coaching opportunities, you will miss out on wisdom, the kind of wisdom that separates the men from the boys and either distinguishes your career or relegates you to meaningless conformity for the rest of your career.

    Simply put, to become truly great, you must learn how great minds work.

    The saying “The student is only as good as the teacher” is important to keep in mind.

How To Take Action

  1. Choose a field of specialization:

    Decide what you want to become a technical expert in. Choose based on market demand for specific skills, job data, your personal strengths and weaknesses or other relevant criteria.

  2. Become The Best:

    Train yourself with the goal of becoming one of the best in your field of endeavor.

    Study, get a coach or mentor, educate yourself and make it your goal to know better than anyone else.

  3. Show Yourself To The World:

    Technical experts are not created in oblivion or in the privacy of their own room.

    To be considered an expert in the public eye, you must be willing to present, sell, educate or market your credentials to the public.

    It is actually public opinion, public judgment or the opinion of others that confirms you as a technical expert.

    So, you must be willing to inform, educate, train and assert what you know with others before you can be accepted as a technical expert.

    There are several ways to do this, for example, with blogs, newsletters, books, ebooks, magazines, articles.

    Choose the media that works for you based on your budget, your personality and type of profession and then present yourself to the world.

Training Programs for Technical Experts

There are some training, coaching and mentoring opportunities right now for becoming a technical expert.

  1. SQL Training Program:

    This training program is designed for database developers, data analysts, business analysts, computer programmers, web developers and other software development professionals.

    You can read more about the SQL Training opportunity by clicking here: SQL Training

  2. Software Developer Training: :

    This is a coaching, mentoring and training program for software developers, web developers and computer programmers.

    You can read more about by clicking here: how to become an expert software developer.

About Me:

My name is Kingsley Tagbo and I’m a technical expert living in Saint Louis, Missouri.

I write about the training, coaching, mentoring and personal development of software development professionals including business analysts, computer programmers, testers, project managers, web designers, data analysts, report writers, software developers and other software development professionals .

My consulting firm, Exacticity, performs software development consulting and training for clients throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. If you are in need of software development expertise or training, contact me.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/02/05/how-to-become-a-technical-expert/feed/ 7 HOW TO BECOME A BETTER, MORE CONFIDENT, EXPERT PROGRAMMER (PART 1) http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/09/17/how-to-become-a-better-more-confident-expert-programmer-part-1/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/09/17/how-to-become-a-better-more-confident-expert-programmer-part-1/#comments Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:31:17 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/09/17/how-to-become-a-better-more-confident-expert-programmer-part-1/

One of the challenges I faced when I peeked inside my first programming book more than 15 years ago was the difficult of understanding the programming concepts taught in the textbooks I was reading. Think about it for a moment – if you walk into a store and buy a book on “how to master a programming language”, you should be able to read the book once or at most a couple of times and understand it correct?

Well, I’m afraid that’s not how it works in real life. Computer programming books are notoriously scary and difficult to read.

In my roles as a software developer coach and consultant, I come across a lot of folks who are close to giving up the ghost on their programming career because of the difficulty of understanding programming textbooks. I took this to heart some time ago and wrote an article titled “Why Are Computer Programming Books Hard to Study”.

However, this question has been coming up in my private software developer coaching sessions and I think it’s time to address it again.

HOW TO STUDY HARD-TO-UNDERSTAND OR DIFFICULT PROGRAMMING TEXTBOOKS

Software development and computer science textbooks are the primary means of learning new programming languages for beginner, intermediate or expert programmers. To become a better, confident or expert programmer in any programming language you have to read a lot of literature (books, magazines or articles) published on the programming language. What would you do then, if you can’t seem to get a grip on the textbooks written on the programming language you are learning?

What If?

1. You are unable to independently solve the exercises in your programming books

2. You always seem to be stumped whenever you try your hand at challenging programming exercises?

3. You lose confidence in yourself when you get stuck with a problem as you hear a voice in your head saying “as a good programmer, you should be able to solve this problem but you’re no good, that’s why you are failing”?

4. You seem to be able to understand programming theories and concepts but fail at solving real-world programming puzzles, challenges and exercises?

5. You are scared that the reason why you can’t seem to understand programming books is because you don’t have a technical background or your technical background is not as strong as it needs to be?

6. You are scared of technical job interviews because you’re afraid you will be found out to be an impostor?

7. Your commitment, courage and motivation towards software development wanes because of the challenges mentioned above?

8. Your tenacity and resilience at solving programming problems seems to be low and you want to build yourself up by improving your problem solving skills?

You and I both know that programming textbooks are notoriously difficult to study especially when need to master a new programming language. The good news is that there’s an answer waiting for you.

The solution is described in a downloadable book made instantly available to you when you order “The Street Smart Guide to Computer Programming Careers” titled “Effective Study Skills for Computer Programmers”.

WHAT COULD YOU ACHIEVE IF YOU COULD DIG INTO PROGRAMMING TEXTBOOKS EASILY OR SOLVE DIFFICULT PROGRAMMING PROBLEMS COMFORTABLY?

The Fastest Way To Learn Programming Guaranteed

1. For one, you will be able to study for and pass programming job interviews. You won’t be scared of failing or not sounding knowledgeable because you will actually know what you are talking about.

2. If you became competent at solving solve real-world programming challenges, your confidence level will increase and you will be able to apply for the top programming jobs knowing that you are better than other programmers applying for the positions you are interested in.

3. Your peers, managers and clients will notice your increased level of self-confidence and competence and increase their demand for your help and services.

To get started on the road to becoming a better, more confident, expert programmer, click here and order a copy of the book now and you will instantly begin to learn “how to study programming quickly and effectively” and “how to become an expert computer programmer“.


What Is The Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career?



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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/09/17/how-to-become-a-better-more-confident-expert-programmer-part-1/feed/ 2 Learning C++ Programming Language Is Bad For Your Career … C++ Programmers Can’t Find Jobs http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/25/learning-c-programming-language-is-bad-for-your-career-c-programmers-cant-find-jobs/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/25/learning-c-programming-language-is-bad-for-your-career-c-programmers-cant-find-jobs/#comments Thu, 26 Jul 2007 05:41:07 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/25/learning-c-programming-language-is-bad-for-your-career-c-programmers-cant-find-jobs/

Learning A Marketable Skill?

Learning A Marketable Skill?

Hi,

Do you want to learn the C++ programming language or become a C/C++ computer programmer?

Have you ever asked this question? which programming language is the most complex and challenging?? and received the answer C++?

If you answered yes, you are not alone. About 13 years ago, I asked my mentors in computer programming which programming language is the hardest, toughest, most difficult to learn? and I got the same reply as you… C++.

I asked the question because I wanted to become a successful computer programmer.

So, I reasoned that if I could prove myself by conquering the hardest programming language, my success in computer programming would be guaranteed.

Do You Want To Learn The Hardest Programming Language?

Recently, a number of C/C+ software developers have been turning to me for help with their computer programmer careers.

You can do this by taking advantage of the developer coaching or training sessions available to computer programmers who enroll in the software developers boot camp.

So, what could go wrong with the career of a software developer who has conquered one of the meanest, hardest, most complex computer programming languages?

The real problem with learning C/C++ is not whether it leaves up to its reputation for being a tough guy, because it does!.

The challenge facing those who succeed in learning C/C++ is more subtle.

Continue reading and you will find out for yourself soon.

Is C/C++ Programming Good For Your Career?

A few months ago, I started mentoring a C/C++ computer programmer with real-world programming experience in C/C++, Microsoft Foundation Classes and Windows 32 API and a college degree.

He couldn’t get a computer programmer job, so he signed up for my coaching program to find out why he couldn’t get a job with C/C++ programming skills.

After he explained his situation to me, I presented him with a list of 3 hot programming technologies in high demand.

I told him that these programming languages were so hot that just having them on his resume would land him programming job offers, even though he had been out of work for 2 years!

Well, he acted on the information I gave him, took MASSIVE ACTION and in a FEW MONTHS learnt all he could about the 3 hot programming technologies!

Guess what? a few months after taking advantage of my software developer mentoring, he got the first programming job he interviewed for on the spot, after being out of work for two (2) years!

So, why couldn’t a C/C++ computer programmer with real world industry experience and a college degree get a programming job in the middle of a hi-tech boom?

WHY C++ PROGRAMMERS CAN’T GET JOBS

The simple reason why C++ programmers can’t get a job is that the C++ programming language is not suited for business or web applications development!

But, wait a minute, isn’t C/C++ also one of the fastest programming languages?

Yes C++ is one of the fastest programming languages. But the speed of C++ applies to the speed with which it executes on a computer and not to the speed with which you can code or develop software programs.

STOP! Think about what I just said. Don’t just read it, digest my last statement until you really comprehend it.

C/C++ is the wrong programming language for business or web programming because employers care more about the speed with which you code or develop software and care less about the speed at which your software program executes.

Why Employers Don’t Care About The Execution Speed of C++ Programs?

The reason is that the dramatic increases in computer processing speed and memory has made the personal computer faster and much more powerful.

So, the amount of processing power available on most personal computers makes the execution speed of any programming language sufficient for most business software development projects.

What Do Employers Care About?

Employers really want their software developers to code or write programs faster. And C/C++ fares badly at this, because it’s one of the meanest, hardest, most complex programming languages to either learn or develop real-world business applications with.

The problems of C/C++ does not stop with the difficulty of learning the language. It’s also harder, tougher and slower to develop web or business applications in.

This is the real reason why most employers will not hire C/C++ programmers for business or web application development.

Is C/C+ Dead?

Certainly not. C/C++ is best suited for software projects like writing operating systems, compilers, computer or video games, data mining applications, scientific applications or applications where the execution speed is critical.

Stop for a moment now and answer this question: do you really want to make money from programming computers quickly or easily?

If you answered yes, I recommend you go into an area of computer programming where the demand is hot and where there are lots and lots of jobs.

That area right now is in internet or web application programming which C++ is unfortunately not suited for.

Secondly, if you want to success in web or business applications development, learn a programming language which allows you to quickly create programs that meet business needs.

After 13 years, I realize that employers don’t care about the beauty of the C++ programming language.

Employers care about automating their business processes or making their businesses work better, quicker and faster.

Employers also want to hire programmers whose speed of development matches or outpaces their business operations.

The ugly truth is that C/C++ is not the right tool for achieving either of these results.

Dear friend, enroll in the Software Developers Boot Camp now and learn those programming languages that excel at creating business software applications easily and quickly and you will discover success in computer programming quickly and easily.

Finally, if you are a programmer needing help with career decisions, no matter how bad your situation is, sign-up for the Software Developers Boot Camp now and you will be personally coached on how to achieve success in your situation.


What Is The Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career?



What Is The Toughest Challenge Facing Your Career?

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