ITCareerCoach Training - Coaching » Resumes 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 Stuck in a College Mindset After Graduation http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/03/stuck-with-a-college-mindset-after-graduation/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/03/stuck-with-a-college-mindset-after-graduation/#comments Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:49:12 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3311

Why Handson-Experience Makes You Marketable

Why Handson-Experience Makes You Marketable

Perhaps you have been told that success depends on the choosing the right college major, getting into the best college or getting good grades?

Sounds right?
This advice actually has no value in the real-world and as a matter of fact, it just ain’t true!

I’m really not knocking down your college degree, the recognition you gain from a top-rated college or the value of getting a 4.0 GPA.

No, just pointing you in the right direction …

The moment you get out of college, your college major, degree or GPA becomes history because you are now running a different race!

The sad fact, is that some professionals are still stuck in that old college race even though they have graduated!

They are stuck with a college mindset because their thinking is that …

if they choose the correct college major or get a masters degree or enroll
for an MBA or another college degree … they can automatically qualify for business analysts / project
managers, computer programmers jobs, etc.

They have believed a lie.

Having one college degree (regardless of the major) is what matters because you will only get to use a fraction of your college education … out there in the real world.

If you are one of the lucky few, you will realize that the skills used on the job like: verbal or written communication skills, research and analysis skills, logical and problem solving skills can be gotten from just about any college major, degree or school.

So, How Relevant Is Your College Major?

The information technology industry has already moved to a more open, social learning system where functional, hands-on knowledge developed on the job is valued over rigorous, academic, theoretical qualifications.

Those who miss this are stuck with an irrelevant, traditional mindset.

The good news is that in-spite of your college major, you can qualify for a project management, software developer, technical writer or business analyst job.

Having a business degree does not qualify you for a business analyst job and neither does having a computer science degree qualify you for a computer programmer job.

You can get a computer programmer job with a business / finance / accounting background just as easily as you can get a business analyst job with an engineering or computer science degree.

Why Functional, Hands-On Experience Matters

Employers are hiring for real-world, problem solving skills, strong domain knowledge or industry background or experience and relevant, cutting-edge information as opposed to any type of paper qualification.

If you have these traits, you should have no problem getting hired regardless of your college major.

Write This Down:

Your functional knowledge or hands-on experience is the reason why you get hired for a project management, business analyst or computer programmer job.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/03/stuck-with-a-college-mindset-after-graduation/feed/ 3 Put Your Blinders On Before You Read This! http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/01/put-your-blinders-on-before-you-read-this/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/01/put-your-blinders-on-before-you-read-this/#comments Sat, 01 Oct 2011 18:15:11 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3309

Put Your Blinders On Before You Read This!

Put Your Blinders On Before You Read This!

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

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

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

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

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

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

The solution? Put your job description blinders on …

#1: Give Yourself A Gut Check:

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

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

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

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

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

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

#2: Put Your Job Description Blinders On:

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

Here are some examples of misleading or inaccurate job descriptions:

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

    Why?

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Why?

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

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

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

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

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/10/01/put-your-blinders-on-before-you-read-this/feed/ 0 How To Overcome Lack of References In Resumes or Job Interviews http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/07/how-to-overcome-lack-of-references-in-resumes-or-job-interviews/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/07/how-to-overcome-lack-of-references-in-resumes-or-job-interviews/#comments Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:42:22 +0000 mina_g http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3250

How To Overcome Lack of References

How To Overcome Lack of References


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • When Are References Needed In The Hiring Process?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Don’t Over Think The Reference Process

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Work Your Professional Contacts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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This post was submitted by mina_g.

]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/08/07/how-to-overcome-lack-of-references-in-resumes-or-job-interviews/feed/ 0 How to list two different careers on a resume http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/07/19/how-to-combine-two-different-careers-on-a-resume/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/07/19/how-to-combine-two-different-careers-on-a-resume/#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:41:02 +0000 Michael http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3237

Resume Writing & Cover Letters Coaching

Resume Writing & Cover Letters Coaching


[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.

Here is a question submitted by Michael, an IT Project Manager …

How can I incorporate my 14 years Supply Chain / Logistics background with my current IT Project Management experience, without aging myself or making myself unmarketable.

I have been contemplating a Masters in Global Logistics / Supply to go with my BS Information Systems, with a PMP Certification and a Six Sigma Greenbelt.

How Often Do Professionals Change Careers?

Michael’s question on “how to combine multiple different careers into one functional resume” echoes the challenges that we will all face at one point or the other in our career because like it or not, just like Michael we are bound to change our careers at least once.

The question is not “if you change your career“, but “when you change your career“, how should you handle that on our resume?

On one hand, if you do not show your previous experience on your resume, you will have to answer questions on “what you have been doing with your life” or about “the gaps on your resume“.

But then, if you do include all your previous working experience, which in Michael’s case goes back as far as 14 years, you risk being labeled a dinosaur, what a dilemma!

So, I will lay out some principles that will help you decide on how to write your resume on a case by cases basis since no one answer will work for all situations.

Aging As A Natural Process

I get it, once you hit 40, you start worrying about your age. And I agree with you that “Age Discrimination” is alive and well in corporate America.

I have heard of at least one interview where a job candidate was disqualified on sight because he looked like an “older gentleman”.

But do not be too concerned about age-based discrimination. In a way people are always being discriminated against based on their race, gender, ethnic origin, nationality, income or age.

Instead of focusing on your age over which you have no control, focus on things that you can absolutely control, like your skills, experience, education, training, etc. and become the best that you can be.

What Did Stephen Covey Say?

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?” over which you have no control?

Focus on things like your skills, your learning, your attitude over which you have complete control!

Can You Combine Multiple Careers On One Resume?

The Relevance Principle

If your current career is in a completely different industry or is unlike the past careers in terms of job responsibilities and skills, then including your past careers will not advance your case at the job interview.

Since you will end up having a large gap in your resume, you may still include your past careers on your resume

Do this by rewriting your resume so that it focus strongly on accomplishments, responsibilities or roles that align with your current career as an IT Project Manager.

Another way of doing this is to rewrite your resume so that it highlights a gradual transition into your current IT Project Management Role over a number of years.

This will give you a credible reason for being in a job that has little or no relevance to your current career

On the other hand, if you had been much younger, you may be better off skipping the past career positions as the employment gaps in your resume will not be that large.

How to write better, more focused resumes

The current trend in the Information Technology (IT) Industry is actually to keep multiple versions of your resume with each one written for a particular industry or job function.

If you are working as an IT Project Manager and not in a Supply Chain / Logistics capacity, then you don’t need to include that in your resume because it is offers little value to the employer.

You may for example include the last few years of your supply chain management experience and skip the earlier years altogether.

Perhaps what will help you the most is an exercise I describe as “Putting Yourself In The Employers Shoes”.

Imagine that you are an employer reviewing resumes for an IT Project Management Job, the most important thing is the ability of a candidate to do a good job.

With that in mind, “How relevant is 14 years of Supply Chain / Global Logistics Management” experience to the job of an IT Project Manager in your business?

Do you see that from an employers perspective, 14 years spent in a completely different career is not relevant to an IT Project Manager’s Job?

The exception is the job candidate who takes the additional steps of showing an employer the value in their past careers by expanding on tasks, responsibilities, roles or job functions that are similar to those performed by project managers.


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This post was submitted by Michael.

]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/07/19/how-to-combine-two-different-careers-on-a-resume/feed/ 0 The Most Important Thing on Your Resume http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/03/the-most-important-thing-on-resume/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/03/the-most-important-thing-on-resume/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:56:38 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=3052

The Most Important Thing On Your Resume Is What?

The Most Important Thing On Your Resume Is What?

There are several things on a resume that can help get you hired. These include your educational qualifications, certifications, training, the college or institutions which you attended, skill level and your hansdon experience.

But regardless of whether you are a business analyst, computer programmer, project manager, data analyst, report writer or network administrator, the singular, most important thing on your resume or career is your handson experience!

Handson Experience Builds your Career

Handson experience matters because it is the only credible, impartial evaluation of the work that you are doing and here is why:

When you work on a practical problem, you get all sorts of feedback about your progress and about how you are doing. For example:

  • Fast vs. Slow Completion: If you complete the work quickly, easily or fast you feel good about the work and others realize that you are skilled at what you do.

  • Fun vs. Boring Job: If you do a job and you realize that you like it, you want to do the job again.

    On the other hand, a college education does not imply that you are suited for a career … you actually have to get a job to get that information.

    There are lots of college graduates who discover to their dismay that they absolutely hate the career that they studied in college!

    On the other hand, your performance on the job is an impartial, real-world evaluation of your suitability for a job or career.

  • Good vs. Poor Work: There is perhaps no better indication of your suitability for a job as the quality of your work.

    For example, having a Phd. in computer programming does not guarantee that you will build a better web application than someone without and having an MBA does not mean that you will be a better business analyst than someone without.

    In other words, there is no substitute for the quality of your work .. either you are good at what you do or you are not!

Handson Experience Builds your Skill

One of the best ways to remember all the common and important instructions which are essential for your job is to practice them over and over again.

With constant practice or repetition you’ll be able to recall the next steps at any time. Even in a critical situation you’ll be able to resolve issues quickly without having to consult books or the internet.

And one of the traits most valued by employers is the ability to recall solutions to pressing problems from memory, take control or fix problems and act with the confidence that comes from dealing with similar issues!

Handson Experience Defines your Resume

When employers post a job, the singular most important thing that they scan your resume for is your handson experience.

What employers do, is that they simply take an inventory of the types of tasks you will be hired to do and then scan your resume for evidence supporting that you have done that type of work before.

Some employers are so vested in this mindset that they will not hire you for a job if you are not currently working on a similar job.

However, most employers will hire you if you have strong handson experience especially when that is comparable to the job that they want to fill!

While reviewing your resume, employers are primarily concerned about the quality of your experience and they would scrutinize your resume for the following information:

  • Who you’ve worked for – employers want to know if you’ve worked in similar jobs or for similar companies or in the same industry
  • How long you’ve worked on various projects – employers want to know whether your experience is sketchy or detailed or recent

So your experience is the most important thing on your resume and if you want to be successful, you had better be working on improving your handson experience daily.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2011/01/03/the-most-important-thing-on-resume/feed/ 0 Why Your Resume Gets Tossed http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/why-your-resume-gets-tossed/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/why-your-resume-gets-tossed/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:28:15 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2743

Is Mindless Resume Submission Working?

Is Mindless Resume Submission Working?


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

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

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

Why Resumes Get Tossed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/12/17/why-your-resume-gets-tossed/feed/ 6 Tailor your Resume for Each Job http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/11/11/tailor-your-resume-for-each-job/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/11/11/tailor-your-resume-for-each-job/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:39:13 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2692

Miracle Worker?

How To Tailor Your Resume For Each Job

Employers are still hiring. Your job is to let them know that you’re a qualified, skilled and motivated job seeker.

One of the easiest ways to get this across is by sending a targeted, well-written resume.

It’s really not enough to send a generic resume for every job. Take the time to tailor your resume for each job opening because employers seek the best possible fit for each job opening.

With that in mind, here is a typical situation:

Hi,

I have done M.Tech in Advanced Computing , BE in CSE i worked 2 years in Wireless Business and 6.5 years as Revenue Analyst Skills include MS Office ,Lotus and WLAN ,

Can i get any job in BA.

How should the CV looks like please put a light note on this one.

How To Tailor your Resume For Specific Job Openings!

Software and human screeners including HR representatives, clerical staff, hiring officers, supervisors, department managers, company owners, and personnel recruiters sift through and scan hundreds of resumes.

If your resume does not highlight the skills, experience and training matching the expectations of the hiring manager, it will be rejected.

So, here are some guidelines to follow in matching your resume to each job description:

  1. Emphasize results and accomplishments – you may make the case that you’re lacking domain experience because you’re just transitioning careers or jobs.

    However, you can’t make any case for a lack of results or accomplishments from your previous jobs and careers!

  2. Capture the hiring manager’s attention – Grab the attention of hiring manager’s by presenting your best arguments in the opening lines of your resume.

    Understand the key objectives for each job opening and then make the best case for you strengths, background, education or experience.

    Put your best foot forward early in your resume or the rest of it will not be read.

  3. Customize your resume for each business job – Don’t send a generic resume that is targeted for every job opening because it will lack the necessary appeal.

    For example, if a job requires experience working in a team, ensure that each of the positions on your resume includes detailed descriptions of your experience working in a team.

  4. Include relevant critical keywords or buzzwords – Include the appropriate keywords for each job opening.

    This will make your resume search friendly or rank higher in resume databases resulting in a higher number of calls or job interviews.

    It will also make you more believable to employers.

    Begin by researching the appropriate keywords for your career, domain or industry and then highlight those keywords in past or current jobs.

  5. Add your personal brand to that soulless resume – Employers want to connect with you when they read your resume.

    So, don’t send out a soulless resume that hides the key attributes of your personality or the value that you bring.

    Make your resume, warm, engaging, captivating and interesting by working-in the key elements of your personal brand.

    You resume must connect and captivate the attention of hiring managers and bring your unique personality, passion and value to life!

  6. Use the appropriate format for your resume – Tailor the formatting of your resume to each job opening.

    Choose the appropriate resume format considering your qualifications, education, and experience.

    Know when to use the appropriate chronological, functional or types of resume formats.

    Employ the right formatting, paying attention to fonts, font sizes, line heights, white spaces, etc.

    The goal is to make your resume easy to read and visual appealing!

  7. Demonstrate relevant experience on your resume – you may not have the required hands-on experience but you may have strengths, accomplishments, educational qualifications or past working experience that can substitute.

    The trick is in knowing what to substitute for real-world experience.

    Note that it’s still better to get real-world experience and back that up with relevant training.

    Read more in the e-book; “The Blueprint, Your Roadmap To Career Success” – http://www.it-career-coach.net/book/

Customizing your resumes is important because sending un-targeted resumes is a bad idea even when one is qualified. So, take the time to craft, focus or make your resume for relevant job opening!

Would you like to get help with writing a targeted, focused resume for a job opening? And would you also like these four (4) services free with your resume help:

  1. CAREER COACHING HANDBOOK – The Blueprint, Your Roadmap To Career Success – http://www.it-career-coach.net/book/

  2. CAREER ASSESSMENT COACHING – Evaluates your career options and help you target a career based on your current background, skills, education, training, job history, interests and location.

  3. RESUME COACHING – Rewrites your resume to highlight relevant skills and experience for the targeted career.

  4. INTERVIEW COACHING – Helps you identify or prepare personalized answers to common or difficult job interview questions ahead of time.

Resume writing services cost as much as $600 and if you use them for multiple job openings, the cost quickly adds up!

Career coaching that includes resume writing, job interview and career assessment coaching costs as much as $1000+.

For a limited-time (only), you may get all four (4) services done for a low, one-time fee using the discount code: resumeONEX here: https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?c=cart&i=201078&cl=18643&ejc=2

NOTE: These offers are only available on a first-come, first served basis. And you may not qualify when the available slots are taken up!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/11/11/tailor-your-resume-for-each-job/feed/ 0 How Effective Are Resume Writers? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/29/how-effective-are-resume-writers/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/29/how-effective-are-resume-writers/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:01:27 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2117

Miracle Worker?

Miracle Worker?

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

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

Why Would You Hire A Resume Writer?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resume Writers Are Not Miracle Workers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Ask IT Career Coach

Ask IT Career Coach

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

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

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

Here is the Reader’s Question:

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

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

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

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

Regards

Here is my Answer

Hello,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Start by forgiving yourself thoroughly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let me know if I can do anything to help.

Regards,

Kingsley Tagbo – Your IT Career Coach

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

If you have any Question about your career, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/16/did-i-mess-up-my-career/feed/ 9 Why Can’t I Find A Job? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/why-cant-i-find-a-job/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/why-cant-i-find-a-job/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:21:11 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/?p=2002

Beat the Recession

Beat the Recession

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/07/13/why-cant-i-find-a-job/feed/ 6 How To Get An IT Business Analyst Job http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/26/how-to-get-an-it-business-analyst-job/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/26/how-to-get-an-it-business-analyst-job/#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:25:17 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/26/how-to-get-an-it-business-analyst-job/

How To Get An IT Business Analyst Job?

How To Get An IT Business Analyst Job?

On of my readers needs help with finding a business analyst job, so I am posting the information I provided to him in this article.

If you have any questions about this or about your business analyst career, post it as comment at the end of this post and I would also answer or address it for you.

Here is the business analyst career question posted by my reader:

Hi – my greatest challenge is the fact that I’ve never held an IT Business Analyst position.

I’m convinced I can do the job based on my experience, but I have not had any interviews outside of my current employer.

I had a few interviews in my current company but was being sabotaged by my former boss so I never got the job.

As the economy has dived over the last few months, I am not getting any offers for interviews. I’ve given up trying to get into the IT Bus Analyst field for now.

What do I need to do to get back into the ‘hunt’? And, how do I convey to potential employers that I am the man for the job?

Here is how this business analyst can address the situation facing him:

Why Do IT Managers Hire Business Analysts?

IT Managers hire business analysts with skills, training and experience matching specific jobs.

IT Managers list a wide range of business analysts skills in job postings including UML, Use Cases, Requirements Elicitation.

IT Managers Are Looking For Hands-on Business Analysis Experience

The Key to getting a business analyst job is to find out what employers or hiring managers are looking for and then give it back to them.

This sounds quite easy and simple, but believe me, it is not that easy. There is a lot that goes into following this straightforward advice.

What are IT Managers hiring for? IT Managers are looking for hands-on skills, experience and expertise in specific knowledge areas.

You may already have some of the requisite skills and experience based on your previous or current job experience.

Some of the most frequently asked for skills are included in the business analyst course curriculum listed here …

Tailor Your Resume To Business Analyst Jobs

You may already be able to do a business analyst job based on your current experience so, why not also work on improving your current resume so that it reflects the experience or skills you already have in business analysis?

Begin by highlighting and expanding on the business analysis tasks you have performed in the past.

Put more spotlight on the skills you utilized, the business analysis roles and responsibilities you held (formally or informally) and the results you achieved.

You want to joggle your memory and bring out every relevant detail. Imagine that you are making your case in front of a skeptical judge.

Your prosecutor is the list of job candidates that would make a better presentation than you. The arguments in your favor is your resume.

Your business analyst resume has to be very convincing for you to get the job.

Improve Your Business Analyst Resume

The strongest argument that you can make will be along the lines of experience, resume and skills.

So, you want to marshal all your arguments forcefully on your resume because if you don’t, you may never get a second chance.

If your resume is not convincing, you may not get a second chance or a follow-up phone interview or a face to face interview or the job or an offer or the ability to pay your mortgage … you get the picture?

Add More hands-on business analysis experience to your resume!

The fastest way to get hired for an IT business analyst job is not your educational qualification or your business analysis certification but your hand-on business analysis experience!Are you surprised about that?

IT Managers know that certifications can sometimes be gamed!

There are horror stories about job candidates who have the perfect certifications and the perfect scores and then fail to perform on the job after they are hired!

These sorts of candidates have damaged the credibility of the certification market! But experience cannot be gamed

It either you have experience or you don’t. Because IT Managers are looking for hands-on experience, your can cut to the chase by getting a lot of hands-on business analyst experience such as that offered through the business analyst boot camp online training here:

There are other ways to gain hands-on experience and I discuss this next:

  • Start again by volunteering for non-profit organizations. They are plenty of them around and in this recession they will be needing your help even more!

  • Do a good job and ask the non-profit organization to provide you a reference for for the work you’ve done for them.

  • Use your spare time in the evenings and weekends to rack up your experience and references.

  • Then go on a job hunt. Start by sending your resume to multiple recruiters (not just one or two recruiters), telling them that you are in the market for a business analyst job. Then just sit back and wait for them to line up business analyst job interviews for you.

  • That is all you need to do. Take massive action towards landing your dream business analyst job and while you are on it, forget about the economy or the recession or your manager who denied you the opportunity to move ahead.

FYI: Stephen Covey in “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” 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, while you may not be able to change the past or the economy or the recession, you can dramatically improve:

  • Your Business Analyst Resume

  • Your Business Analyst Hands On Experience

  • Your Business Analysis Job Interview Skills

If you have any question or challenge about your business analyst career, go ahead and post it as a comment at the end of this article and I will address it for you.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2009/02/26/how-to-get-an-it-business-analyst-job/feed/ 40 Employment Discrimination For Java Programmers http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/03/22/employment-discrimination-for-java-programmers/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/03/22/employment-discrimination-for-java-programmers/#comments Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:01:28 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/03/22/employment-discrimination-for-java-programmers/

I just received a question that has to do with age discrimination for a Java programmer and I would like to share it with you.

Reader Question:

I would like to find an IT Career Coach in San Diego CA.

I am a certified Java Programmer, and have an academic background in applied mathematics, but I did not work with J2EE and data bases, I would like to know what type of career is available in my age 55, what additional training is necessary.

Sincerely.

Here is my answer to this question:

Hi :

Thanks for getting in touch with me today about your java computer programming
career.

I would certainly like to help you achieve your java training career goals.

Your age does not have a lot to do with your software development career success and here is why:

1. There is a federal law against age discrimination and most employers are aware of that. Click here to read an article on Wikipedia titled:
Age Discrimination in Employment Act

2. A lot of hiring or recruiting is done based on your resume and your interviewing skills. If your resume looks good and you perform at your technical interview, you will get a JAVA programming job in the current job market for java programmers …. guaranteed!

3. The demand for programming skills far outstrips the supply, so you will probably end up having multiple job offers, even if you don't have a lot of experience, but can demonstrate reasonable java programming aptitude and an excellent attitude during your technical interview.

In other for me to help you assess how much work you need to do to get a Java programmer job, please answer the following questions:

1. How much practical, real world, hands on Java programming experience do you have?

2. What types of Java programming projects have you been working on for the last 5 years?

Please do get back to me with these answers as soon as you can.

Thanks,

Kingsley Tagbo, IT CAREER COACH

http://www.it-career-coach.net

Do you have a question about your software development career, business analyst career or software tester career you would like for me to answer?

Post your question as a comment on this page and I will answer that burning question on your mind …. guaranteed!

About The Author

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

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


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/03/22/employment-discrimination-for-java-programmers/feed/ 0 The Job Of A Computer Programmer http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/18/the-job-of-a-computer-programmer/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/18/the-job-of-a-computer-programmer/#comments Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:00:25 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/18/the-job-of-a-computer-programmer/

A few days ago, I granted an interview to a student writing a research paper on The job of a computer programmer. During the interview, I was given ten questions to answer about careers and jobs in computer programming. I’ve decided to post my replies, since a lot of people will benefit from it. You will find this entire interview interesting.

Please read it for your own benefit.

1. How did you get into the field of computer programming?

While studying chemical engineering in college, I observed that my friends studying computer science were having more fun than me. For example, they had part-time jobs working for companies; the entrepreneurial minded ones had founded small software development firms and were creating practical, useable, real world applications.

So, I befriended them and after college, a friend helped me interview for a technical sales job at a computer networking and software development firm.

2. What do you do on a daily basis?

On a daily basis, I do one of the following:

  • Design or Architect Software Applications, Websites, Databases.

  • Write code for both Intranet and Internet applications, Web Sites, Web Services and other software applications.

  • I document code or write technical documentation for existing or new software applications.

  • I train and mentor people who want to become a programmer or master computer programming.

  • I support or maintain existing software application code.

  • I write about my life and career as a software developer.

  • I analyze and document requirements for new software projects.

  • I plan and manage the development effort of software projects.

3. What is the average introductory salary for a computer programmer?

The average introductory salary for a computer programmer varies. It depends on your country and state of residence, the programming languages, programming experience, negotiation skills and whether you are a full-time or contract programmer. For Saint Louis, USA, I will say it is about $65,000 to $70,000.

4. What are the pros for a career in computer programming?

There are lots of pros. It will take a book to mention or discuss it all, but here are a few:

  • Top pay for computer programmers. Computer programmers can earn a high salary easily. This is because programmers are judged by their ability to get the job done. That means that if you are capable of pushing yourself to do hard study, you can earn six figures in no time. In so many other careers, you can’t up your earnings by $20k to $40 k within a single year because your remuneration is not tied to your performance but to your age, experience and other implacable factors.

  • High demand for computer programmers. There are thousands of jobs listed on job sites like Monster.com for computer programmers. There are jobs everywhere on local newspapers, job boards, and local recruiting fairs. There are so many programmer job vacancies that programmers from several nations are courted and recruited worldwide to work in countries like USA, Canada, Australia.

  • Self Actualization. The need for us to do meaningful work that fulfills us is core to what makes us human. Computer programmers have that opportunity because their work is highly creative and they are highly remunerated. Computer programmers also get to use their mind, personal vision, talents, creativity, skills and initiative at work every day. There are always bugs to quash, new software applications to visualize and develop as well as human and business needs to be satisfied. Furthermore because there’s no cookie-cutter approach to programming, your personal ability, creativity and hard-work will always be appreciated and rewarded.

5. What are the cons of a career in computer programming?<

The major con of being a professional computer programmer is that:

  • You spend a lot of time with computers and technology. If you don’t like working with technology that much, you may begin to dislike your career. Also, you may end up spending more time working with computers than talking to people. Again, some people can handle this and others can’t.

  • Another con is that computer programming is a fast paced career. New technologies and programming languages are being released yearly which make your current skills partially or completely obsolete. So you have to be constantly learning new technology or your career becomes extinct.

6. What are the recent trends for computer programming careers?

Some of the major trends I’ve noticed is a shift towards object-oriented programming, a shift towards web programming, a shift away from windows programming, a shift towards test driven development, a shift towards better software design and a shift towards mobile software application development.

7. What are the hours for a computer programmer?

A computer programmer typically works a full 9 am to 5pm, 40 hour week. Additional time needs to be set aside to study and stay abreast of technology.

8. Would you recommend a career in computer programming and why?

Read my earlier comments on the pros of a career in computer programming to see the reasons why I recommend a career in computer programming.

9. What is your advice for someone interested in a career in computer programming?

Don’t let the lack of a college degree, your age or the educational conditions existing in your country or state of residence stop you from becoming a computer programmer because none of these is a real barrier. Begin by reading how to master computer programming and get high-paying software development jobs easily to discover the steps you need to take to become a professional software developer.

Next, if you can, begin your programming career early in life, because your investment in programming skills and experience will work for you and before you know it, you are a top-paid consultant. Finally, don’t let anybody or anything deter you from pursuing your career in computer programming because, programming is not as hard as people make it to be. If the fear of the unknown, stops you from pursuing a career in computer programming, conquer your fear and discover a bright new world waiting for you as you begin a career in computer programming

.

10. Are there opportunities for advancement in a programming career?

Yes. You can start and become a mid-level programmer, senior software developer, software architect, software manager, IT director, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), etc. If you are a contract programmer, you can advance by increasing your billing rate, finding challenging work or contracting for new clients.

How To Learn Programming Easily and Get Hired Fast!
The Faster, Easier, Less Expensive Way To Learn Computer Programming and Get A Job.

If you enjoyed reading this post and will like to be notified when I publish another news article, please join my free computer programming career newsletter.

About the Author

Kingsley Tagbo is a Software Developer, a Computer Programming Coach and Author of How to Master High Paying, Highly Sought-After Computer Programming Skills Easily and Quickly. Kingsley’s book “The Street Smart Guide to High Paying Computer Programmer Careers” teaches you how to develop and leverage your ability to master high paying computer programming skills easily.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/18/the-job-of-a-computer-programmer/feed/ 2 The Secret Path To Contract Programming http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/16/the-secret-path-to-contract-programming/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/16/the-secret-path-to-contract-programming/#comments Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:00:38 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/16/the-secret-path-to-contract-programming/

Who is a contract programmer?

A contract programmer is a software developer who is paid an hourly rate for working on special software development projects for a period. Contract computer programmers are not paid salaries like full-time developers but hourly wages.

Contract programmers tend to be very project focused because they are hired to solve specific problems or code specific features and as soon as that is done, they have to move on to another project or find a new client.

Contract programmers are independent software developers who work with clients on a project-to-project basis. The relationship between a contract programmer and a client lasts as long as the client has a steady stream of work. What usually happens is that as soon as the client can’t find any work or the work starts dwindling down, the client initiates the process to end the relationship.

Contract computer programmers are not supposed to form strong emotional bonds or ties to their clients unlike their full-time colleagues because the nature of their work is temporary. That is why contract programmers are sometimes called temporary workers.

Contract programmers are specialists, experts and master craftsmen. When a client hires a contract computer programmer, the client expects to find a master programmer who will hit the ground running. This separates contract programmers from full-time software developers and the master craftsmen from the wannabe contract programmers.

A contract programmer is expected to start churning out high quality code, fixing bugs, improving their clent’s software and generally justifing their high pay by solving important problems within a few hours or days of starting work. Unlike full-time software developers who may take 6 months to 1 year to prove themselves, contract programmers who haven’t mastered their art well-enough to make a difference are usually dropped like hot potatoes by their clients.

Contract programmers may be W2 contract programmers or 1099 contract programmers. The difference lies with how their taxes are filed with the IRS.

The W2 contract programmer is paid by a recruiting agency that is also responsible for withholding taxes and providing liability insurance. Many recruiting agencies will also provide medical, dental and 401K benefits.

On the other hand, 1099 contract programmers, generally known as free-lancers, pay their taxes to the IRS and provide their own medical, dental and 401K insurance.

A contract programmer has the liberty of working as a W2 contract programmer with one firm and a 1099 contract programmer with another firm.

How long do contract programming projects last?

Contract programming projects typically last from a month to 5 years. The trend is towards fewer months and higher billing rates. The typical duration is 3 months, 6 months or 1 year.

How much do contract computer programmers bill?

Contract programmers typically bill anywhere from $50 per hour to $200 per hour.

What factors determine the contract programmer’s billing rate?

The factors that determine a contract programmers billing rate include:

1. Experience: The more experienced a contract programmer is, the more the contract programmer can charge

2. Demand: Some computer programming skills are in high-demand while others are not. So contract programmers who master computer programming skills that are in high-demand can bill at a higher rate than others

3. Client: The compensation provided for the same programming skills can vary widely by client with no other explanation other than one client having more money than the other

Who should be a contract programmer?

Contract programming makes sense for computer programmers who love to be independent or who do not want to climb the corporate ladder. It is also good for those individuals who want to make more money than is found in regular full-time software development. Finally, it works for those who can use their down-time in between projects to sharpen their computer programming skills, pursue other hobbies or take vacations.

What is the future or outlook for contract programmers?

The future is bright for contract programmers as more companies are trending towards out-sourcing their software development projects to temporary staffing firms or recruiting agencies that in turn out-source the programming work to contract programmers. Contract computer programmers are considered to be expert, highly-skilled craftsmen and their opinions and expertise are valued at client sites They are also paid significantly more money and do not have to stand inline or beg for a pay raise when they work for it.

How do you become a contract programmer?

The critical skills needed for a successful contract programming career are:

  1. Expert programming skills

  2. Well-crafted resume

  3. Effective job interviewing skills

  4. Aggressive Resume Marketing

Read this previous post titled “The keys of a successful computer programmer career” to learn more about these keys.

If you have these skills in abundance, you will do well in contract programming. If you don’t or will like to develop them, you should read “How to become a master contract programmer” or CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR COPY IN A FEW MINUTES.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/07/16/the-secret-path-to-contract-programming/feed/ 0 Programming Job Interview And Resume Writing Success Story http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/04/05/programming-job-interview-and-resume-writing-success-story/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/04/05/programming-job-interview-and-resume-writing-success-story/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:51:49 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/04/05/programming-job-interview-and-resume-writing-success-story/

I am taking more questions on computer programmer careers in today’s tutorial.

If you have questions you need answered, email it to me or post it as a comment to this article. Here are the questions I am replying to:

  • I am interested in learning more about the program that will help you get a job fast

  • How long does it take to learn programming?

  • How can I learn programming fast?

  • Is it hard to get a programming job?

The answers to these questions are hidden in the amazing short story I am about to tell you next.

BACKGROUND

Matt was an electrical engineer who had been a stay-at-home parent for four years. When his youngest child started kindergarten, Matt wanted to return to work doing what he loved: Computer Programmingwith cutting edge technology.

KEY ISSUES

  • While Matt was at home, technology and software development processes had changed. Matt needed a re-orientation on the Software Development industry and guidance in picking the right programming technology to focus on and a curriculum for covering the core areas of that technology.

  • Matt’s resume did not express in full detail his breadth of programming skills experience and needed major revision.

  • Matt needed interview coaching on a wide breadth of questions especially in the area of object oriented programming which is currently the area of focus for many developer interviews.

  • Matt needed a plan for practicing in a real-world way all the new programming concepts and skills he was learning. This way, he could be confident of and demonstrate his experience to potential employers.

THE COACHING PROCESS

The first few coaching sessions focused on bringing Matt up to date with the latest changes in the software development industry. Matt learned the details of the new programming skills that employers were looking for in contractors and full-time hires. I developed a list of skills he needed to learn over the next few months and a plan for refreshing his knowledge of computer programming and getting real-world experience.

Over the next few months, Matt brought himself up to speed using my curriculum and taking advantage of my extensive email coaching. Then he was ready to move to the next step. job search coaching.

Matt’s resume needed a major revision because it did not detail the programmer skills he used in a way that would catch the employer’s attention. Also, it did not give credit to the hot, in-demand technologies that he had used on previous projects. Matt also needed to list his experience in a way that demonstrated his passion and aptitude for technology and the fact that he was very results-oriented.

Once I introduced Matt to a couple of my preferred recruiters, I got him started on my interview coaching program. I looked at the job descriptions of the positions he was considering and gave him an overview of what the potential employers would be looking for. I then oriented him on the technical recruiting process, skills testing, phone interviews, face-to-face interviews, code sample demonstrations etc.

My partner and I coached Matt on the programming concepts that he needed to master and discuss off the top of his head in order to impress the hiring manager. We also ran him through a two hour mock technical interview where we coached him on how to frame and phrase his answers.

THE RESULTS

Because of Matt’s commitment to the coaching process and our attention to detail, the results were immediate and outstanding: Less than two weeks after his resume was mailed out to my preferred recruiters and after just ONE interview, Matt received a job offer for a Senior Developer position. The amazing part is that the hiring manager was so impressed, he extended an offer within an hour of the job interview.

IN MATT’S OWN WORDS:

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

When you look in your local bookstore you won’t find resources that will give you the inside information about how to write a resume specific to programming that will make you stand out from the crowd. You also won’t find the inside information about what interview questions to expect and more importantly – how to answer them!

Kingsley supplied all this information and more. And not only that, but it was structured in such a way that it was easy to learn. Each step builds on what I learned in the previous step so I never got overwhelmed.

I went on my first interview and it went very well. I was prepared for every question and answered each one beyond expectation. The interviewer said that with each answer I gave, I also answered the next two questions on his list. I walked out of the interview at 9:15am and by 10:30am my recruiter called to tell me they had offered me the position.

I’m ecstatic with my results. I couldn’t have done it without the guidance I received from Kingsley! I owe him my career. He has given me the keys that have allowed me to unlock my potential as a professional programmer – and I will forever be grateful. Anyone considering a career in programming simply must get his coaching. It would be a bargain at 10 times the price!”

THE NEXT STEP

You just read Matt’s success story! It began for him when he bought a copy of my “software developer career book” which came with a one month free programmer coaching program valued at four hundred dollars. The result is that Matt learned modern object oriented web development with me and got hired in a few months!

Now, it is your turn to “master computer programming skills easily” , “get a programmer job fast” or get coached on your toughest programmer career challenge free for one (1) month!

You know what you must do! Take advantage of my free software developer career coaching program here and instantly discover programming success.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/04/05/programming-job-interview-and-resume-writing-success-story/feed/ 0 Is My Resume Killing My Career? http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/03/19/is-my-resume-killing-my-career/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/03/19/is-my-resume-killing-my-career/#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:47:14 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/03/19/is-my-resume-killing-my-career/

Resume Writer

Resume Writer

You won’t have believed me if I told you.

But now You, Oh Yes You, are beginning to realize it.

Your resume is the reason why you can’t get a programming interview despite your best efforts.

And when you talk to recruiters, Oh My, Do They Give You A Run Around!

Someone should have been kind enough to tell you that your resume is killing your career!

You send your resume to soooo many employers and then sit back for phone calls that never happen.

No one wants to hire you! Even though your resume literally screams Hire Me!

What is happening to me you say.

Am I over qualified, under qualified, too old, too young, too Christian, too Moslem, under educated or over educated? you ask.

Please tell me what is wrong with my career and I will fix it, you cry, staring at your phone.

And then it happens. Your phone rings! And with a surge of 100 percent pure adrenaline you grab it and yell out your full name before the caller has a chance to say hello my name is Bob and …

Surprise! The Private Number on your Caller ID is from a debt collector calling to remind you of a 60 days past due bill.

You look up. There, suspended in mid-air, are crystal clear pictures of bankruptcy, repossession and eviction!

Will I ever get a programming job, is my career over, am I the next homeless person? you wonder.

As the walls begin to cave-in on you, the only thing louder than your heart beat is your own labored breathing and one very small, very quiet voice that says now begin to face the truth that your resume is the reason why you can’t get a job.

For example:

You have several years of experience from careers that have nothing to do with computer programming listed on your resume! How does that help your case with an employer?

You have included your entire college or academic results (transcript) on your resume! Why?

You say you love programming and all you want is an entry-level programmer job. Yet your resume is that of a desperate job seeker and not that of a lover of programming.

And you don’t have one lousy programming job where you worked for at least 6 months. How can you be a programmer?

You think that by using the tag ‘entry level programmer’ in your resume, you will become instantly employable! Little do you know what employers are really thinking: Show Me Your Programming Skills First And Then I Will Show You The Money?!

To cap it! Your resume says you have been searching for work for a really long time – meaning nobody wants to hire you.

Let’s stop this madness right now.

Get with me right now so I can help you straighten out your resume quickly, get it into the hands of hiring managers today, get hired easily and get paid more!

By now you know what you must … click here to straighten out your resume quickly and get a job fast!


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/03/19/is-my-resume-killing-my-career/feed/ 0 Get Hired Fast Announcement http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/03/02/get-hired-fast-announcement/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/03/02/get-hired-fast-announcement/#comments Fri, 02 Mar 2007 11:44:23 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/03/02/get-hired-fast-announcement/

Announcing the “How To Find Programming Jobs Easily And Get Hired Fast!”

3-DAY SPECIAL Release For programmers looking for a new job.

Never again do you have to feel over-whelmed by a job search when this FOUR-IN-ONE JOB SEARCH PACKAGE says it all. Here are the four books in this release:

  1. How To Create Highly Effective Programmer Resumes

  2. How To Find Programming Job Openings Easily

  3. How To Ace Technical Interviews

  4. How To Negotiate The Salary You Want

For the next 3 days, you can have this book for a fraction of the full price.

Read more this announcement here and please help anyone looking for a job by passing on this announcement.


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]]> http://www.it-career-coach.net/2007/03/02/get-hired-fast-announcement/feed/ 0 The Secret Art of Writing Highly Effective Killer Resumes for Computer Programming Jobs http://www.it-career-coach.net/2006/08/27/the-secret-art-of-writing-highly-effective-killer-resumes-for-computer-programming-jobs/ http://www.it-career-coach.net/2006/08/27/the-secret-art-of-writing-highly-effective-killer-resumes-for-computer-programming-jobs/#comments Sun, 27 Aug 2006 14:06:40 +0000 ITCareerCoach http://www.it-career-coach.net/2006/08/27/the-secret-art-of-writing-highly-effective-killer-resumes-for-computer-programming-jobs/

Your resume drives your compensation, your marketability and the effectiveness of your job search. Without much ado, here are the rules of engagement for writing highly effective killer resumes for Information Technology jobs that gets you on the fast track to career nirvana.

One page resumes are out!

The rule of cramming your skills, experience and accomplishment on one page is dead. Include as much detail as necessary to secure an interview or a job offer. Your personal information is irrelevant!

Skip the section on your hobbies including the references to martial arts, chess, marathon, etc. Nobody really cares. Just answer the question, can you do the job?

Keywords are relevant!

Keywords are the buzzwords that describe the current skills, technologies and processes that are popular in your industry. Your resume is dead without the right keywords or buzzwords. Some hiring managers use scanners that count how often desired keywords are mentioned, so your resume is dead if you don’t employ them effectively.

Also, other recruiters who don’t use scanners look out for the jobs where you mention those keywords. Either way, your career is headed for the slow track if your resume does not use industry keywords effectively.

Beware of Cover letters

It is really a good resume that sells you if you are in contract programming. The cover letter is one more document that delays access to your resume. If you have a good relationship with your recruiter, make their jobs easier by skipping the cover letter. If you do not have a good relationship with a technical recruiter and you need a cover letter to sell you in addition to your resume, you had better not be in contract programming.

Cover letters are traditional and are necessary if you are applying for full time positions or applying directly to hiring managers, otherwise, use a a few sentences to introduce your attached resume.

Socialize your desired compensation

Have you seen those jobs where you are advised not to apply without including your desired pay? Apply without your desired pay anyway. Yes, I know you would really want a six figure income but it is much better to discuss this with the recruiter than to add it to your resume, where it really adds no value.

Besides, including your desired pay marks you as a newbie and from Negotiation 101 class we learn it puts you at a disadvantage when you finally negotiate your pay. The time to introduce your desired pay is after the recruiter or hiring manager has reviewed your resume and is all excited about interviewing or hiring you.

Keep your references to yourself

Don’t bother including your references or the ridiculous references available on demand line on your resume. Your references will be checked before or after an offer is extended to you. So, get on with your business of securing the job offer.

Include multiple ways of contacting you

The purpose of your resume is to market you, so, include as many ways of contacting you as possible. Include your email, mailing address, mobile phone, work phone, home phone and website address (tech or professional sites only) in the contact section of your resume and years from now, you will be getting calls from people who need your services.

By including multiple ways of reaching you, you increase the chance that you will be discovered by recruiters or headhunters even when one or more of your contact details become obsolete.

One resume does not fit all

Your resume is a marketing document. So, customize it for each job or position you are interested in, especially if it differs significantly from what you are doing now. Hiring managers and recruiters are only interested in exact matches or near fits between the jobs they advertise and the resumes they receive.

They literally want to see your resume mention the same skills and technologies they are advertising. So, if you want to get that interview, make sure you customize your resume for the position you are applying for.

Prove your relevance with your resume

If you are looking for a technical writing position, don’t just create a resume, showcase how relevant you are to the position you are applying for. See, recruiters and hiring managers want to hire the right person for each job, so make their jobs easier by beginning with this end in mind.

If you are applying for a business analysis position, you should know within yourself if your resume makes a good case for you or not. Your resume must prove beyond a shadow of reasonable doubt that you can get the job done!

It’s all about your experience

Recruiters and hiring managers believe that your past performance is the best predictor of your future performance. They are only interested in you, if you have successfully solved problems similar to theirs. They want to see in your resume a trail of successes, not a trial of failures or an absence of both.

So, describe not just the technology you use, but also the overall business processes, the problems you solved and the value you provided. Whatever you do, make sure you have relevant industry experience and showcase it on your resume.

Focus your resume on where you are going

Your resume should describe who you are now and who you want to be. It should make the connection between the positions you have had and the new position you want. If the credibility gap between what you have been doing and what you want is big, you will most likely be passed over.

For example, if you have been a HTML developer and you are applying for a Java or C# job, the skills gap between HTML development and Java or C# development may kill your job search, however, if you position yourself as a web developer, you stand a better chance of getting hired. Likewise if your resume only highlights HTML web development and you show up at the interview talking about C# .NET development, your interviewing managers will ask you why you don’t already have C# .NET on your resume.

Focus on your accomplishments not your responsibilities

Your accomplishments describe what you do with you’re given. Accomplishments present you as results and goal oriented. Your responsibilities describe you as a passive player who only responds by chance. Responsibilities describe you as being task or process oriented.

Hiring managers perceive the performance of responsibilities oriented candidates as being unpredictable and that of results oriented individuals as being a sure bet. So, do yourself a favor, become result oriented both on your resume and in real life.

Do not include irrelevant past jobs

You used to be a musician, a poet or a gunslinger in a past life, so what? Remove from your resume past jobs that you had to pass time or jobs you had when you were growing up or jobs that are not relevant to your job search! Let me spell it out, remove past jobs that have no skill and experience relevance to the position you are interested in.

By leaving irrelevant past jobs on your resume, you prove that you still have a lot of baggage and that you are still clinging to your past. Remember, that your resume is primarily a marketing document and not a monument to your ego.

Disclose your past employers

Include the locations (city and state only) and the company names of the past employers listed on your resume. If you do not disclose your employers, recruiters or hiring managers may start wondering about what you are hiding and then start digging into your garbage. If you have nothing to hide, make their lives easier and disclose your past employers on your resume. If you have something to hide, keep your own counsel.

List your past jobs in chronological order

Recruiters and hiring managers expect to scan your job history in a chronological order from the most recent job to the last. Present the past jobs on your resume in that order.

Is This Career Nirvana Or What?

These are some of the secrets of writing highly effective killer resumes for Information Technology careers and jobs. Use them to fast track to career nirvana, ignore them at your own peril! Either way, you have been warned :-)

To learn more about fast tracking your computer programmer career, visit this resource.


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