Can You Perform? Prove It!
To become a medical doctor or a lawyer you need training, internship and finally you get a license or certification to practice.
However, there is no such path to starting an IT Career! There is no legally binding qualification or certification for becoming a computer programmer or a business analyst or a data analyst or a database developer!
The path to becoming an IT professional is littered with myths and misconceptions because the emphasis is really on you to prove that you are as good as you say you are!
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.
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.
How To Slam Dunk Your Next Job Interview
This post is an answer to a question asked by Chris who is attending his tenth (10) job interview. You may click here to read the original question or add your own question or comment to the discussion.
The original post is a No Holds Barred Discussion on challenges, problems or issues facing my readers. If you have a Burning Question or Challenge you need help with, be sure to add your question to that page and i will answer it fully just as I am answering Tom’s question below!
This question was submitted by Anoush from Glendale, California … Hello, I am a 55 years old female, I have done mainframe programming for more than 25 years before and I was very good in that.
However i have left my job for 10 years now helping my husband in accounting firm.
Do I have a chance to be hired if I learn .NET and create a software?
-
Do What You Love – Do You Love Computer Programming?
Your long term success as a computer programmer depends more on how passionate you are about learning programming than it does on your age!
If you love learning programming languages you will put in the hard work that it takes to be the best programmer you can be.
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:
Tapping Into Your Magical Hiring Powers
As a Career Coach, I come across questions or discussions from job seekers “looking for recruiter who can get them a job“.
From the way these statements are worded, it seems that all it takes for the job seeker to get a job is finding a recruiter with magical hiring powers.
But, is it really true?
Do recruiters have hiring powers and how much of the success or failure of the job search depends on the recruiter’s magical hiring powers?
How To Overcome Procrastination
The Procrastination Problem
As a career coach, one of the biggest hurdles I have to overcome when working with my clients is procrastination. An example is a client that I will call Ryan. Ryan acknowledges that even though he has a degree in Information Systems, he is stuck in a dead end job in Help Desk Support.
Ryan would love a great new job as a computer programmer. I have worked with him to create a plan of action that includes updating his skill set while simultaneously putting his resume out there to see if a potential employer will nibble on it.
Quit your Job the Right Way!
Is your boss keeping your career back?
Do you realize that the same boss who is responsible for keeping back your career will ultimately fire you for another IT worker with a better resume!
If you are frustrated in your current job because of lack of stimulating, interesting or challenging work or because someone else like your boss … is keeping your career back then you need to read this article.
One of the traits of successful IT professionals is the desire to learn, improve or working on exciting and challenging ideas all the time. It is what truly distinguishes achieving IT professions from others.
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!
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,
How To Master Careers Quickly
When failure is not an option, a step by step plan for advancing your career must be followed. This step by plan is presented in the free e-book download made available on this page.
Failing to plan your career is the same as planning to fail. While some people put their fate in luck or chance while others study and follow successful principles.
Guessing and stumbling is an unnecessary, expensive and time-consuming process.
Guessing reduces the chances of success by multiplying the obstacles and difficulties one has to overcome.
How To Change Careers
You are brave, if you are considering leaving your career. Most people make themselves stay at jobs or careers they hate because they are afraid of the unknown.
However, knowing the difference between leaving a job and leaving a career can make your transition smooth and easy or painful to say the least.
You change careers when you are in the wrong profession or you are in a career that you’re not suited for. And, you do not change careers simply because you are unhappy at work!
Will Pay For Work!
It is generally accepted that hands-on experience is one of the more important qualifications for getting a job and that you may get handson experience through paid or unpaid internship programs.
So this article on NyTimes.com about how job seekers are paying thousands of dollars for internships is not surprising considering how competitive the job market has become.
What is surprising is that these are college graduates from prestigious colleges paying for nonpaying internship programs!
The article is titled “Unpaid Work, but They Pay for Privilege” and you can read it here:
Jobs for College Graduates
Whether you’re launching your career or trying to change its direction, you can get around the Catch-22 issue (“You can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience without a job.”) with humility.
The solution is to get some humility because today’s shifting job market requires everyone incuding young job seekers and older workers with years of experience to continously reinvent their careers in order to stay marketable in a competitive global economy.
The lesson is that careers, skills and workplace environments will continute to transition and there is nothing we can do about that because what is marketable and in-demand today may not be wanted tomorrow.
How To Break The Unemployment Cycle
Sometime ago, Glendal (a project manager on this website) asked me to suggest a solution for the current unemployment crises facing the USA. While still working on an answer to that, the same question was again popped to me in a recent interview with Dice.com.
Since this is a question weighing on the minds of people … Today, it will be my pleasure to answer the question: “How To Solve The Unemployment Crises Facing The United States of America.“.
Is Tunnel Vision Killing My Career?
It is characterized by the inability to see objects outside one’s center of gaze even though they are still within view.
But tunnel vision also refers to a frame of mind where one is either fixated on a specific answer or unable to see alternatives.
Consider that many Information Technology (IT) professionals evaluate their career options as though there a few choice careers mainly:
- Computer Programming
- Business Analysis
- Project Management
LinkedIn has released a premium account for job seekers who want to position their resumes at the top of job search listings.
Here is a summary of the new LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium Account Service:
-
The new LinkedIn job seeker premuim account allows you to stand out from the crowd, directly contact hiring managers and manage your job search.
-
It increases your chances of being hired by moving your resume to the top of the list which puts you ahead of the competition.
-
The LinkedIn job seeker premium account also allows you to contact hiring managers directly about opportunities at their respective organizations.
How To Handle Recruiters Phone Calls
Recruiters are the gatekeepers for business analyst jobs.
They are in touch with more employers, consulting or full-time engagements than most business analysts.
This post answers the question of how to handle or deal with recruiters calling about business analyst jobs.
If you need help with a Question or Challenge, be sure to submit your question as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering this reader’s question below!
If you enjoy reading this post, please be sure to … Share this Post with Friends
older workers good for business
If you’re over 40 and you’re changing careers or looking for work, you’re probably concerned about how age discrimination affects your career.
In conversations with older workers, the common question I’m hearing is “how will age based discrimination affect my chances of keeping a job or getting hired or transitioning to a new career?”
Some say that age is the determining factor in not getting a job and that’s even when one demonstrates the required skills!
So, is age discrimination really that common in hiring? And what can you do … if you find yourself a target?
[Ask IT Career Coach] is a Career Advice Column for Information Technology (IT) professionals looking for answers to their most challenging career situations.
I get a number of questions along the lines of how to get a marketing and sales job after college from new college graduates who have a degree in marketing or sales and yet find it hard to get hired based on their college degree!
Why sales & marketing graduates can’t get jobs
Traditional Marketing and Sales Jobs expects skills in prospecting, cold calling, appointment setting, in-bound / out-bound sales, presentation and closing skills.
Will Certifications Help Me Get A Job?
In this post, I would discuss the value of certifications in a job search or the demand for certifications by employers.
-
Certifications Help You Standout In A Competitive Job Market
In a competitive job market, where everyone has a lot of experience and educational qualifications, getting certifications may help you standout.
-
Certification As A Legal Requirement
In some professions or jobs, getting certified by a board, council or a body is a legal accreditation requirement. So, you need to be certified as a competent professional or risk facing some form of legal action or prosecution.
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.
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!
Does Your Personality Match Your Career?
Every career has some type of persona associated with it. You may have heard that stereotyping is wrong, but I say, this is how the world works!
Knowing the type of personality or behavior expected of you, can only help you grow or succeed in your career. However, not fitting the expected stereotype can hurt your career. If you must behave differently from the norm, be advised of the consequences.
In this post, I will advice you on how to mold your personality so it fits the requirements for your job!
Newsletter
Facebook
Twitter
