By Career Advisor

Question: I am a senior software developer with a large financial organization working primarily in C along with my firm’s proprietary database packages. I have a B.S. in a field unrelated to IT/Computer Science. I am interested in transitioning into a web-based development position with the hope of eventually moving into a consulting position. I don’t have any experience in this field and little knowledge of what skill set would be necessary. Any advice you might have on the steps I need to take to get there would be very appreciated. I’m not interested in returning to school on a full-time basis as I have obligations that would make that difficult; however I’m willing to taking classes or continuing education. Thank you in advance.

Answer: Since your work experience is in C. I would suggest starting off by learning PHP. Everything that you want to know about it can be found at http://www.php.net/

The reason I recommend it is explained by this short history of PHP:

PHP originally stood for Personal Home Page. It began in 1994 as a set of Common Gateway Interface binaries written in the C programming language by the Danish/Greenlandic programmer Rasmus Lerdorf. Lerdorf initially created these Personal Home Page Tools to replace a small set of Perl scripts he had been using to maintain his personal homepage. The tools were used to perform tasks such as displaying his résumé and recording how much traffic his page was receiving. He combined these binaries with his Form Interpreter to create PHP/FI, which had more functionality. PHP/FI included a larger implementation for the C programming language and could communicate with databases, enabling the building of simple, dynamic web applications. Lerdorf released PHP publicly on June 8, 1995 to accelerate bug location and improve the code.^[9] This release was named PHP version 2 and already had the basic functionality that PHP has today. This included Perl-like variables, form handling, and the ability to embed HTML. The syntax was similar to Perl but was more limited, simpler, and less consistent.

It is very similar to C so you will have less learn time. It’s also open source so you can get it all for free.

While PHP jobs do not pay as well as .NET or Java Web Development roles, it is growing popularity in the corporate world. I expect the wages for PHP Developers to continue to climb.

Here are some PHP Jobs to show you their frequency:http://career-advisor.jobamatic.com/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-PHP

It’s a start for your Web Development career. Good Luck.

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By Career Advisor

The Wall Street Journal has a chart that projects the Unemployment rate up to December 2009. See the Chart HERE

This data is taken from a survey of Economists. On average, the Economists look for non-farm payrolls to shed over 74,000 jobs per month over the next year. Staggering numbers for sure. The unemployment rate should be at 6.4 percent by the end of the year and 6.8 in 2009.

Here are some unemployment rates for other countries to compare:

United Kingdom -  2.8 % - Reference

Russia - 5.9% - Reference

Brazil - 9.8% - Reference

France - 8.0% - Reference

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Question: Hello. I am a computer programmer. I haven’t had much work in programming lately; so, I am thinking of becoming an Oracle Database Administrator.

First, here is some detailed information about my background. I have a BS in Computer Science (received in 1995) and an MS in Computer Science (received in 1996). I had steady work experience from 1996 to 2004. Then, for 1.5 years, I couldn’t find work as a programmer, and I worked as a movie extra. Then I worked as a programmer again, for a few months. Then I quit because the company 1) was in financial distress and 2) was unable to pay my wages.

Since quitting that job, I have resumed working as a movie extra, while continuing to look for more computer work.

I live in Chicago, and a local community college called Oakton Community College (www.oakton.edu) is offering courses for an Oracle Database Administrator certificate (http://www.oakton.edu/acad/career/cis_p3.htm). These courses are supposed to help a person to pass the test for an Oracle Database Administrator certificate.

Is this certificate being offered by Oracle Corporation nationwide? Or is this certificate something that ONLY Oakton Community College is offering? Obviously, a certificate being offered by Oracle Corporation will be more valuable than a certificate that is offered ONLY by a Chicago-area community college.

My next question is: Just how valuable will this certificate be? Even if the certificate is offered by Oracle, will the certificate help me get a job? I do have years of experience as a programmer, and this experience includes writing programs that run SQL queries. I also have experience in creating and deleting database tables. I just don’t know database administration. So, will my experience and this certificate help me to find a job as an Oracle Database Administrator?

Thanks for any comments.

Answer: Is this certificate being offered by Oracle Corporation nationwide? Oracle offers database certifications. http://education.oracle.com/pls/web_prod-plq-dad/db_pages.getpage?page_id=143

It does not appear that your community college is offering the same certification. It looks like they have bundled 4 of their normal CS classes together and put it as a certificate program.

Oracle Database 11g Administrator Certification combines training, experience, and testing to ensure that you have a strong foundation and expertise in the industry’s most advanced database management system. http://education.oracle.com/pls/web_prod-plq-dad/db_pages.getpage?page_id=198&p_org_id=&lang=

If you want to get a Oracle Certification, here is the list of Oracle Universities in Illinois: http://www.oracle.com/global/us/education/maps/contentA.html#IL

You will get the authentic Certification training at these locations. You will probably have to call the locations directly to get costs for the classes.

So, will my experience and this certificate help me to find a job as an Oracle Database Administrator? Of course there are no guarantees, but my 11 years of Technical Recruiting experience makes me think that your chances of getting a job with this certification are VERY high.

Good Luck.

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 Question: I have been working, in an administrative role, for a University for 6+ years. I am in my early 30s with a Bachelor of Science degree from a prestigious school.
I would like to change careers with my initial thoughts of a career in hospitality/travel (possibly hotel management).

As I did more thinking, I came to realize my real passion was that of presenting and implementing ideas in established corporations.
My ideas are not necessarily new products, but new ways of doing things. It’s hard for me to give an example without quite possibly giving away a billion dollar idea!

So, I’ll just use an analogy. I’m not looking to invent ice cream, but suggest a new flavor to a company like Baskin-Robbins.

How do I start this new career? What is it even called? I’d like to describe myself as an “idea-man.” Do I necessarily need an education upgrade?
My main apprehension lies in meeting with a company, telling them my brilliant idea, them saying no, and 1 year later, seeing them implement it without any compensation for me. How do I protect myself?
Thoughts please. Thank you.

Answer: If you were the head of a corporation that if confronted by you with one of your ideas, what would you be looking for?

To use your analogy: Baskin-Robbins is a brand of Dunkin’ Brands, Inc. based out of Canton, MA. Jon Luther is the Chairman and CEO of Dunkin’ Brands, Inc.

Here is Jon Luther’s BIO:

Jon L. Luther was named chief executive officer of Dunkin’ Brands in January 2003 and chairman in March 2006. A veteran of the food-service industry, Jon is a proven leader at creative brand development and at satisfying consumers who seek quality, convenience, and value in a quick service restaurant setting. From February 1997 until December 2002, Jon was president of Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, a division of AFC Enterprises. During his term, the company’s store count grew 67 percent to 1,672 units, while average annual unit volume grew to over $1 million, the highest in the chicken QSR category. With Jon at the helm, Popeyes won industry awards for menu strategy, store re-design, and customer satisfaction.

Prior to Popeyes, Jon was president of CA One Services, a subsidiary of Delaware North Companies, Inc. He has also held leadership positions in the contract foodservice division of the Marriott Corporation and at ARAMARK in Philadelphia, PA., where he rose from vending sales director to become president of Davre’s, ARAMARK’s luxury restaurant subsidiary. Jon also founded Benchmark Services, Inc., a foodservice management firm specializing in business dining for corporations, growing the business into a strong regional competitor.

Jon holds a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Paul Smith’s College, and honorary doctorate degrees from Bentley College and Johnson & Wales University. He supports culinary and foodservice programs at a variety of institutions, including serving on the Board of Directors for The Elliot Leadership Institute and the Board of Trustees for the Culinary Institute of America. In addition, Jon is on the Board of Trustees at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., and on the Executive Board of Directors for the Companions in Courage Foundation, which builds interactive playrooms in children’s hospitals throughout North America.

In 2005, Jon was the recipient of the Nation’s Restaurant News Golden Chain award, and in 2006, he received the Chain Leadership award from Chain Leader magazine.

As you can see from Jon’s Bio. He has a great deal of experience and education in the Food Service Industry.

If you were to meet with Jon to explain your “idea”. Would Jon listen to you? Do you have credibility in his ideas? In other words, would Jon think you knew what you were talking about based on your education and experience?

Idea Men, usually have “ideas” about things that they know very well. For instance, someone that has 20 years experience in the food industry creating a new Oven. Someone that has a Doctorate in Astrophysics designing a new Telescope.

Your education and experience are called your “credentials” for a reason. They give you credibility (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credibility).

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Are you currently looking for a job in the Pittsburgh area? The Pittsburgh Technology Council http://www.pghtech.org/ has a new web site for you. Since 1983, the Pittsburgh Technology Council has been the principal point of connection for companies from four primary clusters of the technology industry that are represented by a critical mass of businesses in southwestern Pennsylvania including, the Advanced Manufacturing / Materials, Green Technology, Information Technology and Life Sciences sectors.

The new site that they have is http://www.imaginemynewjob.com/  It uses the Indeed.com Aggregate Job Search Engine to search Jobs in the Pittsburgh area. While the site is nothing new, It is a good one stop source for job hunting in Pittsburgh.

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 Question: I have been providing Project Management  for the deployment of software solutions into end user environments for 15 years.  I have always worked in customer facing roles for the software vendor and interfaced with the customers IT department.  Some of the implementations have been very complex and taken 12-18 months.  I am 60 years old and have just been released from my employment due to acquisition of my past employer by a LARGE ERP vendor.  Currently, I am researching opportunities in IT organizations and see a large number of jobs but they all require previous IT experience.   What are my chances and what level of age discrimination should I anticipate?  Thanks in advance,

Answer: I’m a little confused by statement that they require previous IT experience. You have 15 years of project management experience in software development. You must mean that they require Technical Experience as a programmer.

If that’s the case. There are many Project Management jobs that do not require that. Did you ever get the PMP certification from Project Management Institute http://www.pmi.org ? A lot of employers like that certification.

You also may want to think about contracting as a Project Manager. You can typically make more money but have to pay for your own insurance usually.

Here is a search for Project Manager jobs: http://career-advisor.jobamatic.com/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-”Project+Manager”

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Question: I’ve been a software engineer for about 6 years now, all in the same job. My problem is that the hours are terrible. I know that some crunch time is expected when projects are due, but I’m regularly working 10-11 hour days, and working on the weekends is pretty common. My question is, is this normal? Are other people in the field working hours like this? I have a chance to leave the field and do something different, but because I’ve only worked one job, I’m not certain if the long hours I’ve been working are part of the profession, or if I could realistically expect to find another software engineering job where the hours are more reasonable. I’m trying to decide whether to look for another coding job, or to take the opportunity to do something different. I want a job, but I want a life too. Can I have both if I stay a coder?

Answer:

I think it’s telling what Philip Greenspun who is a professor at M.I.T.for Computer Science has to say about this subject. Side Note: Philip Greenspun founded ArsDigita Corporation and was its CEO from inception until it reached $20 million/year in revenue.

Here is a direct quote of an Article that he wrote in 2002 titled: “Managing Software Engineers”.

From a business point of view, long hours by programmers are a key to profitability. Suppose that a programmer needs to spend 25 hours per week keeping current with new technology, getting coordinated with other programmers, contributing to documentation and thought leadership pieces, and comprehending the structures of the systems being extended. Under this assumption, a programmer who works 55 hours per week will produce twice as much code as one who works 40 hours per week. In The Mythical Man-Month, the only great book ever written on software engineering, Fred Brooks concludes that no software product should be designed by more than two people. He argues that a program designed by more than two people might be more complete but it will never be easy to understand because it will not be as consistent as something designed by fewer people. This means that if you want to follow the best practices of the industry in terms of design and architecture, the only way to improve speed to market is to have the same people working longer hours. Finally there is the common sense notion that the smaller the team the less management overhead. A product is going to get out the door much faster if it is built by 4 people working 70-hour weeks (180 productive programmer-hours per week, after subtracting for 25 hours of coordination and structure comprehension time) than if by 12 people working 40-hour weeks (the same net of 180 hours per week). The 12-person team will inevitably require additional managers and all-day meetings to stay coordinated.

It’s difficult to make a generalization for the whole software industry that all programmers work long hours. Everyone’s situation is different of course. There are Software Engineers that work a 40 hour week. There are Software Engineers that work 70 hours weeks. If you want to work just 40 hours per week, I would start looking for another job. They are out there. It’s hard to say how many there are, but they’re out there.

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Question:

Hi,
I am currently working for a company that is probably going to go out of business. It is a well known company and this is public news that other companies in the industry are well aware of.

I interviewed with a company I used to work for before I worked for my current company. The position is the same one I had when I was there. The HR manager asked me what I made now, and I told him my salary of $56K. He also asked me what I made when I was in the position 2 yrs ago. I told him my old salary of $47K. He came back with an offer of my current salary of $56K. I told him I would let him know the following day. I know he knows my company is not doing well. I want to try and get at least $60K. Does it seem reasonable to try and negotiate for more money? I also interviewed at another company but have not heard back yet. Should I say I have another offer at $60K but tell them I really want to go back to that company given my previous history? Need some advice!

Answer: I don’t think you have much ground to negotiate more salary. You are taking the same position that you had two years ago and they’re offering you $9,000/year more then they paid you then. That’s almost a 20% pay increase in 2 years. It’s a very generous offer.

I think that the problem is not that they’re offering you not enough money but that you applied for a position that is at best a lateral move. Usually, you need to take on more responsibility to justify a pay increase from an employer’s perspective. Did you receive more education or professional certifications since you worked there last? Employers also look at that in salary determination.

In short, to negotiate for a higher salary you have to give a reason to the employer for why you are worth the salary increase. It does not appear from you initial paragraph that you have reason other then just wanting more.

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Question:

I am a senior software developer with 14 years experience with system development life cycle experience.  I have my masters in Information Technology.  My main focus is in Unix scripting, SQL and SQR.  I have worked with HR peoplesoft, and many financial programs.  I am making 85K+ a year and looking for something new.  I want a perm position and not consulting unless I don’t have to travel.  Is a industry change a good idea or a bad move? 

Thanks.

Answer: Why do you want to leave the industry? Is it because you want more human interaction? If you want to interact with people more, you can become a Project Manager. I would recommend getting your PMP (Project Management Professional) certificate from the Project Management Institute http://www.pmi.org/CareerDevelopment/Pages/Obtaining-Credential.aspx

Here are some Project Manager job openings within 50 miles of Westchester, NY. http://career-advisor.jobamatic.com/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-Project+Manager/l-Westchester.+NY/mi-50

Salary.com says that the median salary for a Project Manager 1 is $88,000/year.

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Question: I have been in the retail grocery business for the past 20 years, the last 10 as a salaried assistant manager.  I am looking to change careers because of the amount of hours I work and give myself a better work-life balance, my wife and kids have an absent father and husband.  This environment is a real pressure cooker and makes you sweat the small things, whether it the secret shoppers, in-stock conditions and fundraising.  I’m a salaried manager, and can’t manage people because I am spending more than half of my time doing checking, filling shelfs most of the time.  I am doing the work of an hourly employee and my job as a manager is suffering.  I have been on several job interviews the past few months to no avail.  I have 3 years of college with no degree and pushing 40.  Is it to late to start over?  I need help as with all the stress the past 6 months has affected my Blood Pressure, stress levels as well as sleepless nights.

Answer: First, calm down.You can let your job effect your life so much. You’re taking it to seriously. Your job is not who you are, it’s what you do.

Second, I understand how hard it is being in a job that your not happy with. If can eat you up. In order to make a change you need to plan for it.

Here are the things that I recommend you do:

• Make a list of 3 or 4 skills that you have and enjoy doing. Examples of these may be: Managing People, Microsoft Excel, Managing a P&L, Inventory Management, etc…
• Take that list to the Job Boards and search by those Key Words: Here is a search that I did for the Key Words: “Inventory Management” http://career-advisor.jobamatic.com/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-”Inventory+Management”    Here is a search that I did on “Fly Fishing” http://career-advisor.jobamatic.com/a/jobs/find-jobs/q-”Fly+Fishing”  And yes, there were jobs that came up:)
• Look at the jobs that come up on your search. Make a list of the job titles, Skills Needed, and Education. Are there any Job Titles and Descriptions that look interesting to you?
• More Education may be needed to progress into a position that you’re interested in. Depending on what is needed, you may be able to take some courses at your local community college. Community Colleges are the best way to update skills and acquire new ones. It’s usually the lowest cost option also. There are many financing options for Community Colleges, someone there should be able to point you in the right direction.
• The last step in the process is to use a Functional Resume vs. a Chronological Resume in your new job search.

 

A functional résumé lists work experience and skills sorted by skill area or job function.

The functional résumé is used to assert a focus to skills that are specific to the type of position being sought. This format directly emphasizes specific professional capabilities and utilizes experience summaries as its primary means of communicating professional competency. In contrast, the chronological résumé format will briefly highlight these competencies prior to presenting a comprehensive timeline of career growth via reverse-chronological listing with most recent experience listed first. The functional resume works well for those making a career change, having a varied work history and with little work experience. A functional résumé is also preferred for applications to jobs that require a very specific skill set or clearly defined personality traits…

Use this guide to make your change to your new career, and stop taking you job so seriously.

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