Developer Career Tips #0041
Update on VB.Net
As I mentioned in my last article, I'm seeing more and more attention focused on VB.Net. Conferences are teaching courses on it--despite the fact that Beta1 of the product is just a few months old, and Beta2 isn't due out until May. Several books have been published on the Beta itself (I've been tempted and ASKED to write one myself). Personally, I just don't get it.
I understand the need to be 'up' on a product more than most people---I make my living as a consultant and author, and the need to stay current is crucial---but I can't ever recall this much pre-hype over a software development product.
I receive at least ten emails each week from readers asking me if they should begin learning VB.Net right now (presumably from the Beta), how much worth I think the VB6 Certification exam will carry (I can't even guess), and whether there will be Learning Edition, Professional and Enterprise editions of the product.
And now the picture is even more complicated. It's no secret that Microsoft intends to 'retrofit' Beta2 of VB.NET to be more compatible with Visual Basic 6. As far as I'm concerned, the waters are now more muddied than ever.
The bottom line is to stay the course: if your goal this year was to learn Visual Basic 6, or become certified in the product, then that's exactly what you should do. Timelines indicate that VB.Net--when it appears---will probably be available in early 2002. You'll have plenty of time to learn it at that point--hopefully with books and courses that are at least based on Beta2.
Showing posts with label Career Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career Tips. Show all posts
Monday, April 23, 2001
Monday, March 12, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0040---Should you turn your attention to VB.Net?
Developer Career Tips #0040
Should you turn your attention to VB.Net?
I'm seeing quite a bit of attention to VB.Net recently. More than one book has already been published on it already, plus I've received several email solicitations to attend classes on VB.NET, and the product hasn't even been released yet--in fact, it's in Beta1. Beta2 is schedule for release sometime this quarter. If all goes well for Microsoft, the production version will be ready before the end of the year. This is an awful lot of hype for a new version.
I've been using Beta1 now for the last four months as I write the update of my Visual Basic 6 book for VB.Net. I signed a non-disclosure statement to work with the Beta, so I can't speak about the details of the language, but I can tell you that in my opinion, it's much too early to start working with it, but let me give you some information which may help you make up your own mind.
First, don’t consider VB.Net a new version of Visual Basic. Although a knowledge of previous versions of Visual Basic will serve you well while learning it, there are enough dissimilarities to make you believe you are dealing with a new language altogether. This may well be a reason to be the first kid on the block to know the language---that knowledge could make you very valuable to employers--provided they adopt the language.
Secondly, if you believe that it's a foregone conclusion that you're going to be forced to learn VB.Net, and you may as well learn it sooner than later, you may want to rethink that position. In the latest edition of the Visual Basic Programmer's Journal, the editor indicates that Microsoft has informed him they intend to 'support' both VB6 and VB.Net. The key question---what does 'support' mean.
The bottom line is that at this point there's no rush to learn VB.Net.
Should you turn your attention to VB.Net?
I'm seeing quite a bit of attention to VB.Net recently. More than one book has already been published on it already, plus I've received several email solicitations to attend classes on VB.NET, and the product hasn't even been released yet--in fact, it's in Beta1. Beta2 is schedule for release sometime this quarter. If all goes well for Microsoft, the production version will be ready before the end of the year. This is an awful lot of hype for a new version.
I've been using Beta1 now for the last four months as I write the update of my Visual Basic 6 book for VB.Net. I signed a non-disclosure statement to work with the Beta, so I can't speak about the details of the language, but I can tell you that in my opinion, it's much too early to start working with it, but let me give you some information which may help you make up your own mind.
First, don’t consider VB.Net a new version of Visual Basic. Although a knowledge of previous versions of Visual Basic will serve you well while learning it, there are enough dissimilarities to make you believe you are dealing with a new language altogether. This may well be a reason to be the first kid on the block to know the language---that knowledge could make you very valuable to employers--provided they adopt the language.
Secondly, if you believe that it's a foregone conclusion that you're going to be forced to learn VB.Net, and you may as well learn it sooner than later, you may want to rethink that position. In the latest edition of the Visual Basic Programmer's Journal, the editor indicates that Microsoft has informed him they intend to 'support' both VB6 and VB.Net. The key question---what does 'support' mean.
The bottom line is that at this point there's no rush to learn VB.Net.
Monday, March 5, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0039---The IT Training Academy
Developer Career Tips #0039
The IT Training Academy
I've written twice about a company called SetFocus.com, a company with headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey, about 45 miles outside of Manhattan, that will provide you with a 13 week intensive Visual Basic training program---in exchange, you agree to work for them for the next 9 months as a paid consultant.
Many people, discouraged at the prospect of having to relocate to the Manhattan area, have written me emails asking me if there are other programs like SetFocus anywhere else in the country. To date, I've had to answer 'no'---I hadn't heard of any others until one of my students brought to my attention the IT Training Academy
http://academy.fdminc.com/
The IT Training Academy, part of the FDM Consulting group
http://www.fdmgroup.com/usa/index.htm
is similar in many ways to Setfocus, but not identical.
As was initially the case with SetFocus, about all I know of the IT Training Academy is what I can glean from their Web site---they offer an intense, six month training program (they concentrate on Web technologies such as Java and Oracle). Unlike SetFocus, the training is not free for everyone. The cost for the training is $11,000, and according to their web site, they will waive this fee from time to time as part of a sponsorship. If your training costs are waived, you must commit to work for the IT Training Academy at the end of your training period. Even if your training costs are not sponsored, you may also be asked to work at the end of your training period, but it's not guaranteed. SetFocus, on the other hand, guarantees you a position if you pass 2 of the 4 exams necessary to achieve the Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer Certification.
What apparently differentiate the IT Academy from SetFocus is that you don't necessarily have to relocate in order to take part in the training, but this can be deceiving. You have a choice of training at their facility (located in Raleigh North Carolina), or doing the majority of your training at home via the Internet--but you are required to spend some time at their North Carolina facility at the end of major potions of the program, and for the final few weeks of the program.
After that, if your training costs were sponsored, you'll be expected to commit to 1 year or so (really, until your training costs are paid) as a consultant--and travel is expected and customary. The bottom line: if you want to consider the IT Training Academy over SetFocus because you hope you won't have to relocate, that won't be the case. As I've mentioned, even if you study from home, you'll still need to travel to North Caroline, and if you accept a training sponsorship, you'll most likely be placed as a consultant somewhere on the East Coast. Even without a sponsorship, if you accept a position through the IT Academy, you'll be doing some traveling--they even provide you with a company car.
The IT Training Academy
I've written twice about a company called SetFocus.com, a company with headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey, about 45 miles outside of Manhattan, that will provide you with a 13 week intensive Visual Basic training program---in exchange, you agree to work for them for the next 9 months as a paid consultant.
Many people, discouraged at the prospect of having to relocate to the Manhattan area, have written me emails asking me if there are other programs like SetFocus anywhere else in the country. To date, I've had to answer 'no'---I hadn't heard of any others until one of my students brought to my attention the IT Training Academy
http://academy.fdminc.com/
The IT Training Academy, part of the FDM Consulting group
http://www.fdmgroup.com/usa/index.htm
is similar in many ways to Setfocus, but not identical.
As was initially the case with SetFocus, about all I know of the IT Training Academy is what I can glean from their Web site---they offer an intense, six month training program (they concentrate on Web technologies such as Java and Oracle). Unlike SetFocus, the training is not free for everyone. The cost for the training is $11,000, and according to their web site, they will waive this fee from time to time as part of a sponsorship. If your training costs are waived, you must commit to work for the IT Training Academy at the end of your training period. Even if your training costs are not sponsored, you may also be asked to work at the end of your training period, but it's not guaranteed. SetFocus, on the other hand, guarantees you a position if you pass 2 of the 4 exams necessary to achieve the Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer Certification.
What apparently differentiate the IT Academy from SetFocus is that you don't necessarily have to relocate in order to take part in the training, but this can be deceiving. You have a choice of training at their facility (located in Raleigh North Carolina), or doing the majority of your training at home via the Internet--but you are required to spend some time at their North Carolina facility at the end of major potions of the program, and for the final few weeks of the program.
After that, if your training costs were sponsored, you'll be expected to commit to 1 year or so (really, until your training costs are paid) as a consultant--and travel is expected and customary. The bottom line: if you want to consider the IT Training Academy over SetFocus because you hope you won't have to relocate, that won't be the case. As I've mentioned, even if you study from home, you'll still need to travel to North Caroline, and if you accept a training sponsorship, you'll most likely be placed as a consultant somewhere on the East Coast. Even without a sponsorship, if you accept a position through the IT Academy, you'll be doing some traveling--they even provide you with a company car.
Monday, February 26, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0038---Behind the scenes with Bob Lautenbach of Bayside Technology
Developer Career Tips #0038
Behind the scenes with Bob Lautenbach of Bayside Technology
This is the second in a series of periodic 'behind the scenes' looks at companies and individuals using Visual Basic. It's sometimes an 'eye opener' to see how others are actually using Visual Basic in their work.
For this tip, I interviewed Bob Lautenbach, who is the President of Bayside Technology, located in Marmora. New Jersey. You can visit the company’s Web Site at:
http://www.baysidetech.com
Question: What is your job at Bayside Technology?
Answer: I'm President of the company. At Bayside Technology, we do a little bit of everything, but recently have been heavily involved in PC-based and Internet based Benefit Administration.
Question: How does your company use Visual Basic?
Answer: We use Visual Basic as our primary development tool. We use it in our PC-based and Internet-based development, and rely on it to produce reusable components to interface with n-tier architectures with which we must interface.
Question: How did you and your programming staff learn Visual Basic?
Answer: Most of it is self-taught, along with an occasional supplemental course on specific development issues that are evolving quickly and with which we need to be immediately familiar.
Question: Do you use other languages besides Visual Basic?
Answer: Yes we do. We also use JavaScript, Java, VBScript, and ASP.
Question: Do you use third-party tools?
Answer: Yes, we buy and use various tools as they are needed. Most of the third-party tools we have purchased are reporting tools: Crystal Reports and ActiveReports. A word of caution: you need to bear in mind the viability of various third party companies. Know your vendor well--you don't want to purchase a third-party tool only to find out that the company has gone out of business, or doesn't have the resources to support changes to Visual Basic--such as VB.NET!
Question: What's it like to work at your company?
Answer: Our company is an incredibly exciting one to work for since our work is so cutting edge. We try to balance the unique needs of our developers and our client's needs with flexible working hours and telecommuting.
Behind the scenes with Bob Lautenbach of Bayside Technology
This is the second in a series of periodic 'behind the scenes' looks at companies and individuals using Visual Basic. It's sometimes an 'eye opener' to see how others are actually using Visual Basic in their work.
For this tip, I interviewed Bob Lautenbach, who is the President of Bayside Technology, located in Marmora. New Jersey. You can visit the company’s Web Site at:
http://www.baysidetech.com
Question: What is your job at Bayside Technology?
Answer: I'm President of the company. At Bayside Technology, we do a little bit of everything, but recently have been heavily involved in PC-based and Internet based Benefit Administration.
Question: How does your company use Visual Basic?
Answer: We use Visual Basic as our primary development tool. We use it in our PC-based and Internet-based development, and rely on it to produce reusable components to interface with n-tier architectures with which we must interface.
Question: How did you and your programming staff learn Visual Basic?
Answer: Most of it is self-taught, along with an occasional supplemental course on specific development issues that are evolving quickly and with which we need to be immediately familiar.
Question: Do you use other languages besides Visual Basic?
Answer: Yes we do. We also use JavaScript, Java, VBScript, and ASP.
Question: Do you use third-party tools?
Answer: Yes, we buy and use various tools as they are needed. Most of the third-party tools we have purchased are reporting tools: Crystal Reports and ActiveReports. A word of caution: you need to bear in mind the viability of various third party companies. Know your vendor well--you don't want to purchase a third-party tool only to find out that the company has gone out of business, or doesn't have the resources to support changes to Visual Basic--such as VB.NET!
Question: What's it like to work at your company?
Answer: Our company is an incredibly exciting one to work for since our work is so cutting edge. We try to balance the unique needs of our developers and our client's needs with flexible working hours and telecommuting.
Monday, February 19, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0037---Put yourself to the test with Brainbench.com
Developer Career Tips #0037
Put yourself to the test with Brainbench.com
I've made no secret that I think it's vital that candidates for Visual Basic programming careers take and pass the Microsoft Visual Basic Certification exam. I consider passing that test to be the ultimate proof of your mastery of Visual Basic.
If you are looking to prove your Visual Basic mastery, and avoid paying $100 to take an exam, you may want to consider Brainbench.com.
http://www.brainbench.com/
Brainbench was founded in 1998, and offers online certifications in over 200 different skills. The exams are free to take, are web-based, and you have the added advantage of having your score results made available to companies who may be looking for someone with the skills in which you have been tested and or certified. The site also has a bunch of 'extras' that are worthwhile checking out.
Every person who takes a Brainbench exam receives a Brainbench account. All of your test and certification data are then posted to this account, and you can also enter other information, such as your resume, third party certifications, and your career preferences (all optional). From within your account, you decide which information should become a part of your public transcript.
What’s the process?
You need to register before using Brainbench for the first time. You supply an email address, a mailing address (in the event that you pass the exam, you'll be mailed a Brainbench Certificate), and be asked if you want your results posted privately (you can change your mind later). Once you're registered, you can take an exam.
The Visual Basic exam is a 40 question multiple choice test. When you begin the exam, a window appears warning you that you are 'on your honor' to complete the test without any help from anyone else--you may, however, refer to reference manuals if you wish--although the time limit of 3 minutes per question can discourage that.
How does Brainbench compare to a Microsoft Certification exam?
I took the Brainbench Visual Basic exam myself earlier today and easily passed. I suspect that if I had actually used the permitted reference materials, I would have gotten close to a perfect score. I thought the exam was easier than the Microsoft exam. Unlike the Microsoft exams which test Desktop and Distributed VB separately, there's only one Brainbench VB exam, and as a result, I noticed some topic areas on the Brainbench exam that are covered on the VB Distributed exam,. There were also one or two questions on IIS, and some questions about some obscure controls I never use.
In short, the Brainbench VB exam is not quite the feather in the cap that passing the Microsoft Certification exams is, but it is an attractive low cost alternative. I think it's true value may be in the testing of some other skill sets, where there's no other assessment alternative. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone whose employer uses Brainbench certifications as a criteria in hiring.
Put yourself to the test with Brainbench.com
I've made no secret that I think it's vital that candidates for Visual Basic programming careers take and pass the Microsoft Visual Basic Certification exam. I consider passing that test to be the ultimate proof of your mastery of Visual Basic.
If you are looking to prove your Visual Basic mastery, and avoid paying $100 to take an exam, you may want to consider Brainbench.com.
http://www.brainbench.com/
Brainbench was founded in 1998, and offers online certifications in over 200 different skills. The exams are free to take, are web-based, and you have the added advantage of having your score results made available to companies who may be looking for someone with the skills in which you have been tested and or certified. The site also has a bunch of 'extras' that are worthwhile checking out.
Every person who takes a Brainbench exam receives a Brainbench account. All of your test and certification data are then posted to this account, and you can also enter other information, such as your resume, third party certifications, and your career preferences (all optional). From within your account, you decide which information should become a part of your public transcript.
What’s the process?
You need to register before using Brainbench for the first time. You supply an email address, a mailing address (in the event that you pass the exam, you'll be mailed a Brainbench Certificate), and be asked if you want your results posted privately (you can change your mind later). Once you're registered, you can take an exam.
The Visual Basic exam is a 40 question multiple choice test. When you begin the exam, a window appears warning you that you are 'on your honor' to complete the test without any help from anyone else--you may, however, refer to reference manuals if you wish--although the time limit of 3 minutes per question can discourage that.
How does Brainbench compare to a Microsoft Certification exam?
I took the Brainbench Visual Basic exam myself earlier today and easily passed. I suspect that if I had actually used the permitted reference materials, I would have gotten close to a perfect score. I thought the exam was easier than the Microsoft exam. Unlike the Microsoft exams which test Desktop and Distributed VB separately, there's only one Brainbench VB exam, and as a result, I noticed some topic areas on the Brainbench exam that are covered on the VB Distributed exam,. There were also one or two questions on IIS, and some questions about some obscure controls I never use.
In short, the Brainbench VB exam is not quite the feather in the cap that passing the Microsoft Certification exams is, but it is an attractive low cost alternative. I think it's true value may be in the testing of some other skill sets, where there's no other assessment alternative. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone whose employer uses Brainbench certifications as a criteria in hiring.
Monday, February 12, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0036---Behind the scenes with Stephen Caffery, a SetFocus consultant
Developer Career Tips #0036
Behind the scenes with Stephen Caffery, a SetFocus consultant
I've mentioned SetFocus.com in two of my tips during the last year. For those of you not familiar with SetFocus, it's a company that will provide qualified candidates with a 13-week intensive Visual Basic training program and in exchange, they agree to work for SetFocus for the next 9 months as a paid consultant.
I was recently contacted by a graduate of the SetFocus program, Stephen Caffery, who is now working through his 9 month consulting term. Stephen spoke highly of SetFocus, saying that it's a company that puts the welfare of its employees first.
The training program itself is no piece of cake---you need to relocate to the company's Parsispany New Jersey location (SetFocus will help you find housing), and you can expect to put in some long hours during the first four weeks of the program. He told me he put in 15 hours per day, plus some study time at home. There are weekly exams, plus generally two assignments per week. Working in teams is emphasized during the last few weeks of the program.
At the end of the program, your next logical step is to pass all four exams necessary to achieve the Microsoft MCSD Certification. SetFocus will pay for four exam attempts, and as soon as you pass two of them, you are eligible for placement as a consultant. Your salary increases when you pass the third and fourth exams. However, failure to pass two exams means you won't be placed as a consultant.
Stephen is a highly motivated individual, with an obvious love of IT. Right now he's enjoying a successful and highly visible consulting assignment with Roper Starch Worldwide in Princeton, New Jersey as a SetFocus consultant. At this time, SetFocus does not retain staff consultants beyond the nine month program---but Stephen told me that approximately 85% of the program's consultants stay on with the client, either as an employee or a consultant. Of course, with nine months of working experience as a consultant, Stephen could also opt to find another company to consult for or go out on his own. Either way, to me it sounds like a no-lose proposition.
Stephen has graciously volunteered his email address
scaffery@SetFocus.com
in the event that you have questions about the program.
Behind the scenes with Stephen Caffery, a SetFocus consultant
I've mentioned SetFocus.com in two of my tips during the last year. For those of you not familiar with SetFocus, it's a company that will provide qualified candidates with a 13-week intensive Visual Basic training program and in exchange, they agree to work for SetFocus for the next 9 months as a paid consultant.
I was recently contacted by a graduate of the SetFocus program, Stephen Caffery, who is now working through his 9 month consulting term. Stephen spoke highly of SetFocus, saying that it's a company that puts the welfare of its employees first.
The training program itself is no piece of cake---you need to relocate to the company's Parsispany New Jersey location (SetFocus will help you find housing), and you can expect to put in some long hours during the first four weeks of the program. He told me he put in 15 hours per day, plus some study time at home. There are weekly exams, plus generally two assignments per week. Working in teams is emphasized during the last few weeks of the program.
At the end of the program, your next logical step is to pass all four exams necessary to achieve the Microsoft MCSD Certification. SetFocus will pay for four exam attempts, and as soon as you pass two of them, you are eligible for placement as a consultant. Your salary increases when you pass the third and fourth exams. However, failure to pass two exams means you won't be placed as a consultant.
Stephen is a highly motivated individual, with an obvious love of IT. Right now he's enjoying a successful and highly visible consulting assignment with Roper Starch Worldwide in Princeton, New Jersey as a SetFocus consultant. At this time, SetFocus does not retain staff consultants beyond the nine month program---but Stephen told me that approximately 85% of the program's consultants stay on with the client, either as an employee or a consultant. Of course, with nine months of working experience as a consultant, Stephen could also opt to find another company to consult for or go out on his own. Either way, to me it sounds like a no-lose proposition.
Stephen has graciously volunteered his email address
scaffery@SetFocus.com
in the event that you have questions about the program.
Monday, February 5, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0035---Find a mentor to give your new career a boost
Developer Career Tips #0035
Find a mentor to give your new career a boost
A few tips back, I gave some advice on being the 'new kid on the block.'--what to do in those first few critical weeks on a new job. Recently, one of my readers, Gene, sent me an email with some additional advice on how to advance in your new job--and in a nutshell, it involves finding the superstar in your IT department, and developing a mentor relationship with them.
What does this mean?
Almost every IT department has a superstar---a person who is extremely knowledgeable, good at what they do, respected (and in some cases revered) by their peers and supervisors, and who are obviously going places.
Gene suggests that you do your best to become associated with these individuals. Try to get on the same projects together. If appropriate, volunteer to be on any committees on which they serve. Offer to do work on the side (on your own time) that they may need done for a particular project. Essentially, do anything you need to do in order to establish a working relationship with them.
What will come of this relationship?
Gene suggests that at a minimum it allows you to see and learn what it takes to be successful in your new company. Secondly, it also shows these revered colleagues that you are eager and anxious to grow--this can lead to them taking you under their wing which can supercharge your career.
Find a mentor to give your new career a boost
A few tips back, I gave some advice on being the 'new kid on the block.'--what to do in those first few critical weeks on a new job. Recently, one of my readers, Gene, sent me an email with some additional advice on how to advance in your new job--and in a nutshell, it involves finding the superstar in your IT department, and developing a mentor relationship with them.
What does this mean?
Almost every IT department has a superstar---a person who is extremely knowledgeable, good at what they do, respected (and in some cases revered) by their peers and supervisors, and who are obviously going places.
Gene suggests that you do your best to become associated with these individuals. Try to get on the same projects together. If appropriate, volunteer to be on any committees on which they serve. Offer to do work on the side (on your own time) that they may need done for a particular project. Essentially, do anything you need to do in order to establish a working relationship with them.
What will come of this relationship?
Gene suggests that at a minimum it allows you to see and learn what it takes to be successful in your new company. Secondly, it also shows these revered colleagues that you are eager and anxious to grow--this can lead to them taking you under their wing which can supercharge your career.
Monday, January 29, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0034---Job Interview Practice
Developer Career Tips #0034
Job Interview Practice
A few weeks ago, one of my students was preparing for a job interview for a Visual Basic programming job, and asked me for some advice. I had some free time, and so I spent about a half hour with him conducting a simulated job interview. Last week I saw him again and he said that the interview I had conducted with him was right on the mark. This didn’t surprise me, as I've conducted many real interviews like that in my career. While I would love to be able to conduct these same simulated interviews with all of my students, time doesn't permit it. I recently came upon the next best thing---a web site that can help you prepare for that upcoming job interview called Job-Interview.net
http://www.job-interview.net/
This site features mostly free information, and includes mock interviews for a variety of jobs, interview tips, interview do's and don'ts, job interview questions and answers, and links to other good sites. I found this link on their site
http://www.job-interview.net/Bank/Qit.htm
to be particularly useful for first time IT job seekers. Most IT job seekers have the skills to get the job they're seeking--what they lack is the perspective of the 'big picture' that employers seek. This link can help prevent the typical derailment that occurs when a job interviewer asks the novice programmer about Systems Development--not programmer specific questions. For instance, describe the Systems Development Life Cycle (something most of them have never heard of), or discuss the role of the user in the development of a new Visual Basic application.
In the next few months or so, I hope to develop a list of questions that prospective Visual Basic programmers have been asked during a job interview. I welcome your contributions---if you'd like to contribute, please send me an email to johnsmiley@johnsmiley.com
Job Interview Practice
A few weeks ago, one of my students was preparing for a job interview for a Visual Basic programming job, and asked me for some advice. I had some free time, and so I spent about a half hour with him conducting a simulated job interview. Last week I saw him again and he said that the interview I had conducted with him was right on the mark. This didn’t surprise me, as I've conducted many real interviews like that in my career. While I would love to be able to conduct these same simulated interviews with all of my students, time doesn't permit it. I recently came upon the next best thing---a web site that can help you prepare for that upcoming job interview called Job-Interview.net
http://www.job-interview.net/
This site features mostly free information, and includes mock interviews for a variety of jobs, interview tips, interview do's and don'ts, job interview questions and answers, and links to other good sites. I found this link on their site
http://www.job-interview.net/Bank/Qit.htm
to be particularly useful for first time IT job seekers. Most IT job seekers have the skills to get the job they're seeking--what they lack is the perspective of the 'big picture' that employers seek. This link can help prevent the typical derailment that occurs when a job interviewer asks the novice programmer about Systems Development--not programmer specific questions. For instance, describe the Systems Development Life Cycle (something most of them have never heard of), or discuss the role of the user in the development of a new Visual Basic application.
In the next few months or so, I hope to develop a list of questions that prospective Visual Basic programmers have been asked during a job interview. I welcome your contributions---if you'd like to contribute, please send me an email to johnsmiley@johnsmiley.com
Monday, January 15, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0032---Finding a high-tech job---Part 3
Developer Career Tips #0032
Finding a high-tech job---Part 3
In my last tip, I listed some popular job-finding Web Sites, and I promised to discuss how to write a resume to post online--and the pros and cons of doing so.
There are probably as many resume-writing Web Sites as there are job-finding Web Sites, and they're all loaded with good advice---just search for resume+online in any search engine and you'll get dozens of sites. I can summarize, in one word, the advice that these sites will give you when writing your resume---keywords.
In the past, those writing resumes were advised to include lots of action verbs. Resume search engines aren't looking for verbs--they're looking for keywords to help match candidates with positions, and Keywords are generally nouns. You should load up your online resume with as many nouns as you reasonably can---but don't go to extremes as some of my students have. Remember, if the resume search engine matches you with a job position, a human being will ultimately read your resume--and it better make sense..
The pros of posting a resume online? They are countless. More and more companies are searching for, and finding their candidates, online. Any more, if you don't have a resume posted online with one of the major job-finding Web Sites, it's a tremendous opportunity lost.
The cons of posting a resume online? There are several.
First, if you currently have a job, and you post your resume on-line, there's nothing to prevent your resume from being seen by your current employer--and this can make things very uncomfortable for you to say the least. Always date your resume. If two years from now your current employer sees your resume online, you can always explain you posted it when you were at your former job.
Secondly, there have been stories about headhunters finding attractive resumes on-line, and marketing them to potential employers, hoping to cash in on a lucrative finder's fee. This practice can set up a big conflict of interest (through no fault of your own) if the resume search engine matches you up with an employer to whom your resume has been sent via a head hunter. It could even cost you a job. For that reason, include with your resume some wording that forbids unauthorized transmission of your resume by headhunters.
Finding a high-tech job---Part 3
In my last tip, I listed some popular job-finding Web Sites, and I promised to discuss how to write a resume to post online--and the pros and cons of doing so.
There are probably as many resume-writing Web Sites as there are job-finding Web Sites, and they're all loaded with good advice---just search for resume+online in any search engine and you'll get dozens of sites. I can summarize, in one word, the advice that these sites will give you when writing your resume---keywords.
In the past, those writing resumes were advised to include lots of action verbs. Resume search engines aren't looking for verbs--they're looking for keywords to help match candidates with positions, and Keywords are generally nouns. You should load up your online resume with as many nouns as you reasonably can---but don't go to extremes as some of my students have. Remember, if the resume search engine matches you with a job position, a human being will ultimately read your resume--and it better make sense..
The pros of posting a resume online? They are countless. More and more companies are searching for, and finding their candidates, online. Any more, if you don't have a resume posted online with one of the major job-finding Web Sites, it's a tremendous opportunity lost.
The cons of posting a resume online? There are several.
First, if you currently have a job, and you post your resume on-line, there's nothing to prevent your resume from being seen by your current employer--and this can make things very uncomfortable for you to say the least. Always date your resume. If two years from now your current employer sees your resume online, you can always explain you posted it when you were at your former job.
Secondly, there have been stories about headhunters finding attractive resumes on-line, and marketing them to potential employers, hoping to cash in on a lucrative finder's fee. This practice can set up a big conflict of interest (through no fault of your own) if the resume search engine matches you up with an employer to whom your resume has been sent via a head hunter. It could even cost you a job. For that reason, include with your resume some wording that forbids unauthorized transmission of your resume by headhunters.
Monday, January 8, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0031---Finding a high-tech job---Part 2
Developer Career Tips #0031
Finding a high-tech job---Part 2
There are literally hundreds of job-finding Web Sites, and in this tip, I thought I would highlight several nationally known Web Sites that have good reputations. All of these sites allow you to post a resume and be notified when a job matching one you looking for is posted.
Monster.com (www.monster.com) may be the most recognized name on my list, and it's worth a look. The site is nicely organized, and boasts a list of nearly half a million posted jobs. Moster.com permits you to post your resume on their site, and much more. The site has a bunch of job seeking material, ranging from articles on how find one, online chats with job seeking experts, tips on creating your resume, and something I think is extremely worthwhile, a virtual interview that allows you to practice 'interviewing' for a job, and even provides feedback on how well you did.
Headerhunter.net (www.headhunter.net), like the more well-known Monster.com, also has a large number of posted jobs, about a quarter of a million as of the writing of this tip. Its site is not as full featured as Monster.com, although it does provide some job searching tips, and does permit you to post a resume. An interesting sister site you may wish to check out is sologig.com, which is aimed at marketing those interested in finding freelance and contract work.
America's Job Bank (http://www.ajb.dni.us/) claims to have 1.2 million jobs posted, with about half a million resumes available for viewing by prospective employers. Although this site has the most posted jobs of the sites I've reviewed, it's easily the most 'bare bones'. The U.S. Department of Labor developed this site in partnership with the states and private sector organizations. Anyone can search for jobs, but you'll need to register in order to get into the 'meatier' portions of the site, such as posting a resume.
Dice.com (www.dice.com) unlike the other sites I've reviewed concentrates solely on IT jobs, and currently lists over 100,000 high tech jobs. If you are looking for a job in IT, I would start with this full-featured site that has great links, and a bunch of worthwhile information.
In Part 3, I'll discuss how to write and post a resume online---and the pros and cons of doing so.
Finding a high-tech job---Part 2
There are literally hundreds of job-finding Web Sites, and in this tip, I thought I would highlight several nationally known Web Sites that have good reputations. All of these sites allow you to post a resume and be notified when a job matching one you looking for is posted.
Monster.com (www.monster.com) may be the most recognized name on my list, and it's worth a look. The site is nicely organized, and boasts a list of nearly half a million posted jobs. Moster.com permits you to post your resume on their site, and much more. The site has a bunch of job seeking material, ranging from articles on how find one, online chats with job seeking experts, tips on creating your resume, and something I think is extremely worthwhile, a virtual interview that allows you to practice 'interviewing' for a job, and even provides feedback on how well you did.
Headerhunter.net (www.headhunter.net), like the more well-known Monster.com, also has a large number of posted jobs, about a quarter of a million as of the writing of this tip. Its site is not as full featured as Monster.com, although it does provide some job searching tips, and does permit you to post a resume. An interesting sister site you may wish to check out is sologig.com, which is aimed at marketing those interested in finding freelance and contract work.
America's Job Bank (http://www.ajb.dni.us/) claims to have 1.2 million jobs posted, with about half a million resumes available for viewing by prospective employers. Although this site has the most posted jobs of the sites I've reviewed, it's easily the most 'bare bones'. The U.S. Department of Labor developed this site in partnership with the states and private sector organizations. Anyone can search for jobs, but you'll need to register in order to get into the 'meatier' portions of the site, such as posting a resume.
Dice.com (www.dice.com) unlike the other sites I've reviewed concentrates solely on IT jobs, and currently lists over 100,000 high tech jobs. If you are looking for a job in IT, I would start with this full-featured site that has great links, and a bunch of worthwhile information.
In Part 3, I'll discuss how to write and post a resume online---and the pros and cons of doing so.
Monday, January 1, 2001
Developer Career Tip #0030---Finding a high-tech job---Part 1
Developer Career Tips #0030
Finding a high-tech job---Part 1
With the New Year upon us, I thought I would do some research on Job Searching strategies. I wasn't planning on starting with Internet-based Job Searching strategies, but then I came upon an article on ZDNet which cited a higher than expected success rate for job seekers who used the Internet to find a job. According to the article
http://cma.zdnet.com/texis/cma/cma/+kr9e362rxzmwwwhqFq372+XXXW+WvNjbXW8mzmwwwwnzmwwwwpFqrp1xmwBnLFqnhw5B/display.html
just over 40% of job seekers who used the Internet to post their resume or retrieve job listings received interviews as a result. I think that's an outstanding rate of success, and one that surprises me a bit. The article went on to say that it's not only IT workers finding jobs via the Internet, but others job seekers as well. Surprisingly, the highest percentage of job seekers getting interviews is in the Human Resources area---most likely because they know best where to look and post their information on the web.
I'm always skeptical about claims such as this---as the particulars about the job seeker's situations are not noted in the survey. For instance, what were the respondent's years of experience? I've known beginner programmers with no work experience who have posted their resumes on the various search sites who haven't gotten a nibble.
Still, there's no doubt in my mind that finding a job via the Internet is a viable alternative to the more traditional methods of job searching such as scanning classified ads in newspapers or using an employment agency. Companies seeking qualified candidates find it a useful alternative as well.
In Part 2 of this article, I'll list and discuss the popular Job Search Web Sites, along with the pros and cons of posting your resume on a Job Search Site.
Finding a high-tech job---Part 1
With the New Year upon us, I thought I would do some research on Job Searching strategies. I wasn't planning on starting with Internet-based Job Searching strategies, but then I came upon an article on ZDNet which cited a higher than expected success rate for job seekers who used the Internet to find a job. According to the article
http://cma.zdnet.com/texis/cma/cma/+kr9e362rxzmwwwhqFq372+XXXW+WvNjbXW8mzmwwwwnzmwwwwpFqrp1xmwBnLFqnhw5B/display.html
just over 40% of job seekers who used the Internet to post their resume or retrieve job listings received interviews as a result. I think that's an outstanding rate of success, and one that surprises me a bit. The article went on to say that it's not only IT workers finding jobs via the Internet, but others job seekers as well. Surprisingly, the highest percentage of job seekers getting interviews is in the Human Resources area---most likely because they know best where to look and post their information on the web.
I'm always skeptical about claims such as this---as the particulars about the job seeker's situations are not noted in the survey. For instance, what were the respondent's years of experience? I've known beginner programmers with no work experience who have posted their resumes on the various search sites who haven't gotten a nibble.
Still, there's no doubt in my mind that finding a job via the Internet is a viable alternative to the more traditional methods of job searching such as scanning classified ads in newspapers or using an employment agency. Companies seeking qualified candidates find it a useful alternative as well.
In Part 2 of this article, I'll list and discuss the popular Job Search Web Sites, along with the pros and cons of posting your resume on a Job Search Site.
Monday, December 25, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0029---New kid on the block---Tip #1
Developer Career Tips #0029
New kid on the block---Tip #1
I've written extensively about pursuing and obtaining your first programming job---now let's assume that you've gotten it--what should you do in your first day or days on the job?
I recently received an email from someone who tries to take newly hired programmers under her wing, and she mentioned several important points that new programmers should bear in mind in their first days, weeks and months on the job.
First, come to grips with the fact that even if you're the world's greatest programmer, you just started with the company, and there's a lot about the company's business to learn. For instance, if you've just started with an insurance company, take the time to learn as much as possible about insurance--just getting up to speed on your company's business rules could take you a year or more. Your first day on the job is the time to start learning. The same applies to nearly every industry for which you will work--remember, you don't program Visual Basic, or C or Java--you program applications, and those applications have a business behind them.
Second, try to stretch your horizons, and be willing to take challenges. You may have been hired as a programmer, but in many companies, you're expected to be much more. For instance, if a user calls or visits about a problem logging into the company's network, roll up your sleeves and try to resolve the problem. It's OK to ask someone else for advice, but passing the user off because it's a 'Systems problem" makes you look bad in the eyes of the user and, even works, in the eyes of those you're working with.
Third, obtain a knowledge of the IT environment in which you are working as soon as possible---it will avoid problems down the road. For instance, if you can't understand why it's taking hours to build a Recordset from the company's Oracle Database down the hall, instead of complaining that the tech school from which you graduated had T1 connections, take some time to understand why the network is slow, and see if you can program around it. It could turn out that the problem is that there are a limited number of licenses, or that your program is running while the database is being backed up or maintenance is running.
New kid on the block---Tip #1
I've written extensively about pursuing and obtaining your first programming job---now let's assume that you've gotten it--what should you do in your first day or days on the job?
I recently received an email from someone who tries to take newly hired programmers under her wing, and she mentioned several important points that new programmers should bear in mind in their first days, weeks and months on the job.
First, come to grips with the fact that even if you're the world's greatest programmer, you just started with the company, and there's a lot about the company's business to learn. For instance, if you've just started with an insurance company, take the time to learn as much as possible about insurance--just getting up to speed on your company's business rules could take you a year or more. Your first day on the job is the time to start learning. The same applies to nearly every industry for which you will work--remember, you don't program Visual Basic, or C or Java--you program applications, and those applications have a business behind them.
Second, try to stretch your horizons, and be willing to take challenges. You may have been hired as a programmer, but in many companies, you're expected to be much more. For instance, if a user calls or visits about a problem logging into the company's network, roll up your sleeves and try to resolve the problem. It's OK to ask someone else for advice, but passing the user off because it's a 'Systems problem" makes you look bad in the eyes of the user and, even works, in the eyes of those you're working with.
Third, obtain a knowledge of the IT environment in which you are working as soon as possible---it will avoid problems down the road. For instance, if you can't understand why it's taking hours to build a Recordset from the company's Oracle Database down the hall, instead of complaining that the tech school from which you graduated had T1 connections, take some time to understand why the network is slow, and see if you can program around it. It could turn out that the problem is that there are a limited number of licenses, or that your program is running while the database is being backed up or maintenance is running.
Monday, December 18, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0028---Job search woes
Developer Career Tips #0028
Job search woes
I received my latest issue of Philly Tech magazine the other day (http://www.philly-tech.com)/. Philly Tech magazine, as the name implies, is a Philadelphia area high tech magazine, and it's a good one. I always start with the letters to the editors section, and for the third consecutive issue, more than half of the letters dealt with graduates of computer schools complaining about their lack of success in finding their first job--despite the promises of a hot job market by their respective computer school.
It's always difficult to determine if the letter writer is representative of the group as a whole, or just a single individual who for whatever reason can't find work.
I teach and mentor quite a few students who wish to break into the programming field---I asked myself---could I be wrong when I tell my students that it is possible for a beginner to obtain a programming position?
I maintain a large mailing list/group on egroups.com, and last week I sent out a request to my members to take a survey I had put together. I asked that only members of my group who had recently obtained employment in the IT field complete the survey. I've posted the results of the survey at:
http://www.johnsmiley.com/yesyoucan.htm
if you'd like to read them---I think you'll find them interesting.
There are several themes conveyed in the survey results, but perhaps none is more important than the respondent's belief that enthusiasm for their work in many cases got them a job. I tend to agree. Right after experience, I think employers are looking for evidence of a real zeal for work.
I remember interviewing a potentially great programmer several years ago. She obviously knew her stuff. Then I asked her to copy her Visual Basic program to a PC in my office so that I could see it run. She told me her 'copy' skills weren't very good--at the computer school she attended, one of the computer technicians did that for the students. That remark--and what it spoke of in regards to her zeal--cost her a job with me. In my small company, I expect programmers to be able to do a little bit of everything, and I don't think this attitude is found only in small companies. Personally, I wondered why someone who professed to desire a career in the IT world wouldn't bother to learn something about the computers for which they wanted to write programs.
As one hiring manager told me recently, she looks for candidates who eat, sleep, and dream IT. Make your prospective employer believe that of you, and you can land your first job.
Job search woes
I received my latest issue of Philly Tech magazine the other day (http://www.philly-tech.com)/. Philly Tech magazine, as the name implies, is a Philadelphia area high tech magazine, and it's a good one. I always start with the letters to the editors section, and for the third consecutive issue, more than half of the letters dealt with graduates of computer schools complaining about their lack of success in finding their first job--despite the promises of a hot job market by their respective computer school.
It's always difficult to determine if the letter writer is representative of the group as a whole, or just a single individual who for whatever reason can't find work.
I teach and mentor quite a few students who wish to break into the programming field---I asked myself---could I be wrong when I tell my students that it is possible for a beginner to obtain a programming position?
I maintain a large mailing list/group on egroups.com, and last week I sent out a request to my members to take a survey I had put together. I asked that only members of my group who had recently obtained employment in the IT field complete the survey. I've posted the results of the survey at:
http://www.johnsmiley.com/yesyoucan.htm
if you'd like to read them---I think you'll find them interesting.
There are several themes conveyed in the survey results, but perhaps none is more important than the respondent's belief that enthusiasm for their work in many cases got them a job. I tend to agree. Right after experience, I think employers are looking for evidence of a real zeal for work.
I remember interviewing a potentially great programmer several years ago. She obviously knew her stuff. Then I asked her to copy her Visual Basic program to a PC in my office so that I could see it run. She told me her 'copy' skills weren't very good--at the computer school she attended, one of the computer technicians did that for the students. That remark--and what it spoke of in regards to her zeal--cost her a job with me. In my small company, I expect programmers to be able to do a little bit of everything, and I don't think this attitude is found only in small companies. Personally, I wondered why someone who professed to desire a career in the IT world wouldn't bother to learn something about the computers for which they wanted to write programs.
As one hiring manager told me recently, she looks for candidates who eat, sleep, and dream IT. Make your prospective employer believe that of you, and you can land your first job.
Monday, December 11, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0027---Starting out in Consulting---Professional Liability Insurance
Developer Career Tips #0027
Starting out in Consulting---Professional Liability Insurance
I've written a few tips on starting out in the consulting field, and in my last tip on the subject I dealt with an issue that can be crucial in determining your success or failure as a consultant---setting your billing rate. Today I'd like to discuss something else that can be just as important if not more so---Professional Liability Insurance.
Think of Professional Liability Insurance as Malpractice Insurance for software developers and consultants. This insurance can provide you coverage in the event that one of your clients brings a claim against you and your work (it can happen.) Professionals such as architects and accountants have used Liability Insurance for years. Recently, software developers and consultants have embraced the protection that Professional Liability Insurance can offer (there's also a subset of Processional Liability Insurance designed specifically for software developers called Errors and Omissions coverage.)
Professional Liability Insurance coverage is not cheap, but the peace of mine it gives you may be well worth it.
I spoke with one associate of mine who told me she picked up a one million dollar Professional Liability policy for about $1,500---and is extremely pleased to know she's insured not only against mistakes she might make, but mistakes her clients believe she's made (obviously, there's a difference, but in a court of law that may not be so clear.)
Another associate of mine, Bob Lautenbach, president of Bayside Technology (http://www.baysidetech.com) points out that not only does Professional Liability Insurance provide you with protection, but in many instances, on prospective jobs he's been asked to bid on as a subcontractor, Professional Liability Insurance was a requirement in order to win the contract. Bob points out that coverage is available through most insurance brokers---but be sure to read the fine print. Like all insurance policies, Professional Liability policies have exceptions and exclusions--make sure you know what they are before committing.
The bottom line is that Professional Liability insurance is a cost of doing business--and you should seriously consider it in your consultant practice.
Starting out in Consulting---Professional Liability Insurance
I've written a few tips on starting out in the consulting field, and in my last tip on the subject I dealt with an issue that can be crucial in determining your success or failure as a consultant---setting your billing rate. Today I'd like to discuss something else that can be just as important if not more so---Professional Liability Insurance.
Think of Professional Liability Insurance as Malpractice Insurance for software developers and consultants. This insurance can provide you coverage in the event that one of your clients brings a claim against you and your work (it can happen.) Professionals such as architects and accountants have used Liability Insurance for years. Recently, software developers and consultants have embraced the protection that Professional Liability Insurance can offer (there's also a subset of Processional Liability Insurance designed specifically for software developers called Errors and Omissions coverage.)
Professional Liability Insurance coverage is not cheap, but the peace of mine it gives you may be well worth it.
I spoke with one associate of mine who told me she picked up a one million dollar Professional Liability policy for about $1,500---and is extremely pleased to know she's insured not only against mistakes she might make, but mistakes her clients believe she's made (obviously, there's a difference, but in a court of law that may not be so clear.)
Another associate of mine, Bob Lautenbach, president of Bayside Technology (http://www.baysidetech.com) points out that not only does Professional Liability Insurance provide you with protection, but in many instances, on prospective jobs he's been asked to bid on as a subcontractor, Professional Liability Insurance was a requirement in order to win the contract. Bob points out that coverage is available through most insurance brokers---but be sure to read the fine print. Like all insurance policies, Professional Liability policies have exceptions and exclusions--make sure you know what they are before committing.
The bottom line is that Professional Liability insurance is a cost of doing business--and you should seriously consider it in your consultant practice.
Monday, December 4, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0026---Getting that first job--use some common sense techniques
Developer Career Tips #0026
Getting that first job--use some common sense techniques
I just finished reading my latest copy of Computer User, and the first letter to the editor is another one of the many I've been seeing lately--a disgruntled student of a fast paced, high tech computer school complaining about their inability to get a job. This individual paid more than $8,000 for tuition, passed all six exams of the MCSE on the first try, and hasn't received a single job offer---and is justifiably disgruntled.
I've got to wonder why someone from an accredited school with obvious technical credentials (although no experience) can't at least get an offer for an entry level position somewhere--but I do have some ideas.
As you probably know, I teach and mentor quite a few students. I've written extensively about the need for a job candidate to have not only good technical skills, but good communication skills as well. And let's add some common sense to the equation also.
Just placing your resume on one of the IT job Web Sites isn't likely to get a beginner with no job experience an offer. There are just too many candidates out there with more experience. You've got to add the personal touch to your package.
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a job selection process, and you'd be amazed at the little things that can tip the scales in your favor--frequently it's the candidate who shows enthusiasm and initiative during the job hiring process that gets the job.
We interviewed ten candidates for an entry level Visual Basic job. All ten had good resumes. At interview time, however, five appeared to be head and shoulders above the others. Why?
Those five brought samples of programs they had written to the interview. Of the remaining group of five, two made great impressions during the interview. The other three, while great coders, had virtually no communication skills whatsoever. Two of them appeared to be painfully shy---making no eye contact, and mumbling their responses. The other one wasn't shy--just the opposite. He chatted incessantly---making us believe that it would be difficult for him (or his team members) to get any meaningful work done in a team environment.
That left us with two excellent candidates to choose from. The selection ultimately went to the candidate who took some time to learn about the company. It probably hadn't taken her long at all (maybe just a quick glance at the company's Web Site), but she came to the interview having read the company's last major press release announcing a new product -and she found a way to make us aware of that knowledge when she asked a question about it. That question--and her enthusiasm---got her the job!
Getting that first job--use some common sense techniques
I just finished reading my latest copy of Computer User, and the first letter to the editor is another one of the many I've been seeing lately--a disgruntled student of a fast paced, high tech computer school complaining about their inability to get a job. This individual paid more than $8,000 for tuition, passed all six exams of the MCSE on the first try, and hasn't received a single job offer---and is justifiably disgruntled.
I've got to wonder why someone from an accredited school with obvious technical credentials (although no experience) can't at least get an offer for an entry level position somewhere--but I do have some ideas.
As you probably know, I teach and mentor quite a few students. I've written extensively about the need for a job candidate to have not only good technical skills, but good communication skills as well. And let's add some common sense to the equation also.
Just placing your resume on one of the IT job Web Sites isn't likely to get a beginner with no job experience an offer. There are just too many candidates out there with more experience. You've got to add the personal touch to your package.
I recently had the opportunity to participate in a job selection process, and you'd be amazed at the little things that can tip the scales in your favor--frequently it's the candidate who shows enthusiasm and initiative during the job hiring process that gets the job.
We interviewed ten candidates for an entry level Visual Basic job. All ten had good resumes. At interview time, however, five appeared to be head and shoulders above the others. Why?
Those five brought samples of programs they had written to the interview. Of the remaining group of five, two made great impressions during the interview. The other three, while great coders, had virtually no communication skills whatsoever. Two of them appeared to be painfully shy---making no eye contact, and mumbling their responses. The other one wasn't shy--just the opposite. He chatted incessantly---making us believe that it would be difficult for him (or his team members) to get any meaningful work done in a team environment.
That left us with two excellent candidates to choose from. The selection ultimately went to the candidate who took some time to learn about the company. It probably hadn't taken her long at all (maybe just a quick glance at the company's Web Site), but she came to the interview having read the company's last major press release announcing a new product -and she found a way to make us aware of that knowledge when she asked a question about it. That question--and her enthusiasm---got her the job!
Monday, November 27, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0025---Online Programming Training
Developer Career Tips #0025
Online Programming Training
In my July 20th tip, I discussed online training as a viable alternative to traditional forms of computer training such as taking a class at a Microsoft Certified Technical Education Center (CTEC), computer school or college or university. I won't repeat the plusses and minuses of online training here, but I would like to update you on some of the new courses being offered at the online schools for which I teach. (I want to emphasize that I teach Visual Basic courses for these venues---for a more complete list of available online training, check out SearchVB's weekly spotlight of October 16th, in which it reviewed ten Web Sites for online training.)
I've been teaching Visual Basic courses for over three years at both ElementK and SmartPlanet, and I still believe that instructor-led courses such as these provide the most flexibility and support for those students who want to learn new programming skills. The emphasis at ElementK is towards the experienced IT developer, whereas SmartPlanet is geared more towards the beginner programmer.
SmartPlanet (www.smartplanet.com)
SmartPlanet has been offering Visual Basic programming courses for over four years---however, for the most part they've been introductory level courses. They've recently developed and announced more advanced offerings to include courses on Visual Basic Database programming, Visual Basic Objects, creating ActiveX and API Programming. As someone who's had a part in developing these courses, I can tell you that these courses will go a long way towards preparing you for Microsoft Certification.
ElementK(www.elementk.com)
Like SmartPlanet, ElementK has offered Visual Basic courses for a number of years. For the last six months or so, ElementK has been offering a series of Advanced courses aimed at preparing students for the Microsoft Desktop (70-176) and Distributed (70-175)Visual Basic Exams. In addition, in January, they'll be offering a 3-part course on creating ActiveX/COM Components in Visual Basic.
Online Programming Training
In my July 20th tip, I discussed online training as a viable alternative to traditional forms of computer training such as taking a class at a Microsoft Certified Technical Education Center (CTEC), computer school or college or university. I won't repeat the plusses and minuses of online training here, but I would like to update you on some of the new courses being offered at the online schools for which I teach. (I want to emphasize that I teach Visual Basic courses for these venues---for a more complete list of available online training, check out SearchVB's weekly spotlight of October 16th, in which it reviewed ten Web Sites for online training.)
I've been teaching Visual Basic courses for over three years at both ElementK and SmartPlanet, and I still believe that instructor-led courses such as these provide the most flexibility and support for those students who want to learn new programming skills. The emphasis at ElementK is towards the experienced IT developer, whereas SmartPlanet is geared more towards the beginner programmer.
SmartPlanet (www.smartplanet.com)
SmartPlanet has been offering Visual Basic programming courses for over four years---however, for the most part they've been introductory level courses. They've recently developed and announced more advanced offerings to include courses on Visual Basic Database programming, Visual Basic Objects, creating ActiveX and API Programming. As someone who's had a part in developing these courses, I can tell you that these courses will go a long way towards preparing you for Microsoft Certification.
ElementK(www.elementk.com)
Like SmartPlanet, ElementK has offered Visual Basic courses for a number of years. For the last six months or so, ElementK has been offering a series of Advanced courses aimed at preparing students for the Microsoft Desktop (70-176) and Distributed (70-175)Visual Basic Exams. In addition, in January, they'll be offering a 3-part course on creating ActiveX/COM Components in Visual Basic.
Monday, November 20, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0024---Microsoft Certification Examinations to be retired
Developer Career Tips #0024
Microsoft Certification Examinations to be retired
I've talked about Microsoft Certification in past tips, and I thought I would take this opportunity to warn you that Microsoft is planning on retiring 18 exams at the end of this year, and included among them is Exam 70-165, Developing Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0. Of the 18 exams being retired, this one is the only one that I can see which would impact the MCP (Microsoft Certified Profession) or the MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer) Certifications.
I'm not sure how many among you have taken the Visual Basic 5 exam, and used it either to give you your MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) Certification or to form part of the requirements for your MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer) Certification, but if you did, you should be aware that unless you take a replacement examination, you will eventually lose your certifications.
For more information about the retired exams, follow this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/trainingandservices/default.asp?PageID=mcp&PageCall=examstoretire&SubSite=examinfo
Now that we have the bad news out of the way, let me give you the good news.
The good news is that there's no immediate danger to your Certifications---you'll have a full year, until December 31, 2001, to take and pass a replacement examination. For a list of examinations that can be used for the MCP and MCSD certifications, follow this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/trainingandservices/default.asp?PageID=mcp&PageCall=requirements&SubSite=cert/mcsd&AnnMenu=mcsd
Microsoft Certification Examinations to be retired
I've talked about Microsoft Certification in past tips, and I thought I would take this opportunity to warn you that Microsoft is planning on retiring 18 exams at the end of this year, and included among them is Exam 70-165, Developing Applications with Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0. Of the 18 exams being retired, this one is the only one that I can see which would impact the MCP (Microsoft Certified Profession) or the MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer) Certifications.
I'm not sure how many among you have taken the Visual Basic 5 exam, and used it either to give you your MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) Certification or to form part of the requirements for your MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer) Certification, but if you did, you should be aware that unless you take a replacement examination, you will eventually lose your certifications.
For more information about the retired exams, follow this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/trainingandservices/default.asp?PageID=mcp&PageCall=examstoretire&SubSite=examinfo
Now that we have the bad news out of the way, let me give you the good news.
The good news is that there's no immediate danger to your Certifications---you'll have a full year, until December 31, 2001, to take and pass a replacement examination. For a list of examinations that can be used for the MCP and MCSD certifications, follow this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/trainingandservices/default.asp?PageID=mcp&PageCall=requirements&SubSite=cert/mcsd&AnnMenu=mcsd
Monday, November 13, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0023---Behind the scenes with Mark Weiss of ColorQuick.com
Developer Career Tips #0023
Behind the scenes with Mark Weiss of ColorQuick.com
This is the first in a series of periodic 'behind the scenes' looks at companies and individuals using Visual Basic. It's sometimes an 'eye opener' to see how others are actually using Visual Basic in their work.
For this tip, I interviewed Mark Weiss, who is the President of ColorQuick.com, located in Pennsauken. New Jersey. You can visit the company’s Web Site at:
http://www.colorquick.com
Question: What is your job at ColorQuick?
Answer: I'm President of the company. ColorQuick is an intermediary business to business Internet company providing digital workflow technology that allows printers to better service their clients. Using a mixture of proprietary software and off-the-shelf systems, ColorQuick bridges the gap between the marketspace and marketplace. We provide speed, quality and the cost savings associated with a state-of-the-art web-enabled digital workflow.
Question: How does your company use Visual Basic?
Answer: We use Visual Basic as our primary development tool. To date, we have coded a complete Estimating System, as well as automated the production workflow of pre-press operations using a series of Visual Basic applications that monitor jobs, and dynamically pass them from one stage of production to the next.
Question: How did your programming staff learn Visual Basic?
Answer: Most of it is self-taught, along with some college courses on Advanced Visual Basic topics.
Question: Do you use other languages besides Visual Basic?
Answer: Yes, we also use: C, C++, Perl, VBA, Hypertext, AppleScript, PostScript and ASP.
Question: Do you use third-party tools?
Answer: Yes, we buy various tools as they are needed. However, to date, implementation of third party tools has been pretty limited.
Question: What's it like to work at your company?
Answer: This is a broad question. We are under pressure to perform, and get our product out into the market. We really try to work with our folks, and have offsite and flex time situations to better meet employee schedules.
Behind the scenes with Mark Weiss of ColorQuick.com
This is the first in a series of periodic 'behind the scenes' looks at companies and individuals using Visual Basic. It's sometimes an 'eye opener' to see how others are actually using Visual Basic in their work.
For this tip, I interviewed Mark Weiss, who is the President of ColorQuick.com, located in Pennsauken. New Jersey. You can visit the company’s Web Site at:
http://www.colorquick.com
Question: What is your job at ColorQuick?
Answer: I'm President of the company. ColorQuick is an intermediary business to business Internet company providing digital workflow technology that allows printers to better service their clients. Using a mixture of proprietary software and off-the-shelf systems, ColorQuick bridges the gap between the marketspace and marketplace. We provide speed, quality and the cost savings associated with a state-of-the-art web-enabled digital workflow.
Question: How does your company use Visual Basic?
Answer: We use Visual Basic as our primary development tool. To date, we have coded a complete Estimating System, as well as automated the production workflow of pre-press operations using a series of Visual Basic applications that monitor jobs, and dynamically pass them from one stage of production to the next.
Question: How did your programming staff learn Visual Basic?
Answer: Most of it is self-taught, along with some college courses on Advanced Visual Basic topics.
Question: Do you use other languages besides Visual Basic?
Answer: Yes, we also use: C, C++, Perl, VBA, Hypertext, AppleScript, PostScript and ASP.
Question: Do you use third-party tools?
Answer: Yes, we buy various tools as they are needed. However, to date, implementation of third party tools has been pretty limited.
Question: What's it like to work at your company?
Answer: This is a broad question. We are under pressure to perform, and get our product out into the market. We really try to work with our folks, and have offsite and flex time situations to better meet employee schedules.
Monday, November 6, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0022---Setting your hourly billing rate--Part 2
Developer Career Tips #0022
Setting your hourly billing rate--Part 2
In my last Developer Career tip, I discussed ways in which an Independent Contractor can go about establishing an hourly billing rate, which concentrated on establishing a rate in concert with those around you. I promised to discuss how to establish your own personal billing rate in this tip--which may be lower or higher than the going market rate.
The first step is to determine the level of 'take home' pay that you can live with each week or month. Of course, this figure will vary from individual to individual, and you may want to use the last job you had as an employee as a starting point. It's important to start out with some figure in mind that you can use for comparison purposes, because as you're about to see, grossing $100,000 a year as a consultant is not the same as grossing $100,000 a year as an employee. Here are the typical deductions for an employee making $100,000…
Salary Figures as an employee..
Gross $100,000
Federal Tax 28% $ 28,000
Social Security 6.2% up to 76,200 $ 4,724
Medicare 1.45% $ 1,450
401K (Employee) 5% (up to 10%) $ 5,000
Health Insurance $300 per month $ 3,600
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Deductions $ 42,774
Yearly Net $ 57,226
Monthly Net $ 4,769
These figures assume that you are contributing 5% to a 401K Pension plan, that your employer is matching 5%, that you are paying some share of your Health Insurance Premiums, and that you are paying no State or Local Taxes. As you can see, this results in a monthly net income of approximately $4,769.
This picture gets a bit more complicated as an Independent Contractor, as there are more payroll taxes for you to pay. You may not be aware that as an Independent Consultant, you are required to pay BOTH the employee and employer share of Social Security Taxes. I also HIGHLY recommend that you continue to pay into a 401K Plan of your own. When you're an Independent Contractor you can set up a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP), and you can contribute roughly up to 15% of your Gross Income into this tax deferred, tax deductible plan. Here's how that same $100,000 gross salary looks as an Independent Contractor.
Salary Figures as an Independent Contractor..
Gross $100,000
Federal Tax 28% $ 28,000
Social Security (Employee share) 6.2% up to 76,200 $ 4,724
Social Security (Employer share) 6.2% up to 76,200 $ 4,724
Medicare (Employee share) 1.45% $ 1,450
Medicare (Employer share) 1.45% $ 1,450
401K (Employee) 5% $ 5,000
401K (Employer) 5% $ 5,000
Health Insurance* $600 per month $ 7,200
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Deductions $ 57,549
Yearly Net $ 42,451
Monthly Net $ 3,538
These figures assume that you are contributing both the employee and employer share of Social Security and Medicare Taxes, 10% to a 401K (remember, as an employee you contributed 5% and your employer contributed 5%), and about $600 per month for a group health insurance policy.
As you can see, by joining the Independent Contracting ranks, you are taking a 'hit' of $14,775 in your yearly net pay, or about $1,231 per month. To maintain the same level of 'take home' pay, you would need to 'gross' about $125,000 per year.
How do we then determine an hourly pay rate?
To do that, you next need to determine how many hours per year you'll be working. Let's say in your previous job you took 3 weeks of vacation per year, and used a total of 5 personal and sick days, and also were entitled to 5 paid holidays. That's a total of 25 days off (15 + 5 + 5). In a typical work year there are 260 work days (52 * 5)---with 25 days off, that means you worked 235 days. Assuming you'll need the same amount of time 'off' in your life as an Independent, and that you'll be working, on average, 8 hours per day, multiply 8 hours per day by 235, and you get 1,880 hours. Divide 1880 into $125,00, and the result is $66.48--and there you have your billing rate.
But there's one problem with this scenario.
As an Independent Contractor, you can expect to spend about 25% of your time in non-revenue generating pursuits. For instance, you'll need to keep up with the latest in technology, which may mean taking classes on your own time (and at your own expense.) You may also need to make proposals and presentations to potential clients which may not pan out---and which are not billable (I try to bill for everything, but it's not always possible.). Also, as good as you are, you most likely won't be working all the time. One contract may end at the end of March, another one begin two weeks later in mid-April.
For this reason, you need to assume that of those 1,880 hours you are able to work each year, only 75% of them will be billable--which results in about 1,410 billable hours per year---divide that number into $125,000, and you get a more realistic billing rate of $88.
Now at this point, a lot of newcomers question their ability to command that kind of rate---if the rate you require seems too high to you, what can you do?
First, you can reconsider joining the ranks of the Independent Contractor. Independents, as you have seen here, have good reasons for charging the high rates that they do---and usually have the skill sets to get them. If you don't think your skill set can command the rate you need to make, perhaps this is not a good move for you.
Secondly, you can lower your required 'take home' pay. In my experience, this is not a good idea. Under ordinary circumstances, you wouldn't leave one job and take another at lower pay--why accept that scenario just because you're working on your own.
Thirdly, you can increase the number of hours you're willing to work in a year. Some Independents I know work 14 hour days to increase their billable hours, and in turn, charge a lower hourly rate. Some others give up vacation time in order to increase their billable hours. Again, I don't think this is a great idea. As an Independent, you probably were hoping to improve the quality of your life---taking this approach is a sure way to ruin it.
Finally, you can 'skimp' on the benefits that you are now paying yourself. For instance, you can choose NOT to pay into your own 401K, or perhaps cut back a bit on the amount you contribute. This is a VERY bad idea. Your retirement plan is insurance for your future. Think how you would feel if your employer announced today that they were eliminating your pension plan, or no longer matching your 401K contributions. You'd be up in arms.
The bottom line is to find a billing rate that allows you to live as comfortably as you deem fit--and for most people, that means earning a 'take home' pay that is at least as much as you earn now. If you can't do that as an Independent, then the lifestyle is not for you.
Setting your hourly billing rate--Part 2
In my last Developer Career tip, I discussed ways in which an Independent Contractor can go about establishing an hourly billing rate, which concentrated on establishing a rate in concert with those around you. I promised to discuss how to establish your own personal billing rate in this tip--which may be lower or higher than the going market rate.
The first step is to determine the level of 'take home' pay that you can live with each week or month. Of course, this figure will vary from individual to individual, and you may want to use the last job you had as an employee as a starting point. It's important to start out with some figure in mind that you can use for comparison purposes, because as you're about to see, grossing $100,000 a year as a consultant is not the same as grossing $100,000 a year as an employee. Here are the typical deductions for an employee making $100,000…
Salary Figures as an employee..
Gross $100,000
Federal Tax 28% $ 28,000
Social Security 6.2% up to 76,200 $ 4,724
Medicare 1.45% $ 1,450
401K (Employee) 5% (up to 10%) $ 5,000
Health Insurance $300 per month $ 3,600
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Deductions $ 42,774
Yearly Net $ 57,226
Monthly Net $ 4,769
These figures assume that you are contributing 5% to a 401K Pension plan, that your employer is matching 5%, that you are paying some share of your Health Insurance Premiums, and that you are paying no State or Local Taxes. As you can see, this results in a monthly net income of approximately $4,769.
This picture gets a bit more complicated as an Independent Contractor, as there are more payroll taxes for you to pay. You may not be aware that as an Independent Consultant, you are required to pay BOTH the employee and employer share of Social Security Taxes. I also HIGHLY recommend that you continue to pay into a 401K Plan of your own. When you're an Independent Contractor you can set up a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP), and you can contribute roughly up to 15% of your Gross Income into this tax deferred, tax deductible plan. Here's how that same $100,000 gross salary looks as an Independent Contractor.
Salary Figures as an Independent Contractor..
Gross $100,000
Federal Tax 28% $ 28,000
Social Security (Employee share) 6.2% up to 76,200 $ 4,724
Social Security (Employer share) 6.2% up to 76,200 $ 4,724
Medicare (Employee share) 1.45% $ 1,450
Medicare (Employer share) 1.45% $ 1,450
401K (Employee) 5% $ 5,000
401K (Employer) 5% $ 5,000
Health Insurance* $600 per month $ 7,200
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Deductions $ 57,549
Yearly Net $ 42,451
Monthly Net $ 3,538
These figures assume that you are contributing both the employee and employer share of Social Security and Medicare Taxes, 10% to a 401K (remember, as an employee you contributed 5% and your employer contributed 5%), and about $600 per month for a group health insurance policy.
As you can see, by joining the Independent Contracting ranks, you are taking a 'hit' of $14,775 in your yearly net pay, or about $1,231 per month. To maintain the same level of 'take home' pay, you would need to 'gross' about $125,000 per year.
How do we then determine an hourly pay rate?
To do that, you next need to determine how many hours per year you'll be working. Let's say in your previous job you took 3 weeks of vacation per year, and used a total of 5 personal and sick days, and also were entitled to 5 paid holidays. That's a total of 25 days off (15 + 5 + 5). In a typical work year there are 260 work days (52 * 5)---with 25 days off, that means you worked 235 days. Assuming you'll need the same amount of time 'off' in your life as an Independent, and that you'll be working, on average, 8 hours per day, multiply 8 hours per day by 235, and you get 1,880 hours. Divide 1880 into $125,00, and the result is $66.48--and there you have your billing rate.
But there's one problem with this scenario.
As an Independent Contractor, you can expect to spend about 25% of your time in non-revenue generating pursuits. For instance, you'll need to keep up with the latest in technology, which may mean taking classes on your own time (and at your own expense.) You may also need to make proposals and presentations to potential clients which may not pan out---and which are not billable (I try to bill for everything, but it's not always possible.). Also, as good as you are, you most likely won't be working all the time. One contract may end at the end of March, another one begin two weeks later in mid-April.
For this reason, you need to assume that of those 1,880 hours you are able to work each year, only 75% of them will be billable--which results in about 1,410 billable hours per year---divide that number into $125,000, and you get a more realistic billing rate of $88.
Now at this point, a lot of newcomers question their ability to command that kind of rate---if the rate you require seems too high to you, what can you do?
First, you can reconsider joining the ranks of the Independent Contractor. Independents, as you have seen here, have good reasons for charging the high rates that they do---and usually have the skill sets to get them. If you don't think your skill set can command the rate you need to make, perhaps this is not a good move for you.
Secondly, you can lower your required 'take home' pay. In my experience, this is not a good idea. Under ordinary circumstances, you wouldn't leave one job and take another at lower pay--why accept that scenario just because you're working on your own.
Thirdly, you can increase the number of hours you're willing to work in a year. Some Independents I know work 14 hour days to increase their billable hours, and in turn, charge a lower hourly rate. Some others give up vacation time in order to increase their billable hours. Again, I don't think this is a great idea. As an Independent, you probably were hoping to improve the quality of your life---taking this approach is a sure way to ruin it.
Finally, you can 'skimp' on the benefits that you are now paying yourself. For instance, you can choose NOT to pay into your own 401K, or perhaps cut back a bit on the amount you contribute. This is a VERY bad idea. Your retirement plan is insurance for your future. Think how you would feel if your employer announced today that they were eliminating your pension plan, or no longer matching your 401K contributions. You'd be up in arms.
The bottom line is to find a billing rate that allows you to live as comfortably as you deem fit--and for most people, that means earning a 'take home' pay that is at least as much as you earn now. If you can't do that as an Independent, then the lifestyle is not for you.
Monday, October 30, 2000
Developer Career Tip #0021---Setting your hourly billing rate
Developer Career Tips #0021
Setting your hourly billing rate
In my September 21st Developer Career Tip entitled "Consulting---Getting Started" I discussed how to get started with Independent Contracting and Consulting work. Let's assume for the moment that you've found someone who wants to hire you--the next major step to take is to determine how much to charge them.
There are many schools of thought on what newcomers to the consulting business should charge their clients.
One theory (to which I do NOT subscribe) is to offer to do the job for a rate that reflects your relative inexperience. While I think it's important to be honest and "up front" with your prospective client about your consulting experience, I think it's a BAD idea to charge a "below market rate" to get your foot in the door. In my opinion, doing so sends a subtle message to your client that, just as your rates are below par, maybe your work is also. If you believe that your skills and services are worthy of selling, then you must also take the tact that they are worthy of being paid for at the market rate.
In some cases, you may not have the option of setting your own rate. In many of my consulting jobs, the client tells me what they are willing to pay for my services. Of course, I'm free to make a counter offer, or even to walk away, but a lot of the 'guess work' is taken away when the client states the rate up front. In actuality, most times I'll accept the rate---most times clients have a strong feel for the current market rate and are willing to pay it for experienced consultants and developers.
On the other hand, suppose the client asks you to name your rate? How then do you establish what to charge your client?
I've seen consultants do this in a number of ways.
One way is to join an association of computer consultants. One such association is the Independent Computer Consultants Association (ICCA).
http://www.icca.org/
Membership in an organization like the ICCA has many benefits, one of which is the ability to ask other members what rates they are charging in your area. You can then use this as the basis for your billing rate.
You can also find out what your competition is charging, and use that as the basis for your own billing rate. I know of a consultant whose husband (and billing manager) on a quarterly basis calls consulting firms in her area to find out what they are charging per hour for contract programming in Visual Basic or Access. This market research can help you establish your own billing rate.
Another way is to perform some mathematical calculations to determine your optimal billing rate. This method, in addition to helping you set your billing rate, also forces you to make some assumptions about the nature of your lifestyle and business as an Independent Contractor or Consultant. For instance, you'll need to answer questions such as: will you be working 40 hours per week, 50, 60 or more? Will you be taking time off for a vacation, if so, how many? Will you be contributing to a Simplified Employee Pension Plan? How much do you hope to 'clear' after taxes?
I'll be illustrating this method in next week's tip.
Setting your hourly billing rate
In my September 21st Developer Career Tip entitled "Consulting---Getting Started" I discussed how to get started with Independent Contracting and Consulting work. Let's assume for the moment that you've found someone who wants to hire you--the next major step to take is to determine how much to charge them.
There are many schools of thought on what newcomers to the consulting business should charge their clients.
One theory (to which I do NOT subscribe) is to offer to do the job for a rate that reflects your relative inexperience. While I think it's important to be honest and "up front" with your prospective client about your consulting experience, I think it's a BAD idea to charge a "below market rate" to get your foot in the door. In my opinion, doing so sends a subtle message to your client that, just as your rates are below par, maybe your work is also. If you believe that your skills and services are worthy of selling, then you must also take the tact that they are worthy of being paid for at the market rate.
In some cases, you may not have the option of setting your own rate. In many of my consulting jobs, the client tells me what they are willing to pay for my services. Of course, I'm free to make a counter offer, or even to walk away, but a lot of the 'guess work' is taken away when the client states the rate up front. In actuality, most times I'll accept the rate---most times clients have a strong feel for the current market rate and are willing to pay it for experienced consultants and developers.
On the other hand, suppose the client asks you to name your rate? How then do you establish what to charge your client?
I've seen consultants do this in a number of ways.
One way is to join an association of computer consultants. One such association is the Independent Computer Consultants Association (ICCA).
http://www.icca.org/
Membership in an organization like the ICCA has many benefits, one of which is the ability to ask other members what rates they are charging in your area. You can then use this as the basis for your billing rate.
You can also find out what your competition is charging, and use that as the basis for your own billing rate. I know of a consultant whose husband (and billing manager) on a quarterly basis calls consulting firms in her area to find out what they are charging per hour for contract programming in Visual Basic or Access. This market research can help you establish your own billing rate.
Another way is to perform some mathematical calculations to determine your optimal billing rate. This method, in addition to helping you set your billing rate, also forces you to make some assumptions about the nature of your lifestyle and business as an Independent Contractor or Consultant. For instance, you'll need to answer questions such as: will you be working 40 hours per week, 50, 60 or more? Will you be taking time off for a vacation, if so, how many? Will you be contributing to a Simplified Employee Pension Plan? How much do you hope to 'clear' after taxes?
I'll be illustrating this method in next week's tip.
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