From Analyst to Web Developer

From Analyst to Web Developer Success Story > From: Job To: Job From Analyst to Web Developer “I couldn't bear dragging myself to work any longer.” * From Analyst to Web Developer Tim Robertson felt undervalued and unskilled. Longing to find more buzzy, creative and technical work, he took a big financial risk and retrained. It’s been an eye-opening reinvention with a steep learning curve, but he’s finally found a career path that ticks all his boxes. Here's how he did it. What work were you doing previously? I bounced around in the online sports betting industry. I was there for close to nine years, in operational / analyst roles. What are you doing now? I just started my first job as a junior web developer. Why did you change? I couldn't bear dragging myself to work any longer. I'd 'fallen' into my previous career trajectory, and whilst I gained some valuable experience in that industry, I felt like I lacked tangible, transferable skills. I've always loved technology and it ticked all the boxes for me. When I assessed my skills and looked at my past work achievements, creative problem solving and building tools to improve processes were always things I'd done successfully in the past. I wanted specific technical skills that were, and would continue to be, in demand. The earning potential, flexible work hours and locations all really appealed. When was the moment you decided to make the change? I'd toyed with the idea for a long time. I'd been through years (on and off) of research and self-analysis. My last job was a really poor fit for me and I was emphatically mismanaged. After a particular moment where the company showed how little it valued me, I knew I couldn't keep switching myself off to it â€" it was time to pull the trigger! Are you happy with the change? It's very early days, but so far I'm delighted. I've set myself on a path of continuous learning (with the flip side being that I feel stupid a lot of the time!), but I'm happiest when I'm learning, and building tangible products is highly rewarding. I'm in an industry and a role where I want to work hard and keep improving. I consider software craftsmanship an art form and one I'm highly motivated to get good at. What do you miss and what don't you miss? I don't miss anything. It'd be nice not to feel inferior, but that's just part of being a junior â€" I work with great people and almost everyone I've met in the industry is friendly, honest, open, and willing to help. I'm thrilled to have put shifts and 'busy work' behind me, and to be surrounded by intelligent, motivated people. I feel like I'm reinventing myself, or at least realigning, which feels very satisfying! How did you go about making the shift? I used every resource I could find, including Careershifters workshops and a phone chat. My research and self-assessment, and my strongest interests, all pointed towards a career in tech. I found a boot camp course that looked ideal (from Makers Academy), researched the hell out of that too, including attending a graduation and even sitting in on a lecture. I weighed up the pros and cons, sought advice from as many respected opinions as I could find, and ultimately decided I'd rather try (and risk failing) than never try at all. I applied for the course, looked into my finance options, and thankfully everything fell into place. I had to give two months' notice in my previous job, so I had plenty of time to get everything geared up for starting the course. What didn't go well? What 'wrong turns' did you take? I'm not sure how much you can do to prepare yourself for a twelve-week intensive boot camp where you'll be learning a ton of new things over twelve-hour days, and then spending the weekend working on coding challenges. I struggled with that workload, the emotional roller coaster I went on, and my finances. It took me longer than I hoped for to find a job, mainly due to a combination of my own lack of confidence, and graduating in the summer, which is a notoriously quiet time for hiring. It's hard to know how good you are, and what potential employers expect (which varies dramatically, even for a junior). I never liked being an interviewee in a career I had years of experience in, so interviewing for a brand new career was daunting; it required a thick skin and significant perseverance. How did you handle your finances to make your change possible? I had to take a loan out, backed up with some savings. I looked into getting a Career Development Loan, but actually got a better offer from the bank. I have a considerable amount to repay but the monthly payment is manageable and there are no penalties for overpaying. This certainly added to the stress and perceived risk, but my earning potential in this industry far, far exceeds that of my previous career path, and my first job already pays better than what I was previously earning. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Believing I could do it. Despite being risk averse, I just couldn't carry on as I was: I was so miserable. But I still questioned my own ability, desire and commitment, because it was fair to say that my career to that point had been underwhelming. What help did you get? Encouragement from Careershifters, and incredibly positive words from friends and family. The latter, in particular, blew me away, and the feeling I had when I was then able to tell them all that I'd secured a job will never leave me. My family were real pillars of support throughout. One of the main reasons I chose the Makers Academy boot camp was because of the alumni network you subsequently become a member of. I had one-to-one support from coaches, and I still regularly attend events and meetups. What have you learnt in the process? That everything I desire lies outside of my comfort zone and that persistence pays. I've proved to myself that I am determined and committed, and ultimately that I can do it. Having a support network really does help and shouldn't be underestimated. Ultimately, too, just making a decision and taking action, even with all the worries and discomfort, feels so much better than being miserable. What do you wish you'd done differently? In an ideal world, I’d have had more money saved up so that I wouldn't have been so stressed about my finances. And, in hindsight, I could have done more studying prior to the course starting, so that I could have been more confident from day one. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Don't be rash, but do be brave. Research, ask questions, weigh up pros and cons and then do it (and believe that you can). If your current career gives you the Monday blues consider how that might feel for another forty years. If you want to work in an industry with friendly, honest, intelligent people, where working environments are fun and job prospects are great, then learning to code is an excellent choice. If you choose to do a boot camp then set yourself up for success â€" be financially stable for several months after the course, shelve your other commitments for that period of time (this will need 100% of your time and energy), and give it everything you've got. What resources would you recommend to others? There are an amazing number of free resources online specifically for coding â€" Codecademy and Codeschool will both give you a good feel for whether it's something you might enjoy. What lessons could you take from Tim's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

What to Consider Before Taking a Loan

What to Consider Before Taking a Loan A loan is not something you apply for on a whim. There are several things you need to think about carefully before you put yourself in a situation that cant be reversed. Keep in mind that once you put pen to paper and place your signature on a contract you cant turn back. You instantly seal your fate. If by some chance something happens and you cant service your debt, then you could end up facing some very big trouble. Loans come in several different sizes and shapes. Understanding the options available to you will make things a lot easier. Heres what you need to consider before getting a loan. Types Of Loans Before you make the decision to borrow money you have to understand that there are different loan options available to you. The two most popular being: Personal Loans You can either get secured loans where personal property is attached to it as collateral and is usually granted to people with no or poor credit history. Unsecured loans, on the other hand, are largely based on your credit scores. You dont have to attach collateral. Business Loans For these types of loans as well as more comprehensive options lists, you usually have to discuss further with the financial institution or bank of your choice. Some of them include; Term Loans which are usually general purpose and are serviced over a certain time period, Short Term Loans, Equipment Financing Loans etcetera. Interest Rates Regardless of what type of loan you end up choosing you still need to pay careful attention to the interest rates currently being offered. These considerations will play a vital role when it comes time to calculate the amount of the total debt youll be meant to service. Looking for loans via one of the many online sources such as Mammoth Investor is bound to lead you to some good deals. Since most financial institutions and banks are so willing to get into a competition for business, you may want to look around for the best rates possible. Length Of Loan Depending on what type of loan you require, the loans length will help determine the amount of debt youll have to pay back. Since each loan is set up in its own unique way as well as since there happen to be several lengths, your best bet would be to discuss your options further with the bank or financial institution of your choice. Some loans will charge extra fees commonly referred to as prepayment penalties. Current Financial Situation When borrowing money, the one thing thats still the most important thing of all is you. Looking at yearly and monthly budgets will help let you know whether the loan repayments youre looking to commit to is something you can afford. This will help you make a decision on the loan amount you can manage. If borrowing money is something youve come to decide that you need then you might want to consider checking your credit score first before doing anything else. Having a good credit score will give you a higher chance of getting approved for high-quality loans. Credit scores are kind of almost everything in this realm. Hopefully, this article has helped make things a little bit easier for you.

Mr. Smith Recommended I Contact You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Mr. Smith Recommended I Contact You… - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I was recently asked about how to use another person’s name (referral) in one’s networking efforts. When using anothers name in your networking efforts you are tapping his/her reputation his/her personal brand to help open doors for you.  While having referrals are like gold when networking, it is important to remember some tips. Ask permission:  When using a person’s name as a referral, the networker should be absolutely sure the referer approves.  Many times this step is covered when one is meeting with the original contact who may say, “Reach out to Bob Johnson and tell him I gave you his information.”  If it is not 100% clear, be sure to check with your original contact, “Mr. Smith, when I reach out to Bob Johnson, do you mind if I mentioned your name and the course of our conversation today?” Lead with the referral:  In your outreach to the secondary contact, be sure to mention the referring person’s name in the opening line.  â€I recently met with John Smith to discuss my job search and he recommended I reach out to you.” I often include this information in my subject line of an email “Referral from John Smith”.  By leading with the referring contact’s name, you increase the chances of your email being read/call being taken.  When you do use your contacts name, you tap the powerful brand that your referer has developed to help your efforts. Follow-up with Mr. Smith:  After you initiate contact with the secondary contact, be sure to follow-up with your initial contact.  â€I wanted to let you know that I reached out to Bob Johnson today and we will be meeting on next Monday for coffee. Thank you for the referral.”  Be sure to follow-up again after the meeting to complete the referral cycle. This action will help you develop the reputation of someone who treats others with respect not a bad beginning to building your own brand among your contacts. It is important to treat referrals with the care and respect they deserve.  When one person refers another to a third-party, the referring individual places her reputation behind you.  This is a powerful act and requires a leap of faith, be careful when using a referral and you will reap benefits from the initial relationship for the rest of your career. Author: Kevin Monahan  is the Associate Director of the Notre Dame Career Center.  In this role, he leads the center’s  employer relations efforts in addition to coaching  young professionals in career management and career change capacities. He combines career consulting services with employer outreach to help find opportunities for both constituencies.  He is the author of the  Career Seeker’s Guide  blog.

The 10 Psychological Ideas that Employers, Recruiters and HR People Need to Know

The 10 Psychological Ideas that Employers, Recruiters and HR People Need to Know In Better Business Relationships, I have attempted to pull together a wide range of psychological ideas to help management. Ideas to enable managers to get the best from their people. Ideas to help new employees fast-track the creation of productive internal relationships with their bosses and colleagues. Many of these psychological ideas are valuable to employers, recruiters and HR professionals when interviewing candidates. Here we take a look at 10 of those ideas. 1. Cognitive bias There is much about unconscious bias in the media at present â€" particularly with regard to gender and race. But cognitive bias extends further. Our brains are subject to a number of tricks systematic patterns of deviation from rationality in judgment. Daniel Kaneman has written extensively on the topic. Recruiters may experience anchoring bias (over-reliance on the first information received), primacy and recency effects (remembering the first and last candidates better than others), confirmation bias (tendency to seek information that supports our existing beliefs) and salience bias (tendency to use available traits to make a judgement about a person or situation). The overconfidence bias makes 90% people think they perform higher than average people in their roles. 2. Non-verbal communication In Western cultures, we rely heavily on non-verbal communication â€" particularly visual and auditory cues to form our first impressions of people. Research shows that how we say something is more important than what we say. Authenticity is where what is said aligns with how things are said. Nervousness or masks may hide true feelings. Recruiters may misinterpret those from cultures where non-verbal communication and expressive styles are different. 3. First impressions A first impression is formed in a fraction of a second â€" and is based mostly on visual and auditory signals rather than the content of what is spoken. We each have a unique internal mental map of the world that acts sub-consciously to drive our perceptions in particular ways. Recruiters may form an inaccurate first impression of a candidate as they filter out or miss important information that contradicts their view of the world. Projection is another example â€" if a candidate triggers an unconscious memory of someone from our past we may project our views and emotions about that past person onto the person in front of us. 4. Rapport and trust We have a natural rapport with around 10-30% of the people we meet. Understanding how rapport and trust are formed â€" and how to accelerate the process â€" is a vital skill for recruiters and those being placed in senior or sale positions. 5. Mindset Some recruiters will have a fixed mindset â€" they hire for existing capabilities. Others will have a growth mindset and recruit for potential. .Psychologists have discovered that a third of people adapt to change more easily than others. Recruiting for a fast-changing environment means being able to identify the “adaptive third”. 6. Personality   Recruiters and HR people will be familiar with a range of personality assessment tools. Some are based on dubious psychological models. Some are not scientifically valid but widely appeal to commercial minds. Personality may present differently in a group or other situations. You need skill and training to interpret personality tests properly. Some simple personality assessments â€" such as dogs (motivated by affiliation), cats (motivated by achievement) and bears (motivated by power and achievement) may be valuable where formal assessments cannot take place. 7. Emotional intelligence Sometimes, technically well-qualified people lack people skills. You can measure emotional intelligence (EQ) and understand how self-aware candidates are, how well they manage their emotions, how well they recognize emotions in others (i.e. empathy) and how good they are at relationship management. People can improve their emotional intelligence â€" it isn’t a fixed trait. Our minds are plastic. Research suggests that EQ is a leading predictor of success and leadership. A futurologist indicated that “those whose only advantage is intellectual skills will lose out”. He suggested that only 1% of the workforce will see their income increase and 99% will see it decrease and the difference lies in interpersonal skills for the “caring economy”. There are models to develop people’s political astuteness in dealing with internal politics and engendering stakeholder support. In an increasingly global environment where recruiters are assessing candidates’ suitability for internati onal roles, there is a tool to measure cultural intelligence. 8. Motivation   People are motivated by different things and this can have important implications on what roles they perform and how they fare. Exploring the main motivators particularly when it comes to negotiating reward packages is a key part of the recruiters’ job. 9. Coaching and counseling   Coaching is focused on helping people to reach their potential in the future. Counseling is focused on helping people deal with issues from their past. They are different disciplines. Recruiters may need to coach candidates through the recruitment process and the early stages of their employment. Candidates going into team leadership roles will need to be able to coach and develop their team members. 10. Feedback Recruiters have to provide feedback all the time. Research by neuroscientist Naomi Eisenberger has shown that the brain treats social pain much like physical pain. Giving positive feedback can activate reward centers the same or more than financial windfalls. There appear to be five social rewards and threats that are deeply important to the brain: status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness. Some people experience feedback as an attack on their “status,” which to the brain is perceived as a physical attack. About the author:  Kim Tasso is a Management consultant, psychologist, and author.

These are the best companies to work for in 2017 - Debut

These are the best companies to work for in 2017 - Debut Some people measure a companys success through revenue. Through growth, perhaps. Some even measure succcess through press coverage. However, there is one elusive thing that companies find difficult to achieve: overall employee happiness. Employee happiness = employee productivity. After all, the more satisfied your workforce, the more likely theyll be motivated to work hard and do the best they can. Company reviews website Glassdoor has compiled a list of the best places to work in the United Kingdom for 2017, analysing the millions of anonymous comments left by employees on their website. The results are officially in. Here are the top ten companies you should be applying to for a happy work life, stat. The top ten best companies to work for in 2017 (United Kingdom) Some observations: This is Googles first time in the past three years out of the official top ten, dropping to 13th place this year. City AM has speculated that the trend of trying to emulate Googles particular brand of work environment with bean bags, slides, hot desking and food freebies might just be over. This is Expedias second year in a row in the number 1 spot. The top ten list is full of surprising names. Two new entrants are particularly notable for their unexpectedness: emergency insurance and home repairs company Homeserve and engineering firm Mott Macdonald. Here are some of the Glassdoor reviews that defined the top ten list this year: 10. First Derivatives 5 stars: Dynamic and rapidly growing company with good opportunities Current Employee, Financial Engineer in Newry, Northern Ireland. 9. Screwfix 5 stars: A company that is constantly growing and will grow you too. Current Employee, Customer Service Supervisor in West Bromwich, England. 8. Salesforce 5 stars: A great culture of inclusivity. Current Employee, Program Architect in London, England. 7. Unilever 5 stars: Great place to learn. Current Employee, Assistant Brand Manager in Leatherhead, England. 6. Peninsula 4 stars: Forward thinking, dynamic company. Current Employee, Business Safety Technical Advisor in Manchester City Centre, England. 5. Hays PLC 5 stars: Excellent career company. Current Employee, Director in Manchester, England. 4. Mott Macdonald 5 stars: Great careers at Mott Macdonald Current Employee, Anonymous Employee in London, England. 3. Homeserve UK 5 stars: Flexible and supportive place to work. Current Employee, Senior Digital Marketing Manager in Walsall, England. 2. Arm Holdings 5 stars: Freedom is the best. Current Employee, Software Engineer in Cambridge, England. 1. Expedia 5 stars: Fast growing dynamic environment Current Employee, Area Manager in London, England Feature image via  Unsplash Download the Debut app and  get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

E-Commerce Problems and Solutions Guide

E-Commerce Problems and Solutions Guide If you’re an e-commerce business owner, there’s no doubt that there are plenty of things you appreciate about e-commerce. You probably enjoy the ability to work from just about anywhere, the ability to connect with customers at all hours, and the way the Internet opens your potential customer base virtually to the entire world. Even though e-commerce makes the process of selling to your customers easier in so many ways, there are many unique challenges that also come with it. Simply establishing an e-commerce presence isn’t enough to be successful. It takes just as much hard work and savvy for an e-commerce business to succeed as it does for a brick-and-mortar store. Far too many e-commerce businesses fail because they fail to identify and rectify some common problems. For example, one of the biggest problems e-commerce businesses can have is a fundamentally flawed website. Whether due to a visually unappealing design or broken code, any e-commerce website that is unpleasant or confusing for shoppers to use will give them a reason to find somewhere else to shop. For this reason, e-commerce businesses should make investing in high-quality web design a high priority, focusing on making the shopping process as seamless and pleasant for customers as possible. Once an e-commerce business converts a customer, the focus should then be on turning that one-time customer into a repeat customer. This means catering to a solid user experience, such as adding (a) a customer loyalty program (that rewards for repeated purchases), and (b) some humanizing touches to the site such as employee profiles. These features can help nudge shoppers into forming a stronger bond with a retailer, building trust and encouraging them to return multiple times. Your e-commerce business has made reaching your customers easier in so many ways, but that doesn’t mean the entire process is any easier than traditional retailing. It’s just as important to spruce up your website as it is to keep your brick-and-mortar store looking its best. The following guide details a number of the most common problems e-commerce businesses run into and how they can be solved, which can help your business be as strong as it can be. E-Commerce Problems and Solutions Guide by Jordan Crown. Author bio:  Joe Ardeeser is owner and operator of Jordan Crown, a web design agency in the Seattle area that provides premium marketing websites to small and midsized businesses. As a seasoned professional in the creative industry, Ardeeser has more than 15 years of experience. His greatest enjoyment comes from business building and business development â€" whether thats improving the companys sales process or figuring out how to bring in the highest level of talent.

Resume Examples - How to Use Writing Skills for a Resume

Resume Examples - How to Use Writing Skills for a ResumeFor writing skills for a resume, the right resume examples are very important. Writing is not as easy as one may think. In fact, there are some simple guidelines you can follow in order to make your job a lot easier.First of all, good resume examples should contain professional resume format. The template of your resume must have this type of formatting. While you can still add your own styles or choices, this is very important.Your resume should be chronological. You may have your professional experiences in the first part of the resume and your education in the last part. This is very important. If you fail to do so, your resume will be more difficult to read and you won't be able to convey all the information that you want.Other than those guidelines, you can also find professional resume examples by searching the Internet. There are plenty of them online. Some of them are free, while others are offered at a certain price, wh ich you can find on their site.Make sure that you focus on your writing skills. The purpose of your resume is to make a good impression to the reader and you must show how well you know the subject. You should be aware of the need for grammar, punctuation, and style as well.To be a good writer, you must practice your writing skills. This is the best way to learn what you need to learn. It is important to note that these are not just formal writing lessons. You can have better results with an interactive tutorial that allows you to make your mistakes.In order to be a good writer, you must read as many resume examples as possible. The best writers know where to look for examples. There are several sites online that give you great tips on writing a resume. You can even find examples that are written by professionals.Another important thing to remember when using resume examples is to not copy the examples word for word. Instead, check if it makes sense to you. After all, you want to cr eate a personal statement that is not like everyone else's.