HBO's Silicon Valley Episode 1 is out

When Ludicorp launched the game Neverending, they had no idea that it would turn into the image app giant today known as "Flickr". All they wanted was to build a massive multiplayer game on a web platform which never took off (in a viral sense). Eventually they spotted this "image sharing" capability hidden within their app and spun it separately as FlickrLive. FlickrLive was a chat room application with a real-time photo exchange functionality.

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Should I pursue an MBA?

A friend of mine sent me a link to an MBA and asked me whether it would be worthwhile for her to pursue it. We went back and forth with series of questions until I could say anything about the degree being fit for her. Since this was about fourth time someone had approached me for advice in regards to their educational endeavors, I think it would be a good idea to assemble my thoughts in a post.

Find out exactly why you want to do it

Going after a degree with no goal in mind is a pure waste of money. Even Ivy League institutions can’t provide a career boost if there is a void in planning. From a practical point of view I can think of the following reasons that one would intend to move further in professional education:

1. For fun and personal knowledge
2. For vita enhancement (resume upgrade for career potential at other companies)
3. For more money (degree will result in higher income)
4. For career progression at current job

Let’s go through the above points one by one.

The love for the Education

Education for personal gain and interest is always a good idea and has no limits. So go ahead without hesitation if this makes you happy. I myself am a student at distant universities and at Coursera because I love to learn about various topics.

Career potential at other companies

I am a stern believer in the fact that employers never provide any kind of job security but we create them for ourselves. We all carry our own brands and it is our duty to keep our brand highly marketable. The more competitive, passionate and diligent we are the higher the job security we will create.

If the degree you are considering will add to your brand, then you should go for it. A rule of thumb is to do a hypothetical job search as if you were looking for new ventures and take note of the requirements for the kind of job you want. Use this info to come up with what sub-specialization you like to do in your degree work.

Degree will bring more money

Going after a new degree because it may increase your pay is very risky move. You should do a thorough analysis and ensure that your work performance and behavior are not the reason your career is stuck. The reason being the degrees never change your behavior or work performance but you have to do it yourself.

I have never hired anyone who has claimed that he or she is applying for a job because of more money. During interviews I look for passion, knowledge and attitudes, since these are the habits that will create your job security which will translate into higher income.

Bottom line: think twice before pursuing a degree just so that you may get more money.

Career progression at current job

Getting a degree for career progression at the current job depends on several factors.
The most important one is the career perception disconnect between employees and the management. Employees believe that they will have a better chance at proving themselves if their boss gives them a new role, position or promotion. On the other hand, Management believes that the employees who want it all will show motivation by taking initiative on their own and prove that they are ready for career upgrade by taking new responsibilities and doing things that are not even part of their current job.

So the crux of promotion is changing one’s daily activities for the job one wants and not limiting one’s work to the current job requirements.

The Target Job Requirements

You will need to talk to your manager in scenarios where you are not sure what additional responsibilities you can take on. Every good manager knows the answer to “what one has to do to advance in one’s career.” In most cases there is additional knowledge, responsibilities and work that are desired by the manager. The bottom line is that the manager should be able to give an idea of this “list” of things that he/she values the most and considers sufficient for career growth.

The Degree Decision

Once you have determined your target job requirements by either talking to your manager or by yourself, put all the information you gathered in the form of a list. Test your current skills against that list and check how many of them you currently have or don’t have.

You should go forward with furthering your education to fill in the knowledge gap if you find yourself lacking most of the skills.

You don’t need a new degree if you already have all the required skills. You only need to start using them and working hard.

Bottom Line

Pursuing new degree is never a bad idea as long as we do it for the right reasons. MBAs can easily cost us $50-$60k and that level of debt demands thorough investigation. It is also worthwhile to examine ourselves to check if there is something wrong with our aptitude, attitude, will and skill. Degrees are meaningless if the problem lies within!

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Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Careers

Ever notice how when kids misbehave, the first thing people wonder is how or what the parents are teaching them? The same thing applies in career life which is why it is crucial to follow the right leader.

As adults, our traits are molded by those whose lead we follow and overtime we shift closer to becoming a portrait of their habits. I was lucky enough to have bosses who taught me the value of emotional intelligence throughout my career. Kevin Pete, a senior Vice President, was one of the influential ones I reported to. His analogy was that hiring the best intellects and the best book smarts is easy; it's the intellects with strong emotional intelligence that are hard to come by.

There were certain things Kevin did which really impressed me and I started to insinuate his style. When he was giving me initiatives and feedbacks on my skills, he knew he was creating a new leader yet it never worried him that someday I may outgrow him. Suffice to say that he treated me like a child whose parents wants him to do better than them. This is actually a very important point because this is the difference between a manager and a leader. A manager is afraid of creating competition whereas a leader deliberately creates new leaders. He trained me to the point where I was promoted to report directly to the president and CEO of the company.

One thing I noticed common among Kevin and my new boss, Rick Haines (CEO of AultCare), was the fact that they both lead through inspiration instead of fear. Not once did I hear anything from either of them which implied directly or indirectly that if I didn't deliver xyz I would get fired. The end result was that I found myself trying to deliver results not to protect my job but to avoid disappointing them and breaking their trust.

The reason I brought my experience up is because these folks knew the power of emotional intelligence and through that they communicated the "why" instead of "what" to me. My understanding and agreement of why they want to do certain things made me felt connected to their cause and part of the family.

Never forget that as a leader you don't manage just people but also emotions. Our employees take cues from us more than we think and through slight adjustments in our style we can make it easier for them to approach us, enable them to report accurate statuses of where things stand without the fear of retribution and allow them to speak their mind on different strategic ideas.

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Career as a .NET Consultant for Non-Degree Hopefuls

Neil deGrasse once famously said that science is not about simply memorizing facts only to spit them back during exams or to turn into a science parrot. I share the same view on IT and couldn't agree more with Neil.

We would be making a huge mistake if we evaluated candidates solely on their performance with their degrees. Memorizing a bunch of programming or technological facts and theories will turn one into an IT theory memorizer, while hands-on experience will create a true IT literate.

I bet when food connoisseurs judge a chicken entrée, for example, they go after the presentation, taste and visuals rather than the chicken's ability to dance or sing opera. Similarly the goal of any job is to get it done within deadlines and using the most efficient algorithms possible.

When I look for IT consultants, I specifically look for IT literates who carry a passion for what they do and can get the job done. I have hired high school grads with at-home experience who did a better job for me than most associate or bachelor degree holders. It could also be that non-degree holders felt like they had to work harder to prove themselves.

I am in no way trying to undermine the importance of a proper education, degree and credentials (I, myself, am planning to go for my PhD). The primary purpose of this post is to encourage all those without a computer degree to learn, experiment and see if IT is their cup of tea. I tried programming when I was 9 and I have been hooked since.

Programming Packages

IT consulting as an application developer always requires a mix of technical knowledge and not just one single language. Hence, if you are thinking about consultancy, you'll have to learn your primary language and then everything else that comes as part of that programming language package.

For example, during my high school year I started my career as a simple web developer with the knowledge of HTML, Java script, CSS and CGI. I then moved towards consulting as a PHP developer on a part-time basis. Being a PHP developer, my expertise was in LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP). You can think of LAMP as a programming package for PHP programming. My job as a PHP developer did not require me to work on the Apache server or configure Linux on a regular basis, but I needed the knowledge to be able to look in all the right places should a problem arise.

The point is to learn multiple things in order to be successful at a particular job. In this post I will discuss the ASP.NET programming package path.

ASP.NET (Web forms) Consultancy

As the name suggests, an ASP.NET consultant is one who specializes in developing programs, projects or websites using ASP.NET. The .NET language has two main types - Web and Win forms respectively. Win forms is all about "windows based" development (e.g. like developing a calculator), while Web forms is all about developing websites.

Here are some of the most important skills for any ASP.NET programmer:

Skill	Notes
HTML & CSS	HTML is the markup language used for developing webpages. The CSS is the code used to style and format the webpage.
Software development lifecycle	A typical application project goes through phases like planning, outlining the specifications, design & analysis, development and testing. This whole process is known as SDLC or software development lifecycle.
Web site hosting	This is the understanding of how the websites and domain names work and what kind of tools one need to launch a site.
IIS	Internet Information Services (IIS) – formerly called Internet Information Server – is a web server software application by Microsoft that helps manage and serve the websites from a local computer to the outside public.
Knowledge of OOP (Object Oriented Programming)	OOP or Object Oriented Programming is a type of programming language which makes use of "objects" in its algorithms. Famous OOP languages are C++, C#.NET, Java, PHP, Visual Basic.NET
ASP.NET (C# or VB.NET)	ASP.NET is a Web application framework designed for Web development. It was developed by Microsoft to allow programmers to build dynamic web sites, web applications and web services. Within ASP.NET there are two frequent paths taken: C# or VB.
Knowledge of a relational database - MS SQL	A database is a structure where you store information. Famous relational databases are Microsoft SQL Server (MS SQL), MySQL (Usually used with PHP) and Oracle.

Regular universities teach these skills by taking students through a variety of courses like Java, C, C++ and concepts like Object Oriented Programming.

Below is a list of sources that non-university students can consult and learn on their own for free.

Skill	Notes	Source
HTML & CSS	W3School provides excellent tutorial on HTML and CSS. Follow the link to W3School to check their chapters on HTML. You can write HTML code in notepad and save it as an HTML file and open it in a browser.	w3schools
Software development lifecycle	You will learn more about SDLC as you advance in your programming skills. However, for sake of learning and having an idea, the link is provided to a tutorial blog.	What is SDLC
Web site hosting	The best way I learned about hosting was through purchasing my own hosting account through hosting providers like Godaddy, M6 and 1&1.
ASP.NET	You will need to download Visual Studio to learn and practice ASP.NET. The best websites to learn ASP are YouTube, W3School and ASPNet.
Knowledge of a relational database - MS SQL	Understanding databases is very important because you will need them to save your data. I like the ASPnet site for MS SQL tutorials.	ASP NET

Here are some suggestions on honing your skills:

• Don't wait for landing a job to gain experience. Instead, start your own website or some kind of a complex project which can be showcased on your resume.
• Offer volunteer work to local businesses, churches or any company you know so that you can use it as experience on your resume.
• Continue practicing and learning new concepts. If your financial situation allows, take small certificates.
• Keep an eye on eventually completing an associate degree if not bachelor.  Build connections during any project you do so that you can use them as a reference.
• Keep a documented list of projects you have completed. I have seen many experienced applicants fumble the question "tell me about some of the projects you have worked on."
• Get in the habit of finding a solution on your own. Employers love the go-getters and solution finders. You can be asked "Tell me about a situation when you had to complete a project using tools or skills you never worked on before."

Reality Check

You should build a portfolio of your work to prove your expertise during interviews. You will also have to work harder than those who bring degrees to the tables. Nevertheless, if you are really good at what you do, you will definitely be able to land consulting jobs. You can also benefit from consulting companies like Tek Systems, Robert Half, Comsys (Experis) etc.

While temporary consulting is not an issue, getting hired permanently will still be a problem. In today's world, an associate, bachelor's or master's is a requirement for the majority of the IT positions.

My advice is that you get started in the field at an appropriate rate and save some money. Once you have a little bit of a wiggle room financially, go for some kind of a degree. You also have the option of attending online universities.

Bottom Line

Designing, programming and developing is like math. You can learn all the concepts and formulas you want but what would make you valuable is your ability to apply those formulas to fix problems that you may have never seen before.

IT is also similar to math in sense that you either use it or lose it. So go ahead and play with the tools, find out if you like it and never stop practicing. The biggest downer in the interviews I conduct is if I see a particular skill listed on the resume under the expertise but come to find out that the last time the applicant used it was 3-4 years ago.

Don't worry about the money. The money and wealth is only the after effect of you loving what you are doing and being good at it.

Good luck and happy programming!

 

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Putting your pay raise to work

Now that you finally got that nice little raise, what you will do with it? Treat yourself to a nice dinner? How would you spend it? I am sure the question "how do rich folks spend their money" may have crossed your mind at some point or whenever you had a little bit of money to spare. It is no wonder that the rich are getting richer; the poor are getting poorer while the middle class is getting nowhere. The crux of this wealth accumulation balance lies not in our class but in our perception of how to best allocate our money.

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Become a great leader

During the year 1919 a man was fired by his boss from Kansas City Star newspaper. Lack of imagination was cited as the reason for letting go. That man, whose name we now famously know, was Walt Disney. Ironically Disney eventually bought ABC, the parent company that owned the newspaper.

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Landing Promotions and Raises

Money is one of the key rewards for excellence and is a catalyst to increased motivation. However, pay raises are often mistaken to be intertwined with promotions. A promotion is not and should not be the only way to get a healthy raise. 

This is a second post in the work success series. To read the first one, please visit Become Indispensable & Recognized at work.

The case that I tried to make in my first post was that you need to get recognized for being better than average. When you succeed in getting recognized for being better than average, you proceed towards further improving yourself and being extraordinary. When you are extraordinary, you see many options open unto you.

A pay raise is what you employer rewards you with in return for your hard work because your performance level has surpassed your current pay level. Promotions are additional responsibilities that are given to you because you have successfully demonstrated that you have the knowledge and the capacity to lead in a higher role.

Raises and promotions both require hard work and over delivery as pre-requisites. Both are forms of opportunities made possible by the presence of all the slackers. All you have to do is get ahead and avail these opportunities. It is easier than what most people think it is.

Here are some tips and traits that you can develop to score your dreams.

Create an appetite for success

Are you truly ready for your success? How bad do you want it?

I believe that success, wealth and happiness can be achieved by anyone. The probability of our success is directly relational to how bad we want to reach our goal. When it comes to pursuing our dreams, we will need to want them as bad as we want to breathe.

It is certainly true that luck plays a huge role in one’s success. But how do you define luck? In my view, luck is nothing more than one’s preparation meeting the opportunity. It is better to be prepared when opportunity knocks than seeing all kinds of lucky strikes pass you by.

You will need to learn to use your luck! I can give you opportunities all day long, but if you are not ready for them, you cannot avail any of them.

Develop the right attitude

Your attitude is what regulates your energy and the energy that you emit toward others. Four types of attitudes are common among successful people: attitude towards change, correction and advice, teamwork and gratitude.

Attitude towards change

The ability to look for opportunities at the time of change and capitalize on them will open new doors of luck for you. Being resilient towards change will do nothing positive because you cannot stop or avoid change.

Attitude towards correction and advice

One way to show your boss your determination towards being successful is by asking for feedback. However, you can completely destroy the usefulness of that feedback if you cannot listen to your boss without blocking the information or being defensive.

Some of the best advice that helped me with my career came from my bosses. I paid attention to what was being said and how could I improve my shortcomings. If I didn’t understand, I would ask for clarification. The more you understand and act on the feedback, the higher the respect your boss will have for you.

In my career, my mentor Tracy Hall helped me polish my project coordination skills. My manager Jacqui Schmotzer gave me tips on improving my communications skills. Bob Schleichert who was an Associate VP, showed me how to hire, negotiate, plan and budget for large scale undertakings. Kevin Pete, a Senior VP, taught me how to put it all together and be an effective leader.

So, you see, there is one thing common among all of the bosses I had, they all gave me feedback and opportunities, and left it to me whether I avail them or not. This also means that a true leader will play a key role in your success; hence make sure the one you are working for has those qualities!

Attitude towards teamwork

Your willingness towards helping your coworkers is a reflection of your leadership. Being able to jump in when needed and help others with their problems will earn you extra points.

Attitude towards gratitude

Your chances of success are slim if you cannot think of anything to be grateful for from your employer. Not to say that there are bad employers out there, but the majority of the time it is us who needs to change our perception.

You can improve your perception by a simple exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down everything you can think of that you like at your place of work. Do this over and over again until your sheet is full. This will affect your behavior and your employer will clearly be able to see your gratitude through your behavior.

Don’t be afraid to lose

Don’t let the fear of losing keep you away from accomplishing your dreams. The real loss we suffer in our life is when we cease to try something out of the fear that we will end up making fools out of ourselves.

I used to have a great deal of fear of public speaking. Having known this weakness, I still volunteered to speak about our experience at the graduation ceremony of Aultman Exploring Leaders. Mind you that this graduation event was attended by many high level executives at my company.

My speaking endeavor ended up anything but a Cinderella story; I panicked so bad that I forgot what I was going to say next. After subjecting my audience to a painful 30 seconds of silence, I managed to say some last words and ended my speech. Needless to say, I was furious, embarrassed and angry at myself.

I used those emotions of embarrassment and anger to improve myself by practicing hard. My next chance came three months later in form of an IT presentation. I practiced my speech in front of a mirror, friends, family and my pet cat. Finally the big day arrived and I sailed through my speech like a seasoned presenter. I tell you that the joy and the euphoria I felt after the speech was inexplicable and tastefully addictive.

Earn the flexibility

We all know that family and personal life is very important; however, in order to have a fair balance between work and personal life, you will have to work harder. Your boss will show flexibility around your family needs if your work is on time, is of high quality and you are there when your boss needs you. The secret to earning flexibility is to over deliver!

Bottom line

You should see an equitable increase in your pay if you truly are extraordinary and an over-achiever. However, if being a leader is your cup of tea and you want to go further down the rabbit hole, please stay tune for my next post in this series: Become an effective leader.

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Become Indispensable & Recognized at Work

Have you ever felt that some individuals travel through the ranks and receive recognition relatively easy compared to others? In some cases so much so that it seems like the handy work of sheer luck. This type of phenomenon is quite common to the candidates who share specific traits.

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Achieving success in corporate culture

You go to work every day, happily accept any work that is given to you and do what is required of your job and yet your job seems to be going nowhere. You feel like your hard work is not being recognized. This is a tell tale sign that it’s time you should recalculate your career options.

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