How to become a programming expert

The primary requirements for being a good programmer are nothing more than a good memory, an attention to detail, a logical mind and the ability to work through a problem in a methodical manner breaking tasks down into smaller, more manageable pieces. However, it's not enough just to turn up for a job interview with a logical mind as your sole qualification. An employer will want to see some sort of formal qualification and a proven track record. But if you can show someone an impressive piece of software with your name on it, it will count for a lot more than a string of academic qualifications.

So what specific skills are employers looking for? The Windows market is booming and there's a demand for good C, C++, Delphi, Java and Visual Basic developers. Avoid older languages such as FORTRAN and COBOL unless you want to work as a contract programmer.

For someone starting out, my best advice would be to subscribe to the programming magazines such as Microsoft Systems Journal. Get one or two of the low-cost “student” editions of C++, Visual Basic and Delphi. Get a decent book on Windows programming. If you decide programming is really for you, spend more money on a training course.

How to become a Computer Consultant

The first key point to realise is that you can't know everything. However you mustn't become an expert in too narrow a field. The second key point is that you must be interested in your subject. The third key point is to differentiate between contract work and consultancy. Good contractors move from job to job every few months. A consultant is different. A consultant often works on very small timescales - a few days here, a week there, but often for a core collection of companies that keep coming back again and again.

There's a lot of work out there for people who know Visual Basic, C++, and so on. And there are lots of people who know it too, so you have to be better than them. Qualifications are important. Microsoft has a raft of exams you can take, as does Noxell, and in my experience these are very useful pieces of paper. University degrees are useless. They merely prove you can think, and will hopefully get you into a job where you can learn something useful. Exams like Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer are well worth doing. The same goes for network Certification. However, this won't guarantee an understanding of the product, its positioning in the market, how it relates to other products and so on. That's where the all-important experience comes in.

Here's the road map. After leaving university you get a technical role in a company and spend your evenings and weekends learning the tools of your trade - and getting your current employer to pay for your exams. You don't stay in one company for more than two years. After a couple of hops like that, you may be in a good position to move into a junior consultancy position in one of the larger consultancy companies. By the age of 30, you've run big projects, rolled out major solutions and are well known. Maybe then it's time to make the leap and run your own life.

 

 

How to become an IT Manager

IT managers manage projects, technology and people. Any large organisation will have at least one IT manager responsible for ensuring that everyone who actually needs a PC has one and that it works properly. This means taking responsibility for the maintenance of servers and the installation of new software, and for staffing a help-desk and a support group.

Medium to large companies are also likely to have an IT systems manager. They are responsible for developing and implementing computer software that supports the operations of the business. They're responsible for multiple development projects and oversee the implementation and support of the systems. Companies will have two or three major systems that are probably bought off the shelf and then tailored by an in-house development team.

Apart from basic hardware and software expertise, an IT manager will typically have over five years experience in the industry. Most are between 30 and 45. Since IT managers have to take responsibility for budgets and for staff, employers look for both of these factors in any potential recruit.

Nearly all IT managers have at least a first degree if not a second one as well. Interestingly, many of them don't have degrees in computing science. In any case, the best qualification for becoming a manager is experience. If your personality is such that you're unlikely to be asked to take responsibility for a small team or a project, then you can forget being an IT manager.

IX. Определите True или False, пользуясь информацией упражнения VIII.

 

X. Прочитайте информацию о модальных глаголах need to, have to, must, be + essential, critical и выполните упражнение.

Note how we describe requirements for particular jobs:

1. You need to be able to emphasize with the person at the other end of the phone.

2. IT managers have to take responsibility for budgets.

3. You must be interested in your subject.

4. You must have worked for at least two years in systems analysis.

5. Experience with mainframes is essential/critical.

We can describe things which are not requirements like this:

6. You don't need to have a degree in computing science.

We can also treat need as a modal verb and use the negative form needn't:

7. You needn't have a degree in computing science.

Have to is an ordinary verb. Its negative form is made in the usual way:

8. You don't have to bean expert in everything.

Mustn't has a quite different meaning. It means it is important not to do something. It is used for warnings, rules and strong advice. For example:

9. You mustn't make unauthorised copies of software.

 

1. Technical qualifications …to be renewed at intervals to

ensure they do not go out of date.

2. You …become an expert in too narrow a field.

3. You …to have good communication skills to become an IT Manager.

4. You... be an expert in hardware to become a programmer.

5. You... have worked with IBM mainframes for at least two years.

6. You …be able to show leadership.

7. You... have a degree but it.... be in computing science.

8. You …to have experience in JavaScript.

9. You …be able to use C++.

10. These days you…study BASIC.

 

XI. Прочитайте информацию в help box и заполните пропуски предлогами for, since, ago, until:

Dear Mr Scott,

I am writing to apply for the position of Senior Programmer, which was advertised on 28th March in The Times.

I graduated in May 2002 and did a work placement with British Gas as part of my degree. Before taking my present job I worked for a year with NCR. I stayed in this job (1) ……………..March2004.

(2)……….the last three years I have been working as a software engineer for Intelligent Software. I have designed four programs in COBOL for commercial use, and (3)………..January I have been writing programs in C for use in large retail chains. These have been very successful and we have won several new contracts in the UK and Europe on the strength of my team's success.

Two years (4)……..I spent three months in Spain testing our programs and also made several visits to Italy, so I have a basic knowledge of Spanish and Italian. I now feel ready for more responsibility and more challenging work, and would welcome the opportunity to learn about a new industry.

I enclose my curriculum vitae. I will be available for an interview at any time.

I look forward to hearing from you.

For, since, ago, until

· We use for to refer to a period of time.

I've lived in Liverpool for five years.

· We use since to refer to a point in time.

I've been unemployed since May 2005.

· We use ago with the past simple to say when something happened. We put ago after the time period.

I got married five years ago.

· We use until to mean up to a certain time. I stayed at high school until I was 18.

 

XII. Прочитайте письмо-запрос о работе и ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. Which job is Sarah Brown applying for?

2. Where did she see the advertisement?

3. How long has she been working as software engineer?

4. What type of programs has she written?

5. When did she spend three months in Spain?

 

XIII. Прочитайте информацию о временах Present Perfect и Present Perfect Continuous и выполните задание под буквами A, B, C.

Present perfect simple

We form the present perfect simple with have/has + past participle.

I've used Microsoft Access for many years. I haven't used Microsoft Access for years.

We use this tense to talk about:

· States that started in the past and continue to the, present.

Since 2006, I've been a computer operator for PromoPrint.

· Past actions that continue to the present, where we put an emphasis on quantity (how many).

I have designed four programs in COBOL.

· Personal experiences, especially with ever and never.

Have you ever worked with databases? I've never worked with databases.

 

Present perfect continuous

We form the present perfect continuous with have/has been + present participle.

Since January I've been writing programs in C.

We use this tense to talk about:

· Actions which started in the past and are still happening.

For the last three years I've been working as a software engineer for Intelligent Software.

· Past actions that continue to the present, where we put an emphasis on duration (how long).

She's been working all morning.