Certification Magazine - September 2007 - (Page 37) If you have the passion and aptitude for an outdated programming language (Cobol, for example), you might want to consider updating to one of the newer object-oriented languages such as C# or Java. Step 4: Find a Need and Fill it Keep your ears open, not only within the IT department but to what other departments are grumbling about. Be proactive and do something about it. For example, if you have noticed all of the salespeople continue to complain that they spend more time navigating their outdated and inefficient customer relations software than they spend actually selling, don’t just soak it in — ask them what problems they are experiencing with the CRM software and fix it. Become a problem solver. Long before he became a billionaire, H. Ross Perot worked for IBM, where he discovered customers needed help processing their data. He went to IBM first with his idea and was turned down, so he started his own company. Perot eventually sold the company for $2.8 billion. He found a need and he filled it. Step 5: Sample Your New Niche — Become a Volunteer OK, you are somewhat interested in your new IT niche and, according to your aptitude test, you have the ability to learn the new skill, and you know there are lots of opportunities in the field. So, how do you really know you will like it? There is only one way to find out: Jump in headfirst and get your hands dirty. Find someone at your company (or another one, if necessary) who is willing to mentor you and let you help with projects. At the very minimum, ask if you can shadow that person — learn about “a day in the life.” If your employer is less than enthused with the time you are spending tagging along with the database administrator, volunteer to help with database projects after work or on weekends. It shouldn’t take you very long to see whether this new field is a good fit for you. Questions to Ask Before You Take the Plunge So, you have an interest in becoming a network/ Internet security specialist based on all the jobs you’ve seen on Monster, your aptitude test pointed you strongly in that direction, you have been shadowing your friend Irvin at the Pentagon for the last four weeks and you love the work he is doing more than life itself. Before you dive into the dirty world of ethical hacking, you will want to step back and ask yourself some tough questions: TECHNIQUES continued on page 39 With Transcender practice tests you’ll be prepared to ace that certification exam. No other software product prepares you better. In fact, we back it up with an industry-best, 100% guarantee. Give us a try. We’ll teach you everything we know. Visit www.transcender.com or call 1-866-639-8765. © 2007 Kaplan IT, Inc. All rights reserved. TRANSCENDER ® Kaplan IT, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.transcender.com http://www.transcender.com
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