Part Time IT Courses - The TRUTH!

We all have busy lives, and usually if we want to improve our career prospects or find a new path, training alongside a job is the only option open to us.

The good news is, we're not alone - many thousands of people study part-time, often in very difficult circumstances. Having said that, if you're going to invest some money, and a lot of spare time for 12 months or so, there's no harm in learning from their experience.

Best priced Interactive Part Time IT Courses

Let's make sure you're not wasting time by studying the wrong courses, or out of date ones, or that the course you've chosen is designed for you to fail. Yes - you read that right! Many colleges expect you to quit along the way, as they can't make a profit if all their students go the whole hog. So it's often not in their interests to make their courses user-friendly.

Always insist on seeing a small sample of their training materials, to be sure you can learn from it. Don't deal with a company that won't show you a sample of the type of training they provide!

The next thing to consider is - how good is their help and support?

There'll always be a time when you're training, and human nature kicks in and you really don't want to keep going. You probably know you just need to grit your teeth and push on through - but it's precisely at this time when you most need instant help with your challenges - it could be enough for you to give up if you can't get a response for a few days!

Many companies say they offer 24x7 support, when in reality it's an answer phone out of office hours. Or to put it another way, an answer phone every time you are studying!

Only companies who can give you access to a tutor/mentor to solve your problems there and then, 24x7, are worth your attention. Be wary of friendly message takers who'll probably get a tutor to call you back in a few days time during office hours.

Some companies also insist on up-front payment for exam fees. Why? Pay for exam fees when you take your exam, and leave the interest in your account, not theirs.

Most people who are drawn to IT tend to be more visual in the way that they learn, so would rather watch, apply and practice than read dull technical manuals.

When you bought your PC, did you read the book first, or just turn it on and dig around? You'll probably prefer a course that's totally on-screen video, demonstration and interactive labs for you to practice on.

The cost of most part time IT courses has reached a point where the majority of people who want to train can't afford it. So you need a company that's kept it's overheads under control, and offers courses for hundreds of pounds less than the competition.

For part time IT courses with a real chance of finishing, click for our
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Frankly Speaking... thoughts for the day!

Preparing your CV - It's all about you, You, YOU... Part 1

Most of us are not that great when it comes to blowing our own trumpet, but the one time in life when we need to big it up is when we write a CV.

Your Curriculum Vitae is your sales brochure, a summary of all the best bits about you. It has one job, and that's to get you an interview at a place where you want to work. Think of a trailer at the movies - we see highlights to tempt us to watch the whole film. Your CV is the trailer to tempt the reader to want to meet you and get the whole picture.

So... Where Do You Start?

You're on the right track already, getting industry knowledge and professional qualifications. Employers are looking for people who add value, and anyone who's made the effort to invest in themselves has more to offer than the rest. What you've got to be sure of is that a 30 second glance at your 'sales brochure' hits the spot and not the bin!

The good news is that anyone can knock together a good CV by following some simple guidelines - but not everybody does. To stack the odds in your favour check out the following hints and tips:

Basically speaking, your CV is a short story about you - which needs to include your achievements, skills, job and life history.

Start with your contact details, and make it very easy for an interviewer to get hold of you. List your name, address, email and phone number. If your email address has a snappy little name like looneywacko@eatme.com then get yourself another, more professional sounding one, and remember to check it daily (email accounts are free with hotmail, googlemail & gmx). If possible, give a mobile and landline number, and if your voicemail message was designed to have a laugh with your mates then change it. Your age and nationality can be included here, but they're not essential.

Next comes your 'Personal Statement' - just a few sentences on your specific skills and goals - and don't forget to link how they'll meet the employer's needs. Try to think of a way to say it that won't sound like everybody else's.

If you're looking for a career change, list your qualifications next. Start with the professional ones you've just gained, which will be most relevant to your new career. Even if you're still only part-way through your course, you must include it as it shows the reader you're committed to training. List what you've already mastered, and when you plan to be qualified. Then work backwards, ending up with any exams you did at school, and include the dates. Follow this with any skills you've picked up over the years, but keep them relevant. Your mum might be proud of your 25 metres backstroke, but as you're not applying to be a swimming instructor, give that one a miss.

If you're looking for career progression in the same industry, you can either list your education and skills after your personal statement, or you might prefer to list your work experience first.

Date your work history backwards, starting from the present. Employers want to know how you made a contribution in your previous jobs, so talk about your achievements, not just responsibilities. Even if your past jobs were completely different, mention any benefits that they'll also find useful. If this is going to be your first 'proper' job, then it might be good to include any part-time and voluntary work you've done. If you're scratching your head to think of any, expand the section on skills that you've developed outside of work.

(Continued...)

You can read the whole article at http://www.learninglolly.com/Advice_CV.html