Forum Moderators: phranque
i'm in the process of making a pretty tough decision right now, and i just wanted to get as much feedback about it as possible.
i was recently hired as the internet marketing manager at a mid-sized company in my city. i've been working online doing various e-commerce type ventures since 2003, beginning with ebay. i'm currently pursuing a web development certificate program at my local college, but i'm starting to have second thoughts about finishing it. here is why:
i know that i can't learn everything there is about website design and marketing, there are just too many factors involved. i've really been focusing on SEO lately, because it grabs my attention the most. however, i know that in the future, i'm going to want to create my own site using languages like asp.net or php and the like. this upcoming semester, i will be taking classes on C#, ASP.NET and Dreamweaver, but i don't see myself becoming an "expert" in any of them. the SEO is my real passion, and i know that i'd be willing to put in the long hours that it takes to become well versed.
so, this is where i get stuck. do i continue this certification program to have something to "fall-back" on, or do i drop the classes dive into SEO and outsource anything that i need to do in the future?
decisions, decisions.
any feedback would be much appreciated.
thanks!
Also, a piece of paper (whether a degree or certification) often makes a difference in a hiring situation. Not having that piece of paper will often close the door to many opportunities, getting your resume round-filed before the decision maker even looks at your experience.
And one piece of unsolicited advice- learning (and using) proper capitalization also goes a long way. :)
And one piece of unsolicited advice- learning (and using) proper capitalization also goes a long way. :)
Haha! Thanks for the advice! You should see my handwriting...it's all caps. I'm all mixed up.
You should see my handwriting
Actually, after spending some sessions with a handwriting coach, mine became legible enough that I can no longer qualify to become a doctor. Although 99.9% of my (written) communication is through the computer, that .1% where handwriting is required really gave a bad impression.
To bring this back on topic... I should clarify that I'm not suggesting to be a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. I feel it's best to have one or two core skills that you excel in, with several seceondary skills for fallback.
So even though you're not going to become an expert coder after 1 class of C# or ASP.NET, I feel the classes will be good for giving you an idea of general coding logic. So if/when you outsource that work, you may be able to take a look at it and make minor tweaks yourself instead of having to outsource the code again for minor changes.
At least you can read your handwriting. Few people (including myself) can read mine!Actually, after spending some sessions with a handwriting coach, mine became legible enough that I can no longer qualify to become a doctor. Although 99.9% of my (written) communication is through the computer, that .1% where handwriting is required really gave a bad impression.
Lol! That is so true about the doctors...why is that?
To bring this back on topic... I should clarify that I'm not suggesting to be a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. I feel it's best to have one or two core skills that you excel in, with several seceondary skills for fallback.So even though you're not going to become an expert coder after 1 class of C# or ASP.NET, I feel the classes will be good for giving you an idea of general coding logic. So if/when you outsource that work, you may be able to take a look at it and make minor tweaks yourself instead of having to outsource the code again for minor changes.
You're absolutely right. I a more of an SEO which is really my passion, but I know that I'm going to need a certain level of programming knowledge to be able to communicate effectively with the IT guys, should it ever be necessary.
Thanks for your input...much appreciated.
