Hello friends,

I am in my final semester of MBA.
I am taking one last class before I am done.
I will be graduating in May and it would be time to go and look for a job.

I have talked with two consultancies about what classes they provide and what I should do from now to be ready by the end of this semester.

I am a business major student so they both tell me to go do BA and/or QA

But when I talk to my friends with the similar circumstance like mine they did IT related classes like UNIX, Linux, Java, oracle or dot net and now they have their H1B. They tell me to go for IT field specially something like UNIX. Because that's what two of my friends did who are relatively close to me.

Now, my dilemma is in selecting the field.

Considering the fact that I need to apply for H1B once I get the job which field would be the most appropriate?

About my background in computers: I had done some C++ while I was in Nepal. However I was more gravitated towards graphic designing and post production when I was back home.

Does developer or database sound plausible?
Or should I stick with Business Analyst (BA) and/or Quality Assurance (QA)?

NEED CONSULTATION PLEASE!!!

AI is the best.

If you can do anything besides QA/BA in computer field then do those. Otherwise do those.

Which one in computer field would be the best in terms of

1. Market demand
2. Less challenging (since I am a business major) to learn
3. Roughly 5 to 6 months of learning period considering having time until May to graduate and take class until that time

You seem to have qualities required to become a top notch reporter based on the way you framed those questions.

However, if you're hellbent on pursuing an IT career, I'd say start off with BA or QA. You can't go wrong with either. Since it's January already, you're better off getting trained for a QA position as it might come in handy to meet the H-1 filing deadlines (March, if I'm not mistaken); QAs generally get placed sooner and since most interviews are done over the phone, based upon your consultancy, cracking your interview should be completed w/ limited ease. But really, you can't go wrong with any field as far as getting placed in concerned. Your resume w/ 6-8 years of "professional experience" is gonna woo any potential client and sooner or later, you'll get placed.

And you'll be able to sustain your stronghold, once you get in, with minimal fuss as a QA or a BA. But then again, I've come to meet some friends w/ little or no computer background working as Programmers and DBA specialists.

Agama and Betasoft in CA.

what about colorado guys?

If you know programming (.NET or java) you are always safe. But it takes heck lot of effort and time to learn. It is not like taking QA training for 3 months and go to market with fake resume. And only programming may not be enough. You have to have database knowledge too. Database takes less time to learn compared to learning programming.

Good Luck.

1. (Current) Market demand, Most of the jobs right now?
--programming i.e. java, .net, android programming, IOS

2. Less challenging (since I am a business major) to learn

-BA, QA, Tester

3. Roughly 5 to 6 months of learning period considering having time until May to graduate and take class until that time
-- No amount of time will be sufficient if you don't understand what you are doing. There is no way any one can tell you whether or not 5-6 months is good enough to learn something. Learning is a something that you do all of your life. Whatever you do, just don't stop learning. I have seen people developing android apps and pushing it to market within a month. It all depends on individual.. But if you take an average 5-6 months is good enough to learn basic fundamentals.

4. Easy to maintain the job

---again hard to tell, its all depends. I don't think that any one can tell you "this kind of job will be easy to maintain"?

5. Best of the best for long term and H1B purpose

-- best of the best ???.... no one can't guarantee you the future my friend. What is currently trending doesn't mean it will there forever. Things change, people change and so do the technology.

and now coming to your part here is my few cents

1 ) If you have to choose C++ or graphics design which one would you choose
----- if the answer is c++ and it fascinates you, makes you to provide something that you can deliver to other people then go for programming. As NepaliBudho already suggested programming takes a lot of effort, not just while learning but putting it work too, and you have to keep learning everyday.. if you are ready for a challenge every day then go for programming.

if you answer is graphics design, then go for BA or QA. This field is not also easy my friend, you need to know a lot of stuff and people having many years of experience also constantly need to learn.

I will also say why even BA or QA why not graphic design or post-production.. if you have skills on those and you absolutely LOVE it then why not. I understand that these might have limited jobs but you really don't want to be in that position when you wake up and say oh man i have to go to work... Trust me in long term you really can't push yourself..


Having said so,, ask this to yourself ?

Do I like C++ or graphic design ? you will get the answer right there...

my two cents

all the best for your future.

Thank You Everyone for your replies.

@Meroghar124: I appreciate the time and effort you put to answer all the questions. It really helped to settle the mud that was stirred in my mind.

If I had to choose between C++ and graphic designing then I would go for graphic designing and specially post production. But the circumstance here is that we need to take consideration of job market and the fulfillment of the main objective as for now to get a H1B. I would go for BA or/and QA but I have heard that these jobs are difficult to find and not very easy to maintain either. I was thinking if BA is also challenging and difficult to get then why not go for another challenging field but easier to get such as database or programming.

I think I should choose a middle ground. From what I have come to understand Database seems to be the middle ground.

High= Programming Moderate= Database Comparatively lower= BA Low= QA

Analyzing all the pros and cons I think Database is the answer.

Database is in demand, is moderately challenging, considering 5 to 6 months of learning plus on the job training/learning makes it applicable and seems plausible to maintain the job after few months in job. This looks like a good option to me because if later in life you want to switch to programming then that could be done too with a flare. Since a programmer needs a database knowledge as well like Nepalibudo mentioned.

Now my new Question is: What in Database?

SQL, XML, OQL, DB2, Oracle?

Pardon my ignorance. I hope the above lists are applications.



Thank You Everyone once again,

NEED CONSULTATION PLEASE!!!

To be safe, do dot net. Since you are an MBA, SAP functional can also be something you can look at. The job makes sense what you learned in the school.

Besides QA/BA, I think most of the other IT jobs can be challenging. It also depends on your luck. I would say choose one field between database(Oracle/SQL) or System Admin (linux). If you have some close friend who are in IT then following their technology can be a good idea provided that they can and will help you during your project. Keep in mind, degree of effort to most of the technology can be somewhat similar but it is advantageous if you have someone to guide you.

I am also looking for sql training. Let me know what you find out.

SQL is a good choice for you, but there are many ways to go on it. You can go as a dba. as a developer as a ETL developer BI Developer etc. So may be i can guide you on this and can also help you in your training no matter where you are its all online no contract to sign you sign a contract after you are placed.

i also want to learn SQL and pl/sql. where and what is good training or consultancy? please share ur ideas.
thank you.

This might be off topic but wanted to ask as it relates to IT anyway. I came to know of a QA called Datawarehouse/ETL testing. This is not a click here and there qa that people associate with. It requires you to know sql pretty well and have solid understanding of database concepts, data warehouse etc. In any projects, are there just a single qa or a team of qa to do ETL testing? I guess it depends as per my common sense, in order to test so many functionality and scenarios , there will be a team of testers to do the jobs. A friend of mine works by himself as an ETL Developer but another one works in a team of ETL developer. Any idea or experience one can share working as a qa? Did you work alone or in a team of QA? Thanks,

@Need Consultation: I think Business Intelligence is also an option, its a common ground between technical or advanced roles like programming/database and functional roles like BA. Its not very hard to learn and make your self proficient into and also is more technical than QA/BA roles.

The main thing to consider for people like you and me who do not have technical background and are in IT (or planning to do so) is not just finding a job, but being able to sustain in that job, especially when your H1B in the future will depend on having a job. I would suggest to start with something less advanced and once you're comfortable in it, move up the ladder.

Good Luck to you!

Thank You everyone once again.

This thread has been very helpful.

@Riddle had shared Agama and Betasoft in CA as the good consultancies to check into.
I have checked their websites and read their reviews. But this hasn't made me clear as to if they are truly good consultancies that would help with the H1B filing process. Since H1B filing is the main priority I would like to know about them before I commit.

I have read somewhere in sajha that there are some consultancies that charge you $1000 to start classes online. I was reading that these companies might be a run away companies or more talk no work companies, so beware. How true is that? I have no idea.

Anyone experienced or know someone who has experienced the above mentioned tragedy? Please share those consultancies.

Now let me boil down to my main question

Which consultancy is the best? (in terms of the following criteria)

1. H1B visa processing (You or someone you know already got the visa through this C)
2. Provision of online classes (w/o a deposit of $1000)
3. Best for job placement (connections w/ several companies and wait time after marketing less than a month)
4. Lodging, fooding, and other benefits
5. Percentage of Pay cut (Actual dollar value per hour)

Thanks again everyone for making this thread informative and classy.

Need consultation, your research is getting tedious. I've already given more than 2 cents. I'm gonna have to start charging you by an hourly rate if I prolong my session any further. Agama and Betasoft successfully file more than 50 H1B applications each year. Unless you come across reviews posted by the owners and instructors, five star reviews are almost non-existent when it comes to Indian Consultancies.

Stop fooling around and join a class already!