Beauty Sparkling

If you have done just about everything that you possibly can to make your computer as fast as it can go and are still looking for a bit more then you have come to right place, well sort of. See what most people don’t seem to realize is that you can actually be the main bottle neck that is slowing down your computer. There really are two things that are slowing your down: the first is that you really need to know how to type quickly and the second is that you need to know at least a few basic windows shortcuts.

When it comes to typing you have to understand that most people simply just don’t really realize how much time it is that they are wasting. By using the hunt and peck method. (hunt and peck is when you use your pointer finger from both hands to pick on one letter on the keyboard at a time). It is drastically reducing your productivity and you should really invest some time into learning how to type properly. Now, I’m not going to teach you how to type properly in this article but I do highly recommend that you spend the time to learn how to do it. Think of it like this – you might as well invest some time right now to learn how to type quicker so that you will save a lot of time in the future.

Now when it comes to using the windows keyboard shortcuts you are going to have to practice them in order to remember them so that you will be able to use them without thinking. Now keep in mind that most of the shortcuts that I am going to show you are just for the Windows environment and some can be used on most windows programs (like Office, Excel etc…). If there are some programs that you use frequently I suggest that you take the time to learn a few of the shortcuts that it has to offer – you spend a lot of time using the programs anyways, why no reduce the amount of time you spend looking for things on it?

Lets start off by learning how to switch from one application to another on the task bar quickly. If your main way of doin this is to simply click on them with the mouse, you are just wasting your time, and I am going to show you a much quicker way to do this. Here’s how its done: open a few programs (Notepad and Calculator will do just find for this exercise) and hold down the Alt button and then press the Tab key a few times. What this will do is it will allow you to cycle through your currently open programs. It’s a much quicker way to move from one program to the next without using your mouse. If you want to get to the task manger by using only one hand, just press Ctrl + Shift + Esc (at the same time) all on the left hand side of the keyboard. Now, if you want to close a program quickly just use Alt + F4. To save a program use Ctrl + S. To go straight to your desktop use the combination: windows button + M.

Now what you are going to want to do is to practice these as much as possible and on a regular basis. Try and use them as much as you can when you are using your computer so that you will get the most usage out of them. Trust me, once you get use to using them you will never want to go back.

Isn’t it funny how one day your computer can be running smoothly and then in a few months it can slow down to the point where you just want to throw it out the window? The real question is – exactly why did it slow down? Well the answer isn’t clear cut and easy to digest but most of it has to deal with how the operating system of your computer works. Most Windows based operating systems are designed to work as efficiently as possible, but that unfortunately isn’t the case in real life. What happens is that after time your computer starts to build up junk in many different areas and this is what slows it down (for the most part). All you need to do to make it faster is to remove the junk. The only problem is finding all of the areas that the junk builds up and also removing it.

Where are the areas that junk builds up? There simply are too many to discuss in this article and there also is to many areas that you can tune to make your computer faster so what were going to do is focus on just one area so you have somewhere to start. Start with removing programs that you don’t need anymore. Why? Most people will download a program and then when they realize that they don’t need it anymore they will just leave it on their computer and move on. Why is this bad? First off, that program is taking up space on your hard drive but more importantly it is most likely running in the background of your computer and using up resources that you can be using.

By removing programs you don’t need you will be able to free up some resources for you to use. I only suggest that you remove a program if you know what it is and also if you know that you don’t need it. It’s probably best if you don’t remove a program if your not sure what it is – your computer might need it. Here’s how its done:

If you are running Windows XP, click Start, click on Control Panel, click on the Add or Remove Programs and wait a little while for the list to be created (if you have a lot of programs on your computer it might take a bit longer so just be patient). Now all you have to do is to just remove the programs that you don’t need by clicking on the program and selecting Change/Remove and following through with the removal process.

If you are Windows Vista user, click Start, go to Control Panel and make sure that at the top of the window that you have “Classic View” selected. Double click on the Programs and Features button (wait a few seconds for your programs to come up) and just select the programs that you don’t need and select Uninstall to remove them. Remember to only remove programs if you what they are and if you know that you don’t need them.

Training for your CompTIA A+ covers four specialised areas – you need to pass exams in two of these areas to be seen as competent in A+. This is why, the majority of colleges limit their course to 2 of the 4 sectors. Our opinion is this is selling you short – yes you’ll have qualified, but knowing about the others will give you a distinct advantage in your working life, where knowledge of all four will be necessary. This is why you need education in all four areas.

CompTIA A+ without additional courses will allow you to mend and maintain computers and Macs; ones that are generally not connected to a network – which means the home or small business market.

If you would like to be the person who works for a larger company – fixing and supporting networks, you should include CompTIA Network+ to your training package, or alternatively look at doing an MCSA or MCSE with Microsoft in order to have a deeper understanding of the way networks work.

The right sort of training package will undoubtedly also include wholly authorised exam preparation packages.

Avoid depending on non-official exam papers and questions. The type of questions asked can be completely unlike authorised versions – and this leads to huge confusion once in the actual exam.

Ensure that you request some practice exams so you’ll be able to check your comprehension at all times. Simulations of exams help to build your confidence – so the actual exam is much easier.

Don’t listen to the typical salesman that offers any particular course without a decent chat to better understand your current abilities as well as level of experience. They should be able to select from a generous product range so they can provide you with what’s right for you.

An important point to note is that, if you’ve got any accreditation or direct-experience, then you may be able to commence studying further along than someone new to the industry.

Where this will be your opening attempt at studying for an IT examination then you should consider whether to begin with some basic PC skills training first.

The somewhat scary thought of finding your first IT job can be eased because some trainers offer a Job Placement Assistance facility. Ultimately it’s not as difficult as you may be led to believe to secure your first job – once you’re trained and certified; the growing UK skills shortage sees to that.

Bring your CV up to date as soon as possible however – look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don’t wait till the exams have actually been passed.

Getting onto the ‘maybe’ pile of CV’s is more than not being known. Often junior support jobs are bagged by trainees in the early stages of their course.

Actually, a local IT focused employment agency (who will, of course, be keen to place you to receive their commission) will perform better than any sector of a centralised training facility. It also stands to reason that they’ll be familiar with the area and local employers better.

Many trainees, apparently, conscientiously work through their course materials (sometimes for years), and then just stop instead of finding the right position. Sell yourself… Do everything you can to get yourself known. Good jobs don’t just knock on your door.

Does job security really exist anywhere now? In the UK for example, where business constantly changes its mind on a whim, we’d question whether it does.

Now, we only experience security through a swiftly rising market, fuelled by a shortfall of trained staff. It’s this alone that creates the appropriate environment for a secure marketplace – a far better situation.

Reviewing the Information Technology (IT) business, the recent e-Skills survey highlighted a 26 percent shortage in trained professionals. To explain it in a different way, this shows that the UK is only able to source three qualified staff for every 4 jobs existing today.

Acquiring full commercial computing exams is as a result a fast-track to achieve a long-term and pleasing occupation.

Actually, acquiring professional IT skills throughout the next year or two is most likely the greatest choice of careers you could make.