The part about him contacting clients too quickly can easily be changed. It's just newbie syndrome.
The key to getting good at anything technical is effort. Do it and do it and do it and do it. What kills me when I learn something new is the 'learn and forgets'. I don't have a frame of reference so learning something new is like learning 15 different things. So I get it, then the next day I forget it, so I have to go relearn it all over again. Eventually as I slowly build up a frame of reference stuff sticks in my head easier and if it doesn't I find it less effort to find the solution. I just have to accept that for a while, I will feel like an idiot and have to relearn the same thing repeatedly.
Another thing that kills me is what I call 'goddam it I'm stuck again phase'. This is when you have a problem with something. After alot of effort you solve the problem, 2 minutes later I'm stuck on something else, then 30 seconds later 4 letter words start coming out of my mouth and I start all over again.
I find that what works for me(and may work for your friend) is multiple series of inputs. I hate the 'one good book theory'. This theory proposes that all you need is one good book to learn something. I hate that. I find that when I am learning something new I need to look at the same thing explained in several contexts for me to get it(then the next day I inevitably forget what the hell I learned...). I break the inputs up by types:
1. Books and articles
2. Newsgroup posts
3. asking questions
All of which are somewhat different mediums and all are useful.
One other useful skill you might want to teach your friend is to 'read with utter disrespect'. I skim everything. Just because some schmuck wrote a 500 page book does not mean I am obligated to read every line of it. Grab what I need and move on. I'm sure the author will get over it.
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Received on Thu Aug 04 2005 - 10:49:41 CDT
