Welcome to Excell.com

Ben -
Web Developer
When Ben logged onto the Internet for the first time in 1994, he immediately decided to switch careers and become a web developer. Read about how his most recent assignment was the breakthrough move that helped him take his career to the next level.

Ben, tell me the story about how you became a web developer.
I used to be a property manager in California. I logged onto the Internet in 1994 for the first time and was completely fascinated with this new medium and set a goal for myself to become a web developer. I'm completely self-taught. It's taken me several years, but I'm now at the forefront of web development.

What has this past year has been like with Excell?
This last assignment was a real breakthrough for me. I worked in a laid back environment with a Project Manager who was a mechanical engineer by training and not super familiar with web development - sort of a wild west atmosphere. There were many things to do and I got to work lots of overtime. It was an intense learning experience. The first two months I got to work with XML -- they knew that I hadn't worked with XML before - so I bought two books on XML to get started. I used a lot of technologies on this assignment including DHTML, Java, JavaScript, XML, VB, IE Objects, Flash and Browser Objects. I had never done Flash before either. It's pretty easy to pick up these technologies. The piece that was harder to implement involved calling an Excel spreadsheet from a VB app through a browser ActiveX control - this is very complex stuff. There were complicated DHTML layers to do calculator functions. I also worked on an assignment in which I built a web front end to a Peoplesoft application so students could apply on-line. Every field was four digits long. I did all the validation checking for a complex set of forms using JavaScript and ASP.

What sets Excell apart from other consulting firms you've worked for?
I was a bit nervous going into this assignment because there was a lot of stuff I hadn't done in a production environment before. The previous programmer left virtually zero documentation. The program sucked compared to the quality I was used to. My Resource Manager was great. He gave me the confidence to push forward even when I was doubting my abilities. I have lots of brand loyalty and pride with respect to Excell. I always knew that if I called Excell, or sent an email that I would get a rapid response. I really like the personal touch that you get through Excell. Previously I worked through a staffing firm at (a large aerospace company in Seattle). I also worked on assignment through a staffing firm at (a large business to consumer e-commerce company in Renton). Both of those experiences were basically just a job and a paycheck with zero on-assignment support. Excell's recruiting process is very good. When my assignment was about to end, I very quickly had several other opportunities to choose from. I always felt like I was a valuable asset to Excell and that they recognized the value that I brought to the table. All the awards that Excell has won doesn't surprise me at all now that I have had a chance to work for the company and actually work closely with the people who are part of the organization.

How do you plan to continue growing your skills?
The web is the best place to get info and keep up with what is going on. I typically find what I'm looking for on the web. When I have questions, I post messages and usually get a response in an hour or so. Some things have simply not been done before. Books are great when you are getting into a new technology and don't know where to start. I have also taken 5-6 online courses. DigitalThink courses are really good for building a foundation.

Where do you see your career heading moving forward?
My career has been advancing very rapidly, particularly in the last couple years. I'd say my two year goal moving forward is to become a technical team lead on e-procurement projects. My next assignment will involve working with CommerceOne technology. When I worked at (a large manufacturing company in Seattle), I saw tons of inefficiency which can eliminated with the current generation of e-procurement technologies. This is very exciting to me and it moves me one step closer toward a career in developing B2B e-commerce solutions as well as a leadership role.

What do you like best about contract consulting?
I originally went into contracting because I saw people going into it and increasing their income very quickly. Because of all the success that I've had with my career, my wife has been able to quit her job and stay home with our kids.