Frank Sun: September 2011

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Java面试题集

2006-12-18 16:27:11 http://www.yingjiesheng.com/

第一，谈谈final, finally, finalize的区别。
final 用于声明属性，方法和类，分别表示属性不可变，方法不可覆盖，类不可继承。
finally是异常处理语句结构的一部分，表示总是执行。
finalize是Object类的一个方法，在垃圾收集器执行的时候会调用被回收对象的此方法，可以覆盖此方法提供垃圾收集时的其他资源回收，例如关闭文件等。

第二，Anonymous Inner Class (匿名内部类) 是否可以extends(继承)其它类，是否可以implements(实现)interface(接口)?
可以继承其他类或完成其他接口，在swing编程中常用此方式。

第三，Static Nested Class 和 Inner Class的不同，说得越多越好(面试题有的很笼统)。
Static Nested Class是被声明为静态（static）的内部类，它可以不依赖于外部类实例被实例化。而通常的内部类需要在外部类实例化后才能实例化。

第四，&和&&的区别。
&是位运算符，表示按位与运算，&&是逻辑运算符，表示逻辑与（and）.

第五，HashMap和Hashtable的区别。
HashMap是Hashtable的轻量级实现（非线程安全的实现），他们都完成了Map接口，主要区别在于HashMap允许空（null）键值（key）,由于非线程安全，效率上可能高于Hashtable.

第六，Collection 和 Collections的区别。
Collection是集合类的上级接口，继承与他的接口主要有Set 和List.
Collections是针对集合类的一个帮助类，他提供一系列静态方法实现对各种集合的搜索、排序、线程安全化等操作。

第七，什么时候用assert。
1.4新增关键字（语法），用于测试boolean表达式状态，可用于调试程序。
使用方法 assert ，表示如果表达式为真（true）,则下面的语句执行，否则抛出AssertionError。
另外的使用方式assert < boolean表达式>:，表示如果表达式为真，后面的表达式忽略，否则后面表达式的值用于AssertionError的构建参数。
注意编译时要增加-source 1.4 参数，否则报错。]运行时要增加 -ea参数，否则assert行被忽略

第八，GC是什么? 为什么要有GC?
GC是垃圾收集的意思（Gabage Collection）,内存处理是编程人员容易出现问题的地方，忘记或者错误的内存回收会导致程序或系统的不稳定甚至崩溃，Java提供的GC功能可以自动监测对象是否超过作用域从而达到自动回收内存的目的，Java语言没有提供释放已分配内存的显示操作方法。

第九，String s = new String("xyz");创建了几个String Object?
两个

第十，Math.round(11.5)等於多少? Math.round(-11.5)等於多少?
Math.round(11.5)==12
Math.round(-11.5)==-11
round方法返回与参数最接近的长整数，参数加1/2后求其floor.

第十一，short s1 = 1; s1 = s1 + 1;有什么错? short s1 = 1; s1 += 1;有什么错?
short s1 = 1; s1 = s1 + 1; （s1+1运算结果是int型，需要强制转换类型）
short s1 = 1; s1 += 1;（可以正确编译）

第十二，sleep() 和 wait() 有什么区别?
sleep是线程类（Thread）的方法，导致此线程暂停执行指定时间，给执行机会给其他线程，但是监控状态依然保持，到时后会自动恢复。调用sleep不会释放对象锁。
wait是Object类的方法，对此对象调用wait方法导致本线程放弃对象锁，进入等待此对象的等待锁定池，只有针对此对象发出notify方法（或notifyAll）后本线程才进入对象锁定池准备获得对象锁进入运行状态。

第十三，Java有没有goto?
没有
很十三的问题，如果哪个面试的问到这个问题，我劝你还是别进这家公司。

第十四，数组有没有length()这个方法? String有没有length()这个方法？
数组没有length()这个方法，有length的属性。
String有有length()这个方法。

第十五，Overload和Override的区别。Overloaded的方法是否可以改变返回值的类型?
方法的重写Overriding和重载Overloading是Java多态性的不同表现。重写Overriding是父类与子类之间多态性的一种表现，重载Overloading是一个类中多态性的一种表现。如果在子类中定义某方法与其父类有相同的名称和参数，我们说该方法被重写 (Overriding)。子类的对象使用这个方法时，将调用子类中的定义，对它而言，父类中的定义如同被"屏蔽"了。如果在一个类中定义了多个同名的方法，它们或有不同的参数个数或有不同的参数类型，则称为方法的重载(Overloading)。Overloaded的方法是可以改变返回值的类型。

第十六，Set里的元素是不能重复的，那么用什么方法来区分重复与否呢? 是用==还是equals()? 它们有何区别?
Set里的元素是不能重复的，那么用iterator()方法来区分重复与否。equals()是判读两个Set是否相等。
equals()和==方法决定引用值是否指向同一对象equals()在类中被覆盖，为的是当两个分离的对象的内容和类型相配的话，返回真值。

第十七，给我一个你最常见到的runtime exception。
ArithmeticException, ArrayStoreException, BufferOverflowException, BufferUnderflowException, CannotRedoException, CannotUndoException, ClassCastException, CMMException, ConcurrentModificationException, DOMException, EmptyStackException, IllegalArgumentException, IllegalMonitorStateException, IllegalPathStateException, IllegalStateException,

ImagingOpException, IndexOutOfBoundsException, MissingResourceException, NegativeArraySizeException, NoSuchElementException, NullPointerException, ProfileDataException, ProviderException, RasterFormatException, SecurityException, SystemException, UndeclaredThrowableException, UnmodifiableSetException, UnsupportedOperationException

第十八，error和exception有什么区别?
error 表示恢复不是不可能但很困难的情况下的一种严重问题。比如说内存溢出。不可能指望程序能处理这样的情况。
exception 表示一种设计或实现问题。也就是说，它表示如果程序运行正常，从不会发生的情况。

第十九，List, Set, Map是否继承自Collection接口?
List，Set是
Map不是

第二十，abstract class和interface有什么区别?
声明方法的存在而不去实现它的类被叫做抽象类（abstract class），它用于要创建一个体现某些基本行为的类，并为该类声明方法，但不能在该类中实现该类的情况。不能创建abstract 类的实例。然而可以创建一个变量，其类型是一个抽象类，并让它指向具体子类的一个实例。不能有抽象构造函数或抽象静态方法。Abstract 类的子类为它们父类中的所有抽象方法提供实现，否则它们也是抽象类为。取而代之，在子类中实现该方法。知道其行为的其它类可以在类中实现这些方法。

接口（interface）是抽象类的变体。在接口中，所有方法都是抽象的。多继承性可通过实现这样的接口而获得。接口中的所有方法都是抽象的，没有一个有程序体。接口只可以定义static final成员变量。接口的实现与子类相似，除了该实现类不能从接口定义中继承行为。当类实现特殊接口时，它定义（即将程序体给予）所有这种接口的方法。然后，它可以在实现了该接口的类的任何对象上调用接口的方法。由于有抽象类，它允许使用接口名作为引用变量的类型。通常的动态联编将生效。引用可以转换到接口类型或从接口类型转换，instanceof 运算符可以用来决定某对象的类是否实现了接口。

第二十一，abstract的method是否可同时是static,是否可同时是native，是否可同时是synchronized?
都不能

第二十二，接口是否可继承接口? 抽象类是否可实现(implements)接口? 抽象类是否可继承实体类(concrete class)?
接口可以继承接口。抽象类可以实现(implements)接口，抽象类是否可继承实体类，但前提是实体类必须有明确的构造函数。

第二十三，启动一个线程是用run()还是start()?
启动一个线程是调用start()方法，使线程所代表的虚拟处理机处于可运行状态，这意味着它可以由JVM调度并执行。这并不意味着线程就会立即运行。run()方法可以产生必须退出的标志来停止一个线程。

第二十四，构造器Constructor是否可被override?
构造器Constructor不能被继承，因此不能重写Overriding，但可以被重载Overloading。

第二十五，是否可以继承String类?
String类是final类故不可以继承。

第二十六，当一个线程进入一个对象的一个synchronized方法后，其它线程是否可进入此对象的其它方法?
不能，一个对象的一个synchronized方法只能由一个线程访问。

第二十七，try {}里有一个return语句，那么紧跟在这个try后的finally {}里的code会不会被执行，什么时候被执行，在return前还是后?
会执行，在return前执行。

第二十八，编程题: 用最有效率的方法算出2乘以8等於几?
有C背景的程序员特别喜欢问这种问题。
2 << 3

第二十九，两个对象值相同(x.equals(y) == true)，但却可有不同的hash code，这句话对不对?
不对，有相同的hash code。

第三十，当一个对象被当作参数传递到一个方法后，此方法可改变这个对象的属性，并可返回变化后的结果，那么这里到底是值传递还是引用传递?
是值传递。Java 编程语言只由值传递参数。当一个对象实例作为一个参数被传递到方法中时，参数的值就是对该对象的引用。对象的内容可以在被调用的方法中改变，但对象的引用是永远不会改变的。

第三十一，swtich是否能作用在byte上，是否能作用在long上，是否能作用在String上?
switch（expr1）中，expr1是一个整数表达式。因此传递给 switch 和 case 语句的参数应该是 int、 short、 char 或者 byte。long,string 都不能作用于swtich。

第三十二，编程题: 写一个Singleton出来。
Singleton模式主要作用是保证在Java应用程序中，一个类Class只有一个实例存在。
一般Singleton模式通常有几种种形式:
第一种形式: 定义一个类，它的构造函数为private的，它有一个static的private的该类变量，在类初始化时实例话，通过一个public的getInstance方法获取对它的引用,继而调用其中的方法。
public class Singleton {
private Singleton(){}
//在自己内部定义自己一个实例，是不是很奇怪？
//注意这是private 只供内部调用
private static Singleton instance = new Singleton();
//这里提供了一个供外部访问本class的静态方法，可以直接访问　　
public static Singleton getInstance() {
return instance; 　　
}
}
第二种形式:
public class Singleton {
private static Singleton instance = null;
public static synchronized Singleton getInstance() {
//这个方法比上面有所改进，不用每次都进行生成对象，只是第一次　　　　
//使用时生成实例，提高了效率！
if (instance==null)
instance＝new Singleton();
return instance; 　　}
}
其他形式:
定义一个类，它的构造函数为private的，所有方法为static的。
一般认为第一种形式要更加安全些

Monday, September 19, 2011

Set $PATH Environment Variable on Mac OS

I want to append mysql directory to the $PATH I would do this:

1) Create the file /etc/paths.d/mysql like this:

sudo touch /etc/paths.d/mysql
2) Edit the file:

sudo vim /etc/paths.d/mysql

3) Put the path inside the file:
/usr/local/mysql/bin

Error: "Cannot create a server using the selected type"

After I change the location of Tomcat Server, I got the error "Cannot create a server using the selected type" when I delete the old server and tried to add a new server in Eclipse. The reason is that Eclipse already create the server runtime Environment profile and could not find the server from the previous location.

To fix this, simply go to "Preferences", -> Server -> Runtime Environments, select the server and change the installation directory to where Tomcat is now.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Setting Environment Variables

On Unix, typical shell startup files are .bashrc or .bash_profile for bash, or .tcshrc for tcsh.

Suppose that your MySQL programs are installed in /usr/local/mysql/bin and that you want to make it easy to invoke these programs. To do this, set the value of the PATH environment variable to include that directory. For example, if your shell is bash, add the following line to your .bashrc file:

PATH=${PATH}:/usr/local/mysql/bin

bash uses different startup files for login and nonlogin shells, so you might want to add the setting to .bashrc for login shells and to .bash_profile for nonlogin shells to make sure that PATH is set regardless.

If your shell is tcsh, add the following line to your .tcshrc file:

setenv PATH ${PATH}:/usr/local/mysql/bin

If the appropriate startup file does not exist in your home directory, create it with a text editor.

After modifying your PATH setting, open a new console window on Windows or log in again on Unix so that the setting goes into effect.

How to set Java 1.6 as default in Mac OX 10.5

Welcome to last year Apple. I've never seen a good explanation of why Apple has taken so long to release Java 1.6 for Mac OS X. I remember attending WWDC in 2000 when Steve Jobs announced that Java would be a first class citizen on Mac OS X. Things looked promising, but times have changed. I could understand waiting for the first patch, but this is the 5th patch for Java 1.6. We have been using Java 1.6 on hundreds of production systems in my group for over a year. I can't tell you how annoying it has been to run a VM on my Mac just so I can develop with Java 1.6. The delay for the release has been painful, I'm relived that my life will be improved now

Java 1.6 is not installed as the default, its just available:

After doing Software Update:

cmar$ java -version
java version "1.5.0_13"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_13-b05-237)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_13-119, mixed mode, sharing)

when you type java at the command line, it invokes /usr/bin/java which is really a link to the Java Framework

Java Link

cmar$ ls -la /usr/bin/java
lrwxr-xr-x 1 root wheel 74 Apr 30 08:41 /usr/bin/java -> /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/Current/Commands/java

Switching you default

If you want to switch your default then you need to either modify the link /usr/java/bin
sudo ln -s /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6/Commands/java /usr/bin/java
You might have to do "rm /usr/java/bin" first to remove the link before creating a new one.

Or you can just create an alias in your ~/.bash_login
alias java=/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6/Commands/java

Friday, September 16, 2011

Useful Node.js Tools, Tutorials And Resources

Published on Smashing Magazine Feed | shared via feedly mobile

Created by Ryan Dahl in 2009, Node.js is a relatively new technology which has gained a lot of popularity among Web developers recently. However, not everyone knows what it really is. Node.js is essentially a server-side JavaScript environment that uses an asynchronous event-driven model. What this means is simple: it's an environment which is intended for writing scalable, high performance network applications. It's like Ruby's Event Machine or Python's Twisted, but it takes the event model a bit further—it presents the event loop as a language construct instead of as a library.
And that's not all: what's really great about Node.js is the thousands of modules available for any purpose, as well as the vibrant community behind this young project. In this round-up, you will find the most useful resources for Node.js, from handy tools to detailed tutorials, not to mention in-depth articles and resources on this promising technology. Do you use Node.js already? Let us know in the comments to this post!

Scout Observer replaces military SATCOM, is powered by the iPhone 4

Published on Engadget | shared via feedly mobile

If you need to channel your inner MacGyver, there's a tool for that... predictably, it's powered by your smartphone. By connecting an iPhone 4 to the Scout Observer's Toolkit, it's transformed into a spectrum analyzer, power meter, multimeter and Low Noise Block Downconverter (LNB). In English, that means the device lets you locate and verify satellite signals (including other mobile signals), measure their strength, and determine GPS location (amongst other things). The six-pound device replaces the standard 160-pound SATCOM terminal, making it the perfect accessory for covert operations -- if those are the kinds of romps you prefer on the weekend. The company is now accepting pre-orders for shipment sometime in Q4, and hopes to roll out versions for other phones in the near future.

Scout Observer replaces military SATCOM, is powered by the iPhone 4 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 14:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturday, September 3, 2011

How Steve Jobs handles trolls (WWDC 1997) - garry's posterous

Navigated from FarukAt.eş - Latest Entries | shared via feedly mobile

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Fold Out Popups

Published on CSS-Tricks | shared via feedly mobile

The trick with using hidden checkboxes/radio buttons, the :checked pseudo class selector, and adjacent sibling (~) combinators really enables some neat functional possibility with pure CSS¹. If you need a primer, we recently used this to build a functional tabbed area.
Let's exploit it again to build "fold out popups". That is, links/buttons you can click to reveal tooltip-like rich HTML popup content.

View Demo Download Files

HTML Structure

We need a checkbox for the on/off clickable functionality (don't worry, it's hidden). Then right after it is a label. Like any good label, the for attribute matches the inputs id attribute. That way we can click it to toggle the checkbox.
The label contains within it a number of spans. The .box span is the container for the rich HTML popup. In other words, put whatever you want in there. Well, whatever you want that are inline elements. It's tempting to use a div and header tags and stuff, but some browsers don't dig that and will render those things outside of the label instead of within. Making the .box outside of the label wouldn't be too big of a deal, as we could chain ~ selectors to get it to hide/show anyway, but having them within means we'll be able to position the popup relative to the position of the label, like a "popup" should.

  Click me!  Super cool popup content

CSS Basics

Our goal with the .box is to absolutely position it relative to the label it's within, so it pops up attached to it. By default, it will be hidden by having zero opacity. We'll also scale it down to nothing, skew it, and add transitions. Then when we reveal it by way of the checkbox becoming checked, we'll scale it back up, remove the skew, and make it visible by bringing the opacity back up to 1.

.box { position: absolute; left: 0; top: 100%; z-index: 100; /* Prevent some white flashing in Safari 5.1 */ -webkit-backface-visibility: hidden; -moz-border-radius: 20px; -webkit-border-radius: 20px; border-radius: 20px; width: 260px; padding: 20px; opacity: 0; -webkit-transform: scale(0) skew(50deg); -moz-transform: scale(0) skew(50deg); -ms-transform: scale(0) skew(50deg); -o-transform: scale(0) skew(50deg); -webkit-transform-origin: 0px -30px; -moz-transform-origin: 0px -30px; -ms-transform-origin: 0px -30px; -o-transform-origin: 0px -30px; -webkit-transition: -webkit-transform ease-out .35s, opacity ease-out .4s; -moz-transition: -moz-transform ease-out .35s, opacity ease-out .4s; -ms-transition: -ms-transform ease-out .35s, opacity ease-out .4s; -o-transition: -o-transform ease-out .35s, opacity ease-out .4s; } .popUpControl { display: none; } .popUpControl:checked ~ label > .box { opacity: 1; -webkit-transform: scale(1) skew(0deg); -moz-transform: scale(1) skew(0deg); -ms-transform: scale(1) skew(0deg); -o-transform: scale(1) skew(0deg); }

The actual CSS for the box has some additional styling, but this the important functional stuff. Snag the download that accompanies this tutorial for the complete set of CSS.

Changing Text of Button When Open

This isn't vital to the idea here, but another neat trick in this demo is changing the text of the button when the popup is open. This works by actually hiding the text inside the button when :checked and inserting new text. The basics:

  Default text

[type=checkbox]:checked ~ label span { display: none; } [type=checkbox]:checked ~ label:before { content: "Text to show when checked"; }

Yet another "hack" (bad, as generated content isn't very accessible or selectable). But hey, we're still having fun right?

¹ Yeah but... JavaScript

This definitely walks "separation of concerns" line. Even though I've created this in "pure" CSS, I actually think this type of behavior is probably better suited to JavaScript. And by "use JavaScript", this is what I would actually do:

Toggle a class name for "open" and "closed" on the .box, rather than use the checkbox.
Change the text through the JavaScript, not use CSS generated content.

But everything else should stay in the CSS. The styling, the transitions, the transforms... That stuff is style not functionality.
Boy I'm a hypocrite hey?

Credit

Thanks to Victor Coulon who sent me this idea that I riffed on for this.
Fold Out Popups is a post from CSS-Tricks

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The Oregon Coast

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New Video – Behind the Scenes and Composition

Here is behind-the-scenes video I made here for this shot…

Daily Photo – The Oregon Coast

And the final shot…

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Sneaking into the Fortune 500 through the back door

Published on Signal vs. Noise | shared via feedly mobile

We've always been about the Fortune 5,000,000 – the small businesses of the world. The mom and pops, the freelancers, the small shops, and the small businesses with fewer than 10 people are our bread and butter.

However, recently we've been seeing more emails and signups from people who work at bigger companies and organizations. Lots of governmental agencies are showing up on our customer radar, too.

So about a week ago we dug into the data and discovered some interesting stats:

Basecamp is being used at…

35 of the Fortune 50
68 of the Fortune 100
321 of the Fortune 500

Highrise is being used at…

23 of the Fortune 50
41 of the Fortune 100
127 of the Fortune 500

Remember, we don't have any salespeople here, so just about all of these signups are self-service/self-discovery or through word of mouth referrals.

We often hear from folks inside these companies. They're beyond frustrated with the software/solutions they're supposed to use. So they turn to our products because they just plain work. Sometimes they expense them, but often it seems a team or department head just pays out of their own pocket. The cost is insignificant compared to the productivity they receive in return.

We salute these insurgents!

Now just to be clear, we're not suggesting that 35 of the Fortune 50 use Basecamp company-wide. We're just saying that there are people or teams at these companies that are using Basecamp. Also, we're using email addresses for the matching so it may not be perfectly precise.

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Toshiba FlashAir WiFi SD Card will make your Eye-Fi's water

Published on Engadget | shared via feedly mobile

Eye-Fi's wireless cards push photos straight from digital cameras without cables, but what if you want to pull some pics back the other way? Toshiba's solving that problem with the two-way FlashAir, an 802.11 b/g/n enabled 8GB SD Card that can also exchange data directly with compatible devices. If pushing photos to a camera isn't your bag you can always always use FlashAir as a mountable wireless drive in your SD-enabled tablet. Sales won't begin in Japan until February 2012 and the price is rumored to be around $90 -- close to that of the equivalent Eye-Fi.

Toshiba FlashAir WiFi SD Card will make your Eye-Fi's water originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmodo | source

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This iPad Smart Cover-inspired iPhone keyboard looks like a winner

Published on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog | shared via feedly mobile

The idea behind this is so brilliant that it's a wonder it wasn't developed sooner: Jing Yang of eico Motion Lab in China has created the Smart Keyboard, what he bills as the world's thinnest keyboard for the iPhone.

It's based on the concept behind the iPad 2 Smart Covers. Roll the keyboard onto the screen when you want to use it, then roll it back off when you're done. Like the Smart Cover, it attaches to the bottom of an iPhone with magnets and can be used as a stand.

This hasn't been developed beyond a concept video yet, but check it out below to see the potential. This would be a fantastic Kickstarter project. You can follow any project updates via SmartKeyboard on Twitter.

[via Dvice]

This iPad Smart Cover-inspired iPhone keyboard looks like a winner originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HOW TO: Use Your Social Media Skills to Earn Extra Money

Published on Mashable! | shared via feedly mobile

Alexis Grant is a journalist and social media strategist. She tweets as @alexisgrant and recently launched an e-guide, How to Build a Part-Time Social Media Business.

Inside the social media bubble, it seems like everyone knows how to use Twitter, Facebook and Google+. But the truth is, while most businesses and organizations realize they would benefit from having an online community, many don't know how to grow one or lack the time to do it.

If you're awesome with online tools, this is a huge opportunity. Whether you already have a job and want to earn some cash on the side, or need a stop-gap income while you look for the right position, this demand for social media help can work in your favor — if you're bold enough to step up to the plate.

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Here are a few tips for how to start making money using your social media skills.

Put a Value on Your Skills

Don't be one of those clueless "gurus" who have given social media consultants a bad rap. But don't underestimate yourself either. This is often a bigger problem for people who have ideas and skills that deserve a price tag. If you know how to use social media strategically, work it. Chances are somebody out there wants to tap into your knowledge.

Work for Free (But Only Once)

To prove you're awesome at growing online communities — both to yourself and to potential clients — find a cash-strapped small business or non-profit organization and offer to do it for them for free. Not only is this a great way to build your resume, self confidence and knowledge, you'll also grow your network, and hopefully come out on the other side with a client who's willing to recommend you.

The best part? No one will know you did it for free.

Land Your First Paying Client

Use your experience working for free to solicit paid work. This is most difficult at the beginning, but once you have one client, you'll be able to land others more easily. Hopefully, each client will tell her friends, who will tell their friends. If you do a great job for your clients, they will market your business for you.

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So how do you sign that first client? It usually happens through your existing friends and contacts. That's how it happened for me, and that's what my readers tell me works for them. Tap your networks via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and your blog. If you're just starting your career, check out your parents' networks, too. Those can be gold mines for this type of work. Tell everyone what you're available to do. You never know where the first few leads may come from.

Don't feel bashful about asking your friends and network to help you spread the word, especially in the beginning. They'll likely be more than happy to do it. After all, your friends want to see you succeed.

Determine Your Services

Define your offerings beyond saying you "do social media work." Do you teach people how to use Twitter and Facebook? Or create blog strategies for companies to implement? Maybe you even grow online communities for your clients. That practice is sometimes shunned, but there's often a case for outsourcing social media, especially when the client doesn't have the know-how or the time to do it herself.

Then consider what types of clients you want to work for. Individuals? Businesses? Organizations? Can you narrow those groups down by topic? The more specific you can be, the better your chances of connecting with the right people.

When a new acquaintance asks what you do, be prepared to explain in layman's terms, using examples. "Social media" can sound vague and even daunting to newbies, and your target client may not be social-media savvy. Explain your services succinctly, and word will spread quickly about your offerings.

Decide What to Charge

Prices for social media consulting run the gamut, from free to several hundred dollars an hour. No matter what you decide to charge, some people will think you're too expensive, and others will think you're a steal. The challenge is finding the sweet spot for your skills and experience.

The beauty in figuring out what to charge, especially when you're just getting started, is that it can vary from client to client. Think one client can afford to pay more? Offer a higher per hour or project quote. If you're worried a potential client will lose interest once you reveal your prices, offer several tiers of service with different price tags attached.

Figure it out as you go. Whenever we leap into something new, we have hesitations. But you will learn by doing, so long as you have the guts to get started.