IT Career Energizer

In this week's show, Phil talks to Brandon Bramley, the founder of The Salary Negotiator. Brandon provides professional job offer and salary negotiation coaching to help IT professionals navigate the job offer negotiation process confidently and earn higher compensation. He's coached clients through hundreds of salary negotiations with companies ranging in size from small businesses and startups to some of the largest global corporations such as Google, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft. And he has a background in strategic negotiations, having worked in professional negotiation roles for companies including Amazon and American Airlines.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Stay away from some of the myths that surround job offer negotiations. People are made to feel that they don't have the leverage to negotiate, but this isn't true.   WORST CAREER MOMENT After making a big career move, Brandon realized that he had made a terrible mistake and decided to return to his previous job. Through this he learned to follow his instincts and understand that not all opportunities are a great fit in the end.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Upon negotiating his very first job offer, Brandon realized that it is a viable strategy, and built a successful business centering on it as a result.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The fact that IT talent is being respected at last, and the additional benefits being brought in by companies in order to make sure that they secure the best people in their field.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Career progression took place naturally. What's the best career advice you received? – If you're a success then you will always follow opportunities What's the worst career advice you received? – You should always stay at companies for a long time What would you do if you started your career now? – Brandon would look more into software engineering What are your current career objectives? – To become a better coach and negotiator, as well as provide more free resources. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Adopting a professional and friendly approach to negotiations. How do you keep your own career energized? – Sharing insights and learnings with academic institutions and their students. What do you do away from technology? – Skiing, hiking and travelling.   FINAL CAREER TIP Switching jobs should not be scary – don't be afraid to change if something isn't working for you.   BEST MOMENTS (4:28) – Brandon – “People should be negotiating their job offers, so they make sure they're coming in at the low end of the band” (15:29) – Brandon - “Not all opportunities are the right fit” (21:25) – Brandon – “Successful people do not turn down opportunities” (27:08)– Brandon – “I didn't know if I could negotiate, but I jumped out and did it!”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_philburgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – BRANDON BRAMLEY Brandon Bramley is the founder of The Salary Negotiator. He provides professional job offer and salary negotiation coaching to help IT professionals navigate the job offer negotiation process confidently and earn higher compensation. He's coached clients through hundreds of salary negotiations with companies ranging in size from small businesses and startups to some of the largest global corporations such as Google, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft. And he has a background in strategic negotiations, having worked in professional negotiation roles for companies including Amazon and American Airlines.   CONTACT THE GUEST – BRANDON BRAMLEY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbramley/ Website: https://www.thesalarynegotiator.com Course: https://www.thesalarynegotiator.com/job-offer-negotiation-course Total Compensation Calculator: https://www.thesalarynegotiator.com/total-compensation-calculator Business LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesalarynegotiator/  

In this week's show, Phil talks to James Malley, the CEO and Co-Founder of Paccurate. He has been working in the logistics tech space since 2009 and has helped create a variety of enterprise shipping technology. He spearheaded the design of an award-winning multi-carrier TMS (Transportation Management Software) and since 2015, he's been evangelizing the use of AI to achieve cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable packing. James talks about the importance of investing in communication to make the innovation process easier. He also discusses the value of optimism and trying to see the best side of every situation.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP When building something new that has no precedent, it's always best to focus more upon communication in the early stages, to make the process easier.   WORST CAREER MOMENT During a joint venture with a large company, James's work was not matched by his partner. Through this he learned to be wary of partners and what they can provide in terms of value.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Conversely, a partnership entered into after gaining experience, proved entirely fruitful, especially when it came to sustainability.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T There are always problems to be solved – innovations to be found – even when we think we've come as far as we can. This makes the world of IT perennially exciting and challenging.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – James found his love for IT through design and problem solving. What's the best career advice you received? – Say yes to everything What's the worst career advice you received? – To again, say yes to everything! What would you do if you started your career now? – James would work on problems that other people are dealing with, and not things that nobody is asking for. What are your current career objectives? – Becoming a better CEO, helping others to achieve more and finding better ways to work remotely. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Networking. How do you keep your own career energized? – Making the supply chain more sustainable and less wasteful. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with his three-year-old son and trying to prevent household accidents!   FINAL CAREER TIP Be a micro-pessimist, but a macro-optimist. It's easy to be pessimistic and difficult to see the best in a situation. But the best of the best can see the light in everything.   BEST MOMENTS (8:08) – James – “Invest in messaging and communication” (12:05) – James - “You may look around and think every problem has been solved. The truth is that's not the case” (12:37) – James – “Get comfortable with whatever industry you're in. That's where you'll find the most valuable ideas” (18:11)– James – “Focus on solving problems, and you'll find your niche sooner rather than later”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – JAMES MALLEY James Malley is the CEO and Co-Founder of Paccurate. He has been working in the logistics tech space since 2009 and has helped create a variety of enterprise shipping technology. He spearheaded the design of an award-winning multi-carrier TMS (Transportation Management Software) and since 2015, he's been evangelizing the use of AI to achieve cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable packing.   CONTACT THE GUEST – JAMES MALLEY Twitter: https://twitter.com/mistermalley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmalley Website: https://paccurate.io

In this week's show, Phil talks to Luke Switkowski, the CEO and cofounder of Kognitiv, a company that provides Workday consultancy and professional services. He has been working with Workday for more than a decade and developed an on-demand services model supporting Workday clients. Luke talks about why skill sets are at the heart of every IT career. He also discusses the value of patience when it comes to unhappiness in your career path.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP To build a career, you have to build a skill set. It takes patience and time, but everything is predicated upon this, so give it your full attention.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While consulting on a project, the testing was something of a disaster. Testing showed that the systems built were dysfunctional and barely working.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Starting the Kognitiv business, and making it a success!   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The tools and capabilities available to everyone in the world of today are very exciting, and enable us to make incredible things.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The potential to tinker and solve problems What's the best career advice you received? – Niche down and learn your specialist area. What's the worst career advice you received? – That degrees of education are always important to every part of your career What would you do if you started your career now? – Work in consulting What are your current career objectives? – Making Kognitiv even better What's your number one non-technical skill? – Asking questions How do you keep your own career energized? – Working on side projects and pursuits to make the world even better What do you do away from technology? – Barbecuing and grilling!   FINAL CAREER TIP If you're not happy in a position then don't react by quitting immediately. Look for the root cause of your unhappiness and try to fix it.   BEST MOMENTS (4:51) – Luke – “Whether we like it or not, we live in a skill-based economy and a skill-based society” (11:09) – Luke - “Don't assume that everyone will perform their roles in a project. Take more ownership of the work you have to do, and really follow through on it” (15:37) – Luke – “Find a niche area in which you're ready to learn, and learn it to the best of your ability” (18:52)– Luke – “Ask questions and don't be afraid to ask for help”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – LUKE SWITKOWSKI Luke Switkowski is the CEO and cofounder of Kognitiv, a company that provides Workday consultancy and professional services. He has been working with Workday for more than a decade and developed an on-demand services model supporting Workday clients.   CONTACT THE GUEST – LUKE SWITKOWSKI Twitter: https://twitter.com/kognitivinc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-switkowski/ Website: https://kognitivinc.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Marcus Olson, who discovered his love of technology by disassembling and reassembling computers salvaged from a shuttered Black & Decker office. He also taught himself Basic so that he could create his own, simple text-based games. He is now the CEO and Founder of Pliancy, a technology-enabled professional services company that helps growing start-ups scale their corporate IT. Marcus talks about why we should always focus upon the driving value behind the companies we work for. He also discusses the value of being prepared and showing up entirely, so that opportunities can be taken.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Focus on what the value is that you drive for the companies in which you work. Often, people fall into the trap of loving their product because they love it for themselves instead of identifying the need it can serve.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Marcus took a job at the government that paid okay, but the prospects were dull, and it did not allow him to follow the pursuits that interested him.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After leaving a company, many of Marcus' clients followed him, who advised him to begin his own consulting firm, which was the ignition beneath his second chapter in life.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The IT departments are slowly driving the success of companies in general, and so are slowly becoming more and more integral to conversations about growth and direction.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – After receiving a computer as a gift, Marcus realized the potential of taking something apart and putting it together again. What's the best career advice you received? – Be authentic. What's the worst career advice you received? – Don't take risks! What would you do if you started your career now? – Figure out how to get a job at a technical organization a lot earlier. What are your current career objectives? – Focusing on the progression of others. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Communication. How do you keep your own career energized? – Keep being uncomfortable and putting yourself out there What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with dogs, architecture, design, art and other creative outlets.   FINAL CAREER TIP If you show up with your whole self and you're passionate about what you do, then opportunities will present themselves and you'll be in great shape to take advantage.   BEST MOMENTS   (8:27) – Marcus – “Ultimately, technology needs to serve a goal” (15:06) – Marcus - “If you do what you love, the money will follow. If you do it long enough, more money will follow” (20:07) – Marcus – “We're seeing a shift, year over year, of the importance of the IT department in helping drive success for companies” (26:02)– Marcus – “Do it for an exceptionally long time and be authentic while you're doing it”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MARCUS OLSON Marcus Olson discovered his love of technology by disassembling and reassembling computers salvaged from a shuttered Black & Decker office. He also taught himself Basic so that he could create his own, simple text-based games. He is now the CEO and Founder of Pliancy, a technology-enabled professional services company that helps growing start-ups scale their corporate IT.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MARCUS OLSON Twitter: https://twitter.com/pliancy_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusolson/ Website: http://www.pliancy.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Chuck Tomasi who has worked in the IT industry for 40 years. His roles have included software developer, systems administrator, project manager and technical consultant to name but a few. He has a particular interest in integrating devices and systems to increase the value of the overall solution. And he likes share what he has learned with the developer community through blogs, videos, live streams, podcasts and books. Chuck talks to Phil about the importance of remembering people skills when growing your career. He also discusses the value of putting yourself out there in order to find opportunities.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Never forget the value of people in the IT sector. Careers flourish when results are delivered, but also because relationships are nurtured.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While preparing for a conference, Chuck was working with volunteers. There was a great need for perfection, but Chuck was let down by two volunteers, which almost threw the project into disarray.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT At the most recent conference, Chuck got to MC the event and connected completely with most of the attendees.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T There is a world of opportunity out there in the IT sector, and the chance to create meaningful, impactful products that can change lives for the better.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – After a computer programming course in school What's the best career advice you received? – Trust is the ultimate currency What's the worst career advice you received? – It's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission What would you do if you started your career now? – Find a mentor and coach much sooner! What are your current career objectives? – Creating and maintaining relationships inside and outside of the company What's your number one non-technical skill? – Being able to translate complex information for any audience. How do you keep your own career energized? – Knowing that his work is positively impacting lives. What do you do away from technology? – Podcasting, creating content, travelling and spending time with family   FINAL CAREER TIP Even if you consider yourself to be introverted, make an effort to meet and greet people. Career opportunities almost always come from other people.   BEST MOMENTS (2:56) – Chuck – “Putting your face out there helps recognition, and helps to build a community” (3:50) – Chuck - “Careers are built on two things – results and relationships” (4:22) – Chuck – “If you really want to be the hero then you need to listen to people and help them achieve their desired outcomes” (13:06)– Chuck – “Computers and programming combine the best of logical thinking and creativity”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – CHUCK TOMASI Chuck Tomasi has worked in the IT industry for 40 years. His roles have included software developer, systems administrator, project manager and technical consultant to name but a few. He has a particular interest in integrating devices and systems to increase the value of the overall solution. And he likes share what he has learned with the developer community through blogs, videos, live streams, podcasts and books. CONTACT THE GUEST – CHUCK TOMASI Twitter: https://twitter.com/ctomasi LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/tomasi Website: https://www.chucktomasi.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Tyler Rohrer, a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience around end user computing. He has worked in and around the most progressive and challenging deployments in the world. And most recently, he founded Remotely INC, the world's first Hyper Converged Console. He is leveraging his experience in the digital workspace and end user computing space to help enterprise companies contend with the daily security risks they face with remote and hybrid end users. Tyler talks about the importance of trusting your instincts when it comes to your career. He also discusses why it's okay to ask for help and guidance when needed.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always trust your instincts. They are generally trying to lead you in the right direction. Listen to what your heart says to you.   WORST CAREER MOMENT After hitting the wrong button, a software malfunction occurred, but it taught Tyler the value in always taking the utmost care, and to own up to your mistakes.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Tyler was instrumental in the creation of VM Ware, which was subsequently acquired. This led to his appearing at a conference in front of Michael Dell.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The unbounded nature of IT itself. This is a field in which you can literally learn about, and gain mastery over, things we never considered possible.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Tinkering with things and fixing them when broken. What's the best career advice you received? – Take chances! What's the worst career advice you received? – Follow the rules and DON'T take chances. What would you do if you started your career now? – Look more into automation and robotics What are your current career objectives? – To take all the lessons learned and distill them into a book What's your number one non-technical skill? – Endurance and persistence How do you keep your own career energized? – Balance technical interests with sports and other pursuits. What do you do away from technology? – Rally driving, hiking outdoors and exploring nature.   FINAL CAREER TIP Ask for help if you need it. It's okay to not know everything, and you only learn by seeking answers from others.   BEST MOMENTS (4:04) – Tyler – “We think of scale in one dimension right now” (7:00) – Tyler - “Having the confidence to bring your best self to every conversation really goes a long way” (6:00) – Tyler – “More than anything else, trust yourself” (10:50)– Tyler – “I've learned as much from the good ideas as the poor ones”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – TYLER ROHRER Tyler Rohrer is a serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience around end user computing. He has worked in and around the most progressive and challenging deployments in the world. And most recently, he founded Remotely INC, the world's first Hyper Converged Console. He is leveraging his experience in the digital workspace and end user computing space to help enterprise companies contend with the daily security risks they face with remote and hybrid end users.   CONTACT THE GUEST – TYLER ROHRER Twitter: https://twitter.com/Remotely_TREX LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtylerrohrer/ Website: https://remotelyrmm.com

In this week's show, Phil talks to Arpit Mohan, who has always been fascinated by technology, from taking apart has Tamagotchi to creating a mobile game that went viral. He is the co-founder and CTO of Appsmith, an open-source project built by engineers for engineers. It is now used by more than 1,000 teams, employs people in 8 countries and has raised over $10 million in capital. Arpit talks about the value of focussing upon soft skills such as communication and enhancing teams. He also discusses the value of reading, and how it can make you a better writer.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Software engineers focus on the tools and the code too much, we should focus more upon the soft skills that go with the job, such as the people and the teams.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Arpit ran a delete query on a database, and mistyped the command, which wiped every order in the company's system for the previous six months. This taught him the value of quality checking every moment.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT While running a mobile game company, the game they were working on went viral. The user database began to grow very rapidly.    THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Software and IT has endless potential to provide solutions for the world. There are numerous ways in which the physical world cannot achieve certain things, but IT and software can make these things a reality.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The ability to create and express himself as a builder What's the best career advice you received? – Make your manager look good What's the worst career advice you received? – To focus on the money and compensation, and to go for the jobs that pay the best. What would you do if you started your career now? – Arpit would focus upon the internals of systems What are your current career objectives? – Trying to be a better leader, and to become a more effective communicator What's your number one non-technical skill? – The ability to write long form formats, such as memos. How do you keep your own career energized? – Read, read, read! What do you do away from technology? – Running, fitness and spending time with family   FINAL CAREER TIP Reading is incredibly important. The more you read, the better you write.   BEST MOMENTS (3:16) – Arpit – “I've always been bedazzled by the ability to create” (6:06) – Arpit - “A lot of people end up being senior engineers, but junior humans, but it should be the other way around” (7:00) – Arpit – “What will get you ahead in life is when you build trust with your team” (16:46)– Arpit – “I'm very optimistic about careers in IT, because that's where the future is”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ARPIT MOHAN Arpit Mohan is the co-founder and CTO of Appsmith, an open-source project built by engineers for engineers. It is now used by more than 1,000 teams, employs people in 8 countries and has raised over $10 million in capital.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ARPIT MOHAN Twitter: https://twitter.com/mohanarpit LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/arpitmohan Website: https://www.appsmith.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Alexander Embiricos, cofounder and CEO of Remotion, a virtual office that brings hybrid teams to life. Before starting Remotion, he was a Product Manager at Dropbox, as well as having studied Computer Science at Stanford. Alexander talks about the value in identifying a customer base that you can relate to on a personal level. He also discusses the value in empowering others.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP In your job, make sure that the people you deal with – your customer base – are the kinds of people that you enjoy talking to.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While working for Dropbox, Alexander realized that he did not have the sufficient manpower to meet an important deadline. He ended up performing the work himself, but was advised that this was not the point of project managing.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT A video call with a customer, which resulted in Alexander being told how useful the Remotion tool had been to their way of working.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Seeing how the community is able to build upon the work of others, iterating products and services, and pushing to see what is possible.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Being able to build upon other people's work. What's the best career advice you received? –Make sure that you enjoy talking to the people you have to talk to. What's the worst career advice you received? – Focus on what will get your promoted, and not what the customer needs. What would you do if you started your career now? – Become an engineer instead of a product manager. What are your current career objectives? – How to distribute products more effectively, and how to be a better manager. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Being curious about what other people think or are interested in. How do you keep your own career energized? – The feeling of creating something and delivering it. What do you do away from technology? – Sports and time with friends.   FINAL CAREER TIP Always do your best to empower others so that they can solve problems for themselves.   BEST MOMENTS (8:57) – Alexander – “Choose a target audience and make sure that, even when things are going horribly, that you'll feel energized about the conversation” (9:51) – Alexander - “Instead of focusing on what you're going to build, focus on who you are going to build for” (18:10) – Alexander – “In IT, it is much easier to build upon the work of others” (21:50)– Phil – “Everyone is different, so the way you deal with one person will be different to another”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ALEXANDER EMBIRICOS Alexander Embiricos is the cofounder and CEO of Remotion, a virtual office that brings hybrid teams to life. Before starting Remotion, he was a Product Manager at Dropbox, as well as having studied Computer Science at Stanford.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ALEXANDER EMBIRICOS Twitter: https://twitter.com/embirico LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/embirico/ Website: https://www.remotion.com/  

In this week's show, Phil talks to Howard Scott Warshaw, a video game pioneer, an award-winning filmmaker, an innovative technologist, an author, and a Museum of Modern Art artist. He now employs this eclectic skillset as a psychotherapist in California's Silicon Valley. His latest book, “Once Upon Atari” (subtitled How I made history by killing an industry) details his exploits at Atari and how they reshaped his life. Howard talks about why we should remember that goals are only achieved through hard work and perseverance. He also discusses the value to be found in understanding what it is that we really want in life.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Be prepared to pay your dues when it comes to your career. Dreams are all well and good, but always recognize that hard work is required in order to achieve them.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While working on Yars Revenge, Howard insisted on carving out his own path for the game but was forced to admit later that the game he's insisted upon was not good.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT While being interviewed by Steven Spielberg in order to discuss a game version of Raiders of The Lost Ark, Howard not only got to meet his hero, but also was allowed to tour the Warner Brothers Studio.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T IT is so wide open. One piece of tech can often give birth to whole new worlds and ways of thinking. The future is almost boundless when it comes to innovation.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Computers in college showed Howard a life he wanted to pursue. What's the best career advice you received? –That the world of technology is chaotic! What's the worst career advice you received? – That he was throwing his life away to make video games. What would you do if you started your career now? – Howard would focus more on handheld apps What are your current career objectives? – Howard enjoys taking longstanding problems and applying new ways of solving them. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Hypervigilance. How do you keep your own career energized? – Always try new things and seek out new challenges. What do you do away from technology? – Movies, TV shows, and exploring new places in his own mind.   FINAL CAREER TIP Understand what it is that you want, and the you that you really wish to be, and then start a journey that takes you, day by day, towards the version of yourself that you wish to be.   BEST MOMENTS (20:13) – Howard – “Most successful products do not realise 100% of their design” (24:15) – Howard- “Success has a thousand parents, but failure is an orphan” (26:25) – Howard – “Be prepared to have your dreams corrected. The difference between your fantasy of where you're trying to get to and the reality of being there can be harsh” (36:01 – Howard – “IT is at the forefront of the toolset that's going to help make people's lives better. To me that's the most exciting thing you can do”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – HOWARD SCOTT WARSHAW Howard Scott Warshaw is a video game pioneer, an award-winning filmmaker, an innovative technologist, an author, and a Museum of Modern Art artist. He now employs this eclectic skillset as a psychotherapist in California's Silicon Valley. His latest book, “Once Upon Atari” (subtitled How I made history by killing an industry) details his exploits at Atari and how they reshaped his life.   CONTACT THE GUEST – HOWARD SCOTT WARSHAW Twitter: https://twitter.com/hswarshaw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howard-scott-warshaw-824425/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hswmft/ Website: https://hswarshaw.com/wordpress/ Book Website: https://newonceuponatari.hswarshaw.com/ Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Scott_Warshaw Nolan Bushnell, Founder of Atari – “If you want to understand the true story of the video game crash, I highly recommend this book”

In this week's show, Phil talks to Janet T Phan, the Founder and Executive Director of Thriving Elements and Senior Technical Product Manager for Amazon's Project Kuiper. She has a vision to develop and empower young women in STEM to make a sustainable impact and inspire the next generation of women leaders. Janet talks to Phil about the value in making ourselves replaceable in the industry. She also discusses why “no” can mean a whole new world of opportunities for you.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Technology grows every day. If we make ourselves as replaceable as possible, then we show up for ourselves, and allow our skillsets to be easily passed on to others.   WORST CAREER MOMENT In a previous role, early in her career, Janet told her manager that she had aspirations to be a manager herself. This was met with derision by her superior, and unfortunately changed her attitude towards Janet into one of negativity.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Janet was part of a huge global launch that went exceedingly well, impressing the global leadership, despite their reservations about her way of implementing it.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T IT is ever evolving and requires a universe of different backgrounds and perspectives to make its applications as universal as possible. This means that it requires inclusivity and diversity in order to function at its best.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Janet was inspired by her professor. What's the best career advice you received? –Do now, and ask for forgiveness later. What's the worst career advice you received? – That becoming a manager was almost impossible. What would you do if you started your career now? – Janet would focus on data analysis. What are your current career objectives? – Expanding into technical product management What's your number one non-technical skill? – A love of people. How do you keep your own career energized? – Exploring areas where true positive impacts can be made. What do you do away from technology? – American football, snowboarding, surfing, wakeboarding and other physical pursuits.   FINAL CAREER TIP Anytime you face rejection or hear the word “no”, remember that NO stands for new opportunities.   BEST MOMENTS (3:57) – Janet – “Train the next generation and make opportunities for them” (15:25) – Janet- “IT is an ever-evolving field” (16:41) – Janet – “There are so many opportunities for people who are from different backgrounds. You don't have to enjoy or love computer programming to be in it” (17:24) – Janet – “We need all personality types in order to make technology successful”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – JANET T PHAN Janet T Phan is the Founder and Executive Director of Thriving Elements and Senior Technical Product Manager for Amazon's Project Kuiper. She has a vision to develop and empower young women in STEM to make a sustainable impact and inspire the next generation of women leaders.   CONTACT THE GUEST – JANET T PHAN Twitter: https://twitter.com/janettphan09 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janettphan/ Website: https://thrivingelements.org/ Book Website: https://boldly-you.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Jossie Haines, a software engineering leader at the forefront of emerging customer technology across Silicon Valley. She has held management roles at Apple, Zynga and American Express and she is currently VP of Software Engineering and Head of DEI at Tile. She's also a public speaker and she coaches technology leaders on creating inclusive and diverse working spaces. Jossie talks about the importance of networking in growing your career in tech. She also discusses the value of resilience, and why we must practice self-care   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Networking is invaluable to your career. So many people in tech are introverted, but they must try to do better to get to know others, as the positive impacts are very important.   WORST CAREER MOMENT At Apple, Jossie found that being too nice was not always effective when it came to developing her leadership qualities.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Working for Tile has provided many highlights as it has allowed Jossie to make the biggest impact. During her tenure, she has successfully grown a team and implemented a more inclusive culture.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Tech has solved many convenience problems, and is now maturing into a sector that will provide life-changing issues for the world, including racial and gender diversity.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Jossie was given a Commodore 64 for Christmas What's the best career advice you received? – It's important to learn from your mistakes and not dwell on them. What's the worst career advice you received? – That the first step in your career will define it forever. What would you do if you started your career now? – Jossie would not have gone to grad school. What are your current career objectives? – To positively impact women in tech through empowerment, education and retention. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Empathy. How do you keep your own career energized? – Finding the right work life balance What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with her puppies, walking and hiking, visiting the beach, playing video games and travelling.   FINAL CAREER TIP Thriving in technology is about building resilience, building your network, and practicing self-care.   BEST MOMENTS (8:36) – Jossie – “I want to help empower leaders to build those inclusive and diverse teams” (9:28) – Jossie - “Networking, networking, networking! It's invaluable to your career!” (10:29) – Jossie – “We need to have resilience in order to thrive” (12:57) – Jossie – “Niceness is something that a lot of people suffer from and it really can impact your career”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – JOSSIE HAINES Jossie Haines is a software engineering leader at the forefront of emerging customer technology across Silicon Valley. She has held management roles at Apple, Zynga and American Express and she is currently VP of Software Engineering and Head of DEI at Tile. She's also a public speaker and she coaches technology leaders on creating inclusive and diverse working spaces.   CONTACT THE GUEST – JOSSIE HAINES LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jossiemann/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/maidmarianjd

In this week's show, Phil talks to Adrianus Warmenhoven, a Defensive Strategist and Threat Intelligence Manager at NordVPN. He is responsible for getting the most relevant Indicators of Compromise, malware samples and their indicators and mapping out the threat landscape for the company's customers. He has undertaken security reviews and advised companies on how to deal with active threats and extortion. Adrianus talks about why corporate politics should be avoided in your IT career journey. He also discusses why the basics should be ingrained at the outset of your IT career journey.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Don't play the game of corporate politics. Focus on the job, what it gives to you in terms of satisfaction, and become the best in your field.   WORST CAREER MOMENT There are no singular “worst moments” – only a general string of challenges that all add up to learnings that we can take and move forward with.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT A company for which Adrianus was working was expanding into Africa. It was a more primitive time in terms of technology, and Adrianus was asked to head this innovation. It was extraordinarily challenging, but through hard work it was made possible.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T There are countless facets to IT, with so many differing sectors that branch out into all corners of life, embracing so many different pursuits.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Computers and their possibilities What's the best career advice you received? – Always listen to, and try to understand others. What's the worst career advice you received? – Just to blindly follow the rules. What would you do if you started your career now? – I would do exactly the same! What are your current career objectives? – Having fun and learning more at all times. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Talking and listening. How do you keep your own career energized? – Finding new challenges and following his instincts. What do you do away from technology? – Family time and French polishing   FINAL CAREER TIP When you're young, figure out what you want to do and start with the basics. It will serve you well as your career matures.   BEST MOMENTS (3:57) – Adrianus – “If you do anything about your career, make sure that it adds value to yourself” (4:51) – Adrianus - “Press every button you see. Try everything out” (5:48) – Adrianus – “You have to learn from your mistakes and own them, and don't be afraid to make them. Otherwise you will not be moving forward at all” (16:08) – Adrianus – “Listen to people and ty to understand other people”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ADRIANUS WARMERHOVEN Adrianus Warmenhoven is a Defensive Strategist and Threat Intelligence Manager at NordVPN. He is responsible for getting the most relevant Indicators of Compromise, malware samples and their indicators and mapping out the threat landscape for the company's customers. He has undertaken security reviews and advised companies on how to deal with active threats and extortion.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ADRIANUS WARMENHOVEN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianuswarmenhoven/ Website: https://www.warmenhoven.co/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Mark Angle the Chief Cloud Operations Officer at OneStream, having previously held leadership positions in areas including data centre operations, service desk, enterprise architecture and service delivery. His passions lie at the intersection of technology, science, and nature but he gets his in-office adrenaline rush leading collaboration discussions or presenting to a customer. Mark discusses why we should always go further when it comes to self-development and learning. He also talks about why we should always keep our eyes open to spot new possibilities and opportunities.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP We excel when we push past the boundaries of what we need to learn, and take on more information. This pushes us to grow more and be ready when opportunities arise.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While managing a group of engineers, Mark plugged some of the patch cabling in, which wasn't labelled. There was a malfunction, and the result was that a large corporate network across the country was taken offline.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Growing into the position he currently holds at OneStream. It was a journey that involved working hard and ascending the ladder gradually. But the rewards have paid off handsomely.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T There are countless facets to IT, which means that those with a creative mind and the will to apply themselves, will always find a route through their chosen pursuit.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Through experimentation during youth. What's the best career advice you received? – Always be moving in your career, and stay on the bleeding edge. What's the worst career advice you received? – To stay in a job that will take you nowhere. What would you do if you started your career now? – Mark would start up a new technology company of his own. What are your current career objectives? – Continued rapid growth for OneStream, gaining a foothold in the market, and expansion. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Gaining a broad sense of business knowledge. How do you keep your own career energized? – Training, learning and pushing to develop more. What do you do away from technology? – Outdoor pursuits and flying his own airplane   FINAL CAREER TIP Make sure you continue to learn, remain progressive, and keep your eyes open. If opportunities present themselves, take the chance and follow your instincts.   BEST MOMENTS (2:57) – Mark – “Learn more than what you need to” (4:56) – Mark - “Technology exists not just for the sake of technology. It exists so that we can enable the business” (13:52) – Mark – “If you want to get into technology, I can't think of a better time to do it” (15:01) – Mark – “Stay on the bleeding edge!'   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MARK ANGLE Mark Angle is the Chief Cloud Operations Officer at OneStream, having previously held leadership positions in areas including data centre operations, service desk, enterprise architecture and service delivery. His passions lie at the intersection of technology, science, and nature but he gets his in-office adrenaline rush leading collaboration discussions or presenting to a customer.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MARK ANGLE Twitter: https://twitter.com/lilrkt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mangle Website: https://onestreamsoftware.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Don Pezet, the CTO and Lead Edutainer at ITPro.TV. He has been working in the IT industry since 1997 and has been training others since 2001. He is a certified trainer with many vendors including Microsoft, CompTIA, Google and Cisco. His combination of real-world experience, textbook knowledge, and a questionable sense of humour have helped him to entertain and educate thousands of people. Don talks about why it's vital that we are continually learning throughout our IT journey. He also discusses we should never settle when it comes to our IT career.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always do your best to be continually learning and developing, even in your spare time, which can provide a fun and experimental time. Make IT your passion and always look at what is possible.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Don worked with a student who did not correctly implement a server and its functionality. This led to a huge loss of data.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Don has overseen the implementation and creation of many systems from scratch, taking advantage of new technologies and helping to found new ways of working that have lasted.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The stability of the IT sector. IT is not going away, and will only ever grow stronger and more robust as a sector.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The potential for experimentation and creativity. What's the best career advice you received? – To apply for jobs you're not qualified for. What's the worst career advice you received? – TO get out of IT as it's not stable. What would you do if you started your career now? – Don would focus on cybersecurity as it's become far more important. What are your current career objectives? – Making the training product that he wished had existed when he first began in IT What's your number one non-technical skill? – Reading and communication. How do you keep your own career energized? – By always learning something new. What do you do away from technology? – Reading and experimenting with technology.   FINAL CAREER TIP Never settle when it comes to your career. Some find a comfortable niche and don't like to be challenged. But the world of IT is one that provides endless possibilities in areas you're passionate about.   BEST MOMENTS  (6:55) – Don – “It used to be enough to say that you wanted to get into IT – now there are all types of specialisations” (8:14) – Don - “A good IT pro is always learning!” (16:50) – Don – “We're constantly having to evaluate the field to determine if we've got the right training to set people up to be successful” (19:36) – Don – “What's exciting about IT is the experimentation – that you can try different things”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – DON PEZET Don Pezet is the CTO and Lead Edutainer at ITPro.TV. He has been working in the IT industry since 1997 and has been training others since 2001. He is a certified trainer with many vendors including Microsoft, CompTIA, Google and Cisco. His combination of real-world experience, textbook knowledge, and a questionable sense of humour have helped him to entertain and educate thousands of people.   CONTACT THE GUEST – DON PEZET Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonPezet LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donpezet Website: https://www.itpro.tv/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Greg Edwards, a technology entrepreneur since 1998. Before founding CryptoStopper, he started Axis Backup, a backup and disaster recovery company for the insurance industry. In 2015, Axis backup was acquired by J2 Global, enabling the creation of CryptoStopper which focuses exclusively on cybersecurity. Greg talks about the importance of following up when it comes to the recruitment process. He also discusses the value in taking control of your own career plans.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always follow up when you're looking for a company you'd like to work with. Never be afraid to chase your application, or to pursue a hiring manager about vacancies.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Greg lost a huge client to a competitor, which drastically hit his company's revenue. He initially thought it would be catastrophic, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed his company to grow and scale.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After performing well, early on in his career, Greg was rewarded with a trip, which left a huge impression on him as a youngster.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The tech sector is exploding with possibilities, including machine learning and the advances it brings are growing exponentially.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Necessity! What's the best career advice you received? – Be your own boss. Take control and accept control of your own career path. What's the worst career advice you received? – I've always ignored bad advice! What would you do if you started your career now? – Focus on cybersecurity much earlier, and learning how to be a hacker, using that knowledge for good. What are your current career objectives? – Growing the company to an annual $10m revenue level as well as find great people.. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Being able to identify talent in people. How do you keep your own career energized? – Mental and physical exercise. What do you do away from technology? – Using his private pilot license to fly planes.   FINAL CAREER TIP Determine what you want your career to look like, and plan for the career course that means the most to you.   BEST MOMENTS (4:32) – Greg – “Identify the company you want to work for and then don't be afraid to follow up” (11:30) – Greg - “There are so many opportunities that I see coming over the next twenty years” (14:09) – Greg – “The democratization of currency is already happening and I think that's going to proliferate and ultimately be a positive” (15:45) – Greg – “Accept control of your own career path”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – GREG EDWARDS Greg Edwards is a technology entrepreneur since 1998. Before founding CryptoStopper, he started Axis Backup, a backup and disaster recovery company for the insurance industry. In 2015, Axis backup was acquired by J2 Global, enabling the creation of CryptoStopper which focuses exclusively on cybersecurity.   CONTACT THE GUEST – GREG EDWARDS Twitter: https://twitter.com/cryptostopper LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gedwardswpd Website: https://www.getcryptostopper.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Kirk Marple, a customer-focused technology leader. He is the CEO and Founder of Unstruk Data and has more than 25 years of experience developing media management pipelines, leading DevOps at venture backed companies and structuring successful exits. Kirk talks to Phil about how taking risks and looking for opportunities can often provide the most growth. He also discusses the importance in looking past negative feedback and shaking off self-doubt when it arises.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP You are the one responsible for your career. Look for ways to take chances. By doing so, you will achieve far more growth and development.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Kirk has experienced what it is to be along some way in a project, only to find that the team are not fulfilling their potential, leading to some strained conversations.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Working for Public Broadcast Systems, Kirk enacted and created a product that made its way into mainstream society. This was a source of great pride.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The world of IT is never-ending. The jobs and responsibilities are constantly evolving and developing, leading to infinite possibilities in the space.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Kirk first trained as a chef but found a greater aptitude for IT while programming in his spare time. What's the best career advice you received? – Show empathy and try to see problems from others' points of view. What's the worst career advice you received? – The only times bad advice has come, has been when people refused to believe in Kirk. What would you do if you started your career now? – Kirk would focus on Python, Linux and Javascript stacks. He would also focus on videogame development. What are your current career objectives? – Juggling technical with the CEO side of operations. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Writing ability and communication skills. How do you keep your own career energized? – Staying current, keeping up to date with new technologies and innovations. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family and cooking.   FINAL CAREER TIP Don't doubt yourself. Everyone gets negative feedback from time to time. Learn to see the value in it, and don't let it dissuade you from your goals.   BEST MOMENTS (5:05) – Kirk – “No one is going to look out for your career as much as you are” (8:06) – Kirk - “Be sure that you have good people around you, but also give them more responsibility” (11:05) – Kirk – “There's always something new, there's always another problem to solve, there's always something new to learn” (13:45) – Kirk – “Think about things from other peoples' perspectives, even at a technical level”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – KIRK MARPLE Kirk Marple is a customer-focused technology leader. He is the CEO and Founder of Unstruk Data and has more than 25 years of experience developing media management pipelines, leading DevOps at venture backed companies and structuring successful exits.   CONTACT THE GUEST – KIRK MARPLE Twitter: https://twitter.com/KirkMarple LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kirkmarple Website: https://www.unstruk.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Craig Goodwin, the co-founder of Cyvatar.ai, a game-changing cybersecurity firm that makes cybersecurity simple for businesses by providing fully managed, customer-centric security solutions. He is a Certified Chief Information Security Officer and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, having held the role of Global Chief Security Officer for a number of large public and private sector organisations. Craig talks about why we should go wide instead of deep when it comes to knowledge. He also tells us why it's okay to admit when we don't know the answers.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always go wider rather than deeper. If you have aspirations in your chosen branch of the industry, try to broaden your knowledge base rather than specializing too much.   WORST CAREER MOMENT During a lull in his personal life, Craig found himself struggling to deliver at his best. His biggest regret was allowing this to continue. As a result, his reputation suffered, but it has led him to realise that honesty is important.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After enjoying a successful corporate career, Craig was given an incredible chance to grow a security business into a powerful concern, allowing him to utilize his creativity and imagination.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Technology is changing the face and the operation of every single business type in the world. This means a huge uptick in opportunities available to people.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Gaining a background in the defense world and seeing how essential it is. What's the best career advice you received? – You don't know everything. What's the worst career advice you received? – That specializing is crucial. What would you do if you started your career now? – Craig would look for hot industries and look for more experience-related growth. What are your current career objectives? Craig's current objectives are much more business-focussed, including seeing to it that his people are well taken care of. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Communication. How do you keep your own career energized? – Keep moving forward, and always be learning – professionally and personally. What do you do away from technology? – Fitness and healthy pursuits, such as cycling, running and exercising.   FINAL CAREER TIP Stay wide in your knowledge, continually learn and never be afraid to admit you don't know something.   BEST MOMENTS (6:40) – Craig – “It's incredibly important to know a bit about a lot of different things” (12:15) – Craig - “Having an openness with a team, and with a group of people is really powerful” (14:04) – Craig – “The digitalization of everything is growing exponentially” (14:41) – Craig – “Anyone that comes into the tech or IT world now has an opportunity to be in every single sector – to influence and change the very fabric of the way society is being run”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – CRAIG GOODWIN Craig Goodwin is the co-founder of Cyvatar.ai, a game-changing cybersecurity firm that makes cybersecurity simple for businesses by providing fully managed, customer-centric security solutions. He is a Certified Chief Information Security Officer and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, having held the role of Global Chief Security Officer for a number of large public and private sector organisations.   CONTACT THE GUEST – CRAIG GOODWIN Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrCraigGoodwin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craiggoodwin/ Website: https://cyvatar.ai/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Maura Charles, the founder of Keep it Human, a digital innovation consultancy. She has 25 years of experience working in digital transformation and digital product management for beloved brands like Bloomingdale's, Real Simple, and the New York Philharmonic. She loves helping teams get unstuck by finding the right digital processes to build bridges between the technology side and human side so that they can work together. She uses a human-focused approach that helps companies both connect with their customers and prioritize their own people. Maura talks to Phil about the value in keeping a growth mindset. She also discusses why it's vital for us to pause, reflect, and question everything.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Focus on learning new things at all times. By keeping a growth mindset and always looking for ways to develop, new pathways will open in your career.   WORST CAREER MOMENT During the first years of her career, Maura did not always know how to stand up for herself in the face of bias and discrimination. After several bad experiences, she has since gained the confidence and experience to do so.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT While working for Time Inc, Maura had worked her way up to the level of director, and was responsible for overseeing a wholesale restructuring of technological systems.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T We are at an incredibly interesting and transformative time that means far more inclusion and far more in the way of opportunity.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The fact that is was new and uncharted. What's the best career advice you received? – Take time to reflect on the things you've done well. What's the worst career advice you received? – Keep your head down and just do your work! What would you do if you started your career now? – Maura would try to stay big and not let things scare her away from a particular path. What are your current career objectives? Learning more about the psychology of leadership What's your number one non-technical skill? – Emotional intelligence. How do you keep your own career energized? – Building a network of people with similar aims and purposes. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family, yoga, reading and art.   FINAL CAREER TIP Don't take everything you see or hear at face value. Find your blind spots and question everything.   BEST MOMENTS (4:54) – Maura - “What I've learned from having a growth mindset is that you will challenge your own assumptions and learn new pathways” (6:57) – Maura - “You're not always going to have the answers laid out for you. It's not a script. There's not a right way to do everything all the time” (19:50) – Maura – “Innovation and technology are the future of our business and personal worlds” (21:27) – Maura – “Celebrate your wins”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MAURA CHARLES Maura Charles is the founder of Keep it Human, a digital innovation consultancy. She has 25 years of experience working in digital transformation and digital product management for beloved brands like Bloomingdale's, Real Simple, and the New York Philharmonic. She loves helping teams get unstuck by finding the right digital processes to build bridges between the technology side and human side so that they can work together. She uses a human-focused approach that helps companies both connect with their customers and prioritize their own people.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MAURA CHARLES Medium: https://mauracharles.medium.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mauracharles/ Website: https://keepithuman.consulting

In this week's show, Phil talks to Kevin Harris, who has been in the IT field for over 20 years, holding positions that range from Systems Analyst to Chief Information Officer. He is now a higher education administration official, continuing to make system improvements to support student success and learning. As a faculty member he has delivered instruction in several disciplines including business, cybersecurity, computer science, and computer networking, with particular interest in information security and computer forensics. Kevin joins Phil to talk about how exposure to new opportunities can help to shape our attitudes. He also discusses the value to be found in sharing our own career stories, and how this can inspire others.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Make sure you're always stepping out of your comfort zone. By pushing yourself into spaces outside of your comfort zone, you develop new sensibilities and attitudes.   WORST CAREER MOMENT During a junior role, Kevin and his team assumed that all the work they had done was enough, but upon the rollout of the project, it transpired that things were not as prepared as they may have liked. This taught Kevin the value of understanding each organisation's political structure.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Kevin was given the chance to return to his college and work on prestigious projects. Working on the other side of learning was quite a thrill.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T IT has become a more inclusive place to work, and a sector that allows for many more opportunities for growth, as well as more diversity in terms of raising up minorities.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The challenge of finding solutions to problems. What's the best career advice you received? – As long as you understand the consequences, you can do anything you want to do. What's the worst career advice you received? – Don't seek roles above you and stay where you are until something comes up. What would you do if you started your career now? – Kevin would be more intentional about finding an internship. What are your current career objectives? Focusing on more ways to introduce tech to more diverse communities. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Being able to take something highly technical and communicating it to a wider audience. How do you keep your own career energized? – Kevin is always asking questions, as well as reading and listening. What do you do away from technology? – Kevin regularly “unplugs” by going fishing and getting back to nature.   FINAL CAREER TIP Share your story. No matter where you're at in your career, sharing your story so far can act as a beacon to others who may be at the beginning of their own journey.   BEST MOMENTS (5:51) – Kevin - “Exposure changes attitudes” (12:20) – Kevin - “There's a lot of underrepresented populations in the tech field that we need to focus on, but I think the momentum is there” (13:55) – Kevin – “You can do anything you want to do but you must understand the consequences to it” (17:13) – Kevin – “Anyone who's interested in tech can find their place and a really rewarding career”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – KEVIN HARRIS Kevin Harris has been in the IT field for over 20 years, holding positions that range from Systems Analyst to Chief Information Officer. He is now a higher education administration official, continuing to make system improvements to support student success and learning. As a faculty member he has delivered instruction in several disciplines including business, cybersecurity, computer science, and computer networking, with particular interest in information security and computer forensics.   CONTACT THE GUEST – KEVIN HARRIS Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevinharristech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harris-kevin/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Leon Kuperman, the co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Cast AI. He has worked in technology for more than 20 years in roles that cover product management, software design & development though to production deployment.   Leon talks about the value in fostering an engineering mind-set. He also discusses the importance of following our passions and how working on things we're interested in can help us to be far more productive.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Developing an engineering mind-set is a keystone element in ensuring that you have a successful career as an IT leader. You must be immersed in the subject matter of what you are building.   WORST CAREER MOMENT A system was taken offline by hackers who demanded a ransom in order to release it back to the company Leon was working for. Rather than pay their demands, Leon was tasked with fixing the problem, retrieving the site and ensuring it could not happen again. However, this was not possible. The ransom was paid. But Leon learned about new ways in order to safeguard systems.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Leon had an opportunity for a larger role in cloud security at Oracle, overseeing products that customers use to secure their environments. It was a time in which Leon was allowed to be more creative.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Machine learning and data science has exploded recently, and this is incredibly exciting. There are many opportunities in the field, and many opportunities for self-development in the area.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Receiving the first computer as a child and learning coding at home. What's the best career advice you received? – If you work to work yourself out of a job, then you'll never be out of a job What's the worst career advice you received? – The engineers can't be business people, and that business people can't be engineers What would you do if you started your career now? – Leon would take his time and focus upon what he was passionate about and interested in. What are your current career objectives? Looking for ways in which he can positively impact the IT industry. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Being able to communicate clearly and with empathy. How do you keep your own career energized? – Deep diving into topics, and focusing on self-development. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family and participating in mixed martial arts.   FINAL CAREER TIP Always make sure that you're working on something you're passionate about. If you do this every day, then work will never seem like work.   BEST MOMENTS (7:13) – Leon - “If you want to have a career as an IT leader, it's absolutely a perquisite to have an engineering mind-set” (7:51) – Leon - “You gain a lot of credibility and respect from your team if you're able to understand their jobs at a detailed level” (10:29) – Leon – “Partners want to be able to trust you, and technical excellence is something that they hinge on” (27:25) – Leon – “Being able to sell, even in a technical role, is highly advantageous”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – LEON KUPERMAN Leon Kuperman is the co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Cast AI. He has worked in technology for more than 20 years in roles that cover product management, software design & development though to production deployment.   CONTACT THE GUEST – LEON KUPERMAN Leon Kuperman can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itexecutivecto/ Website: http://www.cast.ai/  

In this week's show, Phil talks to Sunir Shah, the founder and CEO of AppBind as well as president of the Cloud Software Association. He has spent his career creating and selling software products to improve how the internet works. And he believes that nothing is more profitable than becoming a piece of the internet! Sunir talks to Phil about why we should make use of the internet to reach out to those with knowledge and experience. He also discusses the value in reminding ourselves of our own capabilities when challenges arise.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP The world is filled with fascinating people, each imbued with an arsenal of knowledge. Seek them out and talk to them. The internet has made this a much easier prospect as we are all connected.   WORST CAREER MOMENT As well as suffering a crisis of self-doubt and pivoting in his career, Sunir was fired after a particularly disappointing business encounter. But this experience led him to the founding of his company.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Sunir had delivered a system designed to provide the foundation for a TV channel, Sunir took all the code he thought was useless and deleted it, despite many insisting that it was an extreme approach. The choice turned the code into something far more efficient and useable.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The fact that we can now reach out across the world and connect with people that may otherwise never have had their voices heard. Talent is now global.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The family had a Vic 20, and Sunir's passion for coding soon made itself known, especially when his sister was declared to be “cooler” than he was! What's the best career advice you received? – Always remember that people are different. What's the worst career advice you received? – To be strong – the implication is that we are naturally weak What would you do if you started your career now? – Get started on Scratch much sooner What are your current career objectives? Sunir is committed to solving the problem of subscriptions for companies. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Effective networking, and how to approach people. How do you keep your own career energized? – Interacting with the community that he has helped to build. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family   FINAL CAREER TIP You only live once, so make sure you spend that time doing something you enjoy. If you don't know what you are doing at a certain moment, remind yourself that are not stupid, and that you will figure it out.   BEST MOMENTS (2:49) – Sunir - “When you think about what's the purpose of life, what's the rewarding part? For me it has been seeing other people's lives improve through my work” (5:19) – Sunir - “Reach out to people. Even people you don't understand. Ask questions. Learn to see the world through their eyes. You'll gain something from them, no matter what” (12:18) – Sunir – “No one can run a business if they can't even control their own time” (15:55) – Sunir – “You can do anything if you have confidence. If there's no risk, then what is stopping you?”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – SUNIR SHAH Sunir Shah is the founder and CEO of AppBind as well as president of the Cloud Software Association. He has spent his career creating and selling software products to improve how the internet works. And he believes that nothing is more profitable than becoming a piece of the internet!   CONTACT THE GUEST – SUNIR SHAH Sunir Shah can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/sunirshah Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sunir Website: https://www.appbind.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Meredydd Luff, the CEO and cofounder of Anvil, a platform for building full-stack web apps entirely in Python. He has a PhD in building usable programming systems from Cambridge University and he wants to make programming more accessible for everyone. Meredydd talks about the importance of finding your “and” – the secondary skill that adds value to you. He also discusses why bringing your unique offerings to your IT career can make all the difference.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Look for what your personal “and” is. If you are just a developer then that's okay, but it's always best to be one thing “and” another. This makes life much more interesting and yourself much more valuable.   WORST CAREER MOMENT After completing a huge amount of work, Meredydd discovered that his system had been built upon degraded hard disks. This led to a huge outage for a popular messaging system in the Philippines.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Starting and building Anvil – taking the complete system from an idea to fruition, and the experiences learned along the way.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T As cloud services and the like continue to grow, it has meant that the doors are open to far more people. So long as people have the drive to do so, the IT sector is open to all.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Meredydd was attracted to the creative component of IT. What's the best career advice you received? – That studying something we enjoy is fine, and can sit well alongside a serious career. What's the worst career advice you received? – That he should have taken the money over a route that seemed more fun. What would you do if you started your career now? – Meredydd would begin tinkering with systems a lot earlier than he did. What are your current career objectives? Refining and perfecting Anvil and turning into the best system it can be. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Being an extrovert, caring about others, and curiosity. How do you keep your own career energized? – Running a startup! What do you do away from technology? – Flying airplanes and ballroom dancing.   FINAL CAREER TIP Find the thing that is interesting to you, and upon which you can offer a unique perspective, and bring that to your IT career.   BEST MOMENTS (6:00) – Meredydd - “The way things are with traditional web development, there's not much a learning curve as a learning cliff” (8:12) – Meredydd - “Being at the intersection of someone who can do two different things – that's really valuable” (23:53) – Meredydd – “If you are one of these people who has the bit between their teeth, the fact that there are so many routes into a career means that you can afford to follow your heart” (27:02) – Meredydd – “If you are the tinkering type, then tinkering your way into a career is as valid a choice as ever”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MEREDYDD LUFF Meredydd Luff is the CEO and cofounder of Anvil, a platform for building full-stack web apps entirely in Python. He has a PhD in building usable programming systems from Cambridge University and he wants to make programming more accessible for everyone.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MEREDYDD LUFF Meredydd Luff can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredydd/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/meredydd Website: https://anvil.works

In this week's show, Phil talks to Ulf Schwekendiek, the first mobile engineer at Siri before it was acquired by Apple as well as a co-founder of Ditto which was acquired by Groupon. He is now the co-founder and CEO of Centered, designing the platform and building a team that shares his passion for achieving mindfulness at work. Ulf talks about the importance of keeping your creative spirit alive as your career progresses. He also discusses the value in documenting your ideas.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP If you have a creative spirit, always make sure that you keep this spirit alive in whatever you do. Make time to create and always be curious about what could be.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Ulf experienced a time in his career when he felt as though he should become a manager, because of the expectations placed upon him by others. He soon realized that this was not where his passion truly lay.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Ulf prefers to focus upon the failures of his career, rather than become too nostalgic for the highlights. He feels that this spurs him on to do better.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Ulf is most excited about the accessibility of the IT sector, and how it allows anyone entry, no matter what their background is. He also finds himself intrigued by the advent of “emotional software”   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Being from Germany, engineering was always a part of Ulf's DNA. What's the best career advice you received? – You always want to have a smaller piece of a much larger pie. What's the worst career advice you received? – That he should not speak his mind for fear of offending someone. What would you do if you started your career now? – Ulf would focus on AI, ML and other technologies that are changing the world. What are your current career objectives? Ulf is focusing upon the non-technical side of running and operating a business. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Learning about human psychology and how the brain works. How do you keep your own career energized? – Learning about new things and iterating constantly. What do you do away from technology? – Ulf is dedicated to his newborn daughter. He also enjoys hang gliding.   FINAL CAREER TIP Get out of your own head. If you have ideas then make sure you are documenting them always. Ideas never come to anything if they remain internal ones.   BEST MOMENTS (10:57) – Ulf - “If you are a maker or a builder, just make sure that you never lose that” (13:07) – Ulf - “Find something that you're really passionate about, and not something society shows you as your next step” (13:30) – Ulf – “It's fun to talk about your highlights, but it's so much more powerful to talk about your failures” (23:14) – Ulf – “If nobody understands what it is that you're doing, then there's no point in doing it”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ULF SCHWEKENDIEK Ulf Schwekendiek was the first mobile engineer at Siri before it was acquired by Apple as well as a co-founder of Ditto which was acquired by Groupon. He is now the co-founder and CEO of Centered, designing the platform and building a team that shares his passion for achieving mindfulness at work.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ULF SCHWEKENDIEK Ulf Schwekendiek can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sulfme Website: https://www.centered.app/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sulf

In this week's show, Phil talks to Matthew Gaddy, a productivity and high-performance coach for engineers, helping them to operate at their best so that they can produce work that makes a difference. He is on a mission to increase productivity in a way that reduces stress and fosters a quality working environment. Matthew talks about the importance of visualizing our ideal outcomes and sticking to the roadmap that will take us there. He also discusses the value of time management and how planning can help.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Begin with the end in mind! We often get so caught up in the task itself that we lose sight of why we began in the first place.   WORST CAREER MOMENT When first applying productivity techniques to his work, Matthew found that he unfortunately burned himself out. This led to a greater understanding of the importance of taking time out.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After making a huge leap in his career, Matthew recognized the value in ensuring we have sufficient reserves in case of setbacks. It also allowed him to make his next step much closer to his goals, which was also his most productive action.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The way the world of work has changed has allowed for a greater sense of prioritization. Systems and processes are all moving towards being more adaptable and allowing people to do their best.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – What's the best career advice you received? – Start with the end in mind! What's the worst career advice you received? – The way to get more things done is to work harder and for longer. What would you do if you started your career now? – Matthew would look to gain more clarity about the goal of the company and look for further ways to make positive change. What are your current career objectives? Producing content focusing upon increasing performance and mastering time. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Communication. How do you keep your own career energized? – Revisiting goals and realigning with what's important. What do you do away from technology? – Running and fitness, as well as reading and spending time with family.   FINAL CAREER TIP Choose how you're going to spend your time in advance and plan wisely. Work hard but take breaks. Remember your time is a finite resource.   BEST MOMENTS (1:30) – Matthew - “What I do is help engineers to master their time and to create their best work” (4:27) – Matthew - “Think about “What do I want? What do I want my lifestyle to look like?” And build backwards from that point” (7:45) – Matthew – “Time wants to be told what to do. It doesn't like to be found” (19:35) – Matthew – “It's not about the emails. It's not about the customers. It's about growing the business and making sure you're communicating”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MATTHEW GADDY Matthew Gaddy is a productivity and high-performance coach for engineers, helping them to operate at their best so that they can produce work that makes a difference. He is on a mission to increase productivity in a way that reduces stress and fosters a quality working environment.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MATTHEW GADDY Matthew Gaddy can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewgaddy/ Website: https://www.matthewgaddy.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.gaddy/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Michal Juhas, who has worked in the tech industry for more than 16 years. He has held a variety of positions during his career, from software developer to chief technical officer. And in 2019 he founded Geek Recruiters and he is now an IT Talent Advisor, Recruiter, Career Coach and Trainer as well as the author of 6 books and the creator of multiple video courses. Michal joins Phil to talk about why it's crucial to gain as much experience as possible in the early days of your career, as well as the ways in which a note could help your job applications.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP At the beginning of your IT career journey, look for ways to gain more experience by accepting tasks from those who need work done. This looks great on your record when you come to the interviewing process.   WORST CAREER MOMENT When Michal's company went out of business. He had built it from scratch, but it ultimately failed. Michal learned not to be too over-optimistic and be more realistic when it comes to challenges.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Working as a coach and recruiter, Michal finds many highlights these days by discovering new talent – those who bring something special to the role they have taken.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The global nature of IT means that developers can now take positions around the world. Technology allows free movement in remote terms, and skills can be put to good use, no matter where we live.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – After a suggestion from a friend, Michal fell into IT. What's the best career advice you received? – to read more books, as they inspire the mind. What's the worst career advice you received? – What would you do if you started your career now? – Michal would experiment with more technologies and learn more programming languages. What are your current career objectives? Identifying the companies that he wants to work for. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Marketing, sales and copywriting. How do you keep your own career energized? – Working with mission-driven companies, which adds a new sense of purpose. What do you do away from technology? – Spending time with family.   FINAL CAREER TIP When applying for a job, always include a note to explain why you are excited about a particular opportunity.   BEST MOMENTS (5:08) – Michal - “Diversity of experience helps you to find solutions for different problems” (13:23) – Michal - “Shift the focus from the salary to the other benefits of the work” (20:43) – Michal – “Read lots of books!” (24:15) – Michal – “Effectively, as a developer, as an IT professional, you are selling yourself on the market, so you need to be able to find your unique selling proposition”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MICHAL JUHAS Michal Juhas has worked in the tech industry for more than 16 years. He has held a variety of positions during his career, from software developer to chief technical officer. And in 2019 he founded Geek Recruiters and he is now an IT Talent Advisor, Recruiter, Career Coach and Trainer as well as the author of 6 books and the creator of multiple video courses.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MICHAL JUHAS Michal Juhas can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaljuhas/ Personal Website: https://michaljuhas.com/welcome Career Tools Website: https://careerupgradetools.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juhas.michal/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvfRMDDiKKqNVaezfvBVR0A

In this week's show, Phil talks to Edidiong Asikpo, a developer advocate who writes technical articles about Kubernetes, web development, soft skills and open-source contributions. She has given more than 50 talks at various tech conferences and meetups around the world and also played a significant role in building three of the most impactful developer communities in Africa. Edidiong talks about the importance of embracing new opportunities. She also discusses consistency and why it matters so much when it comes to your career.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always make sure that you take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. The best way to grow your career is to remain open to new possibilities.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Edidiong needed to set up a workshop, and was supposed to be facilitating the operation of it. When it finally came time to present the project, her internet connection was lost and the event could not be attended.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After joining a company struggling with certain processes, Edidiong used her talents to turn around the business's fortunes, leading to a reversal of negative opinion.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Careers in IT are very versatile. If you aren't happy in one place you can always pivot and move to a different sector. Technology is a field in which you can easily switch..   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Seeing other young people using technology to change lives. What's the best career advice you received? – You gain mastery over a skill by doing it often. What's the worst career advice you received? – That Edidiong was ill suited to the course she had chosen. What would you do if you started your career now? – Edidiong would put herself out there a lot faster. What are your current career objectives? More content creation. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Writing. How do you keep your own career energized? – Taking breaks is very important and make sure that between the hard work you take care of yourself. What do you do away from technology? – Watching movies and travelling.   FINAL CAREER TIP You can't get anywhere unless you start, so get going on your journey, and make sure you are consistent.   BEST MOMENTS (4:15) – Edidiong - “Always put yourself out there” (6:34) – Phil - “By doing “something” you are already ahead of somebody else” (8:30) – Edidiong – “It's important to have a back up plan because you never know what's going to happen” (16:02) – Edidiong – “You only learn how to do something by doing that thing”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – EDIDIONG ASIKPO Edidiong Asikpo is a developer advocate who writes technical articles about Kubernetes, web development, soft skills and open-source contributions. She has given more than 50 talks at various tech conferences and meetups around the world and also played a significant role in building three of the most impactful developer communities in Africa. She is also the co-founder of Tech UK as well as a tech mentor and empowerment coach with a specific focus on women and diversity.   CONTACT THE GUEST – EDIDIONG ASIKPO Edidiong Asikpo can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Didicodes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edidiong-asikpo/ Website: https://edidiongasikpo.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Sham Jabeen, who has worked in the tech industry for the past 12 years, starting her career is an Account Manager for an IT support and services company. She is now a Senior Account Manager for Total Computers, where she works in partnership with vendors such as Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Microsoft and Google, and manages clients in the legal, financial and gaming industries. She is also the co-founder of Tech UK as well as a tech mentor and empowerment coach with a specific focus on women and diversity. Sham talks about the value of building relationships. She also discusses the importance of finding a mentor, and how coaching can help to guide our career paths.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Building long term relationships are the key to a long term career. Your network is your net worth, and foundations built throughout your career will serve you at all points.   WORST CAREER MOMENT After beginning at a certain company, she was dismayed to find that the culture there was one of exclusion, and suffered extraordinary racism at the hands of her colleagues.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT After working incredibly hard, Sham landed a huge deal – the biggest in her organization during 2019 – and became the highest achiever of the year. This was accomplished through her relationships with others and hard work.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Sham is excited and inspired by the sight of more women in the sector, and more diversity in the tech space.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Financial incentives were extremely compelling. What's the best career advice you received? – Don't just settle and always be your authentic self. What's the worst career advice you received? – That Sham was not capable enough to lead people. What would you do if you started your career now? – Sham would look more into cybersecurity or networking. What are your current career objectives? Tech UK, mentoring and coaching, being a role model and raising awareness. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Effective communication How do you keep your own career energized? – Setting goals, making sure that reboot time is taken, and being thankful for everything achieved so far. What do you do away from technology? – Dancing, dining out and praying.   FINAL CAREER TIP Find a good coach or mentor that will be able to guide you. Coaches help to give us new perspectives and can guide us through challenging times.   BEST MOMENTS (4:44) – Sham - “Your network is your worth” (9:12) – Sham - “If you build relationships, you will go from strength to strength” (23:46) – Sham – “I want to see more women leaders, role models, mentors, coaches. That's what excites me about IT” (27:50) – Sham – “Don't just settle and always be your authentic self”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – SHAM JABEEN Sham Jabeen has worked in the tech industry for the past 12 years, starting her career is an Account Manager for an IT support and services company. She is now a Senior Account Manager for Total Computers, where she works in partnership with vendors such as Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Microsoft and Google, and manages clients in the legal, financial and gaming industries. She is also the co-founder of Tech UK as well as a tech mentor and empowerment coach with a specific focus on women and diversity.   CONTACT THE GUEST – SHAM JABEEN Sham Jabeen can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sham-j-34732727/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tech__uk/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Ben Hong, a Vue.js Core Team Member and a Staff Developer Experience Engineer at Netlify as well as a Google Developer Expert in Web Technologies & Map Platforms. He has spoken, taught and Emc'ed around the world at events such as VueConfUS, Vue Toronto and O'Reilly's Fluent Conf. He is also a lead instructor at Vue Mastery, one of the premier learning platforms for the Vue.js community. Ben discusses the value in investing in yourself with a growth mind-set. He also talks about why we should always appreciate our personal career path, and the experiences that make it unique.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always invest in yourself with a growth mind-set. Look for methods and ways to improve and develop in your own time, as every time your move forward, you add value to your career as a whole.   WORST CAREER MOMENT After completing a project, Ben was suddenly asked about which direction he wished to go next, and could not answer. This taught him the value in focusing on specific skills and directions.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Getting the opportunity to join his current development team. For a long time, Ben had wished to reintroduce UX design to his portfolio, and this gave him the opportunity to do so.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Ben is excited about the popularity of open source, and the wealth of ideas happening right now on the web. The possibilities are seemingly endless.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Ben read an HTML book when young, and was instantly excited by the possibilities. What's the best career advice you received? – Listen, learn, and then become the person that people come to with questions. What's the worst career advice you received? – That his dream career path was not possible. What would you do if you started your career now? – Ben would have taken much better notes! What are your current career objectives? Content generation, and empowering others to build incredible things. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Relationship building. How do you keep your own career energized? – Ben ensures that he associates with communities who understand the burnout that can blight many IT careers. What do you do away from technology? – Playing the ukulele.   FINAL CAREER TIP Never hesitate to invest in yourself, as no one can ever take away the knowledge you gain or the experiences you have.   BEST MOMENTS (4:19) – Ben - “You are getting the compound interest from skills at a much faster pace. This is key to long term sustainability when it comes to a career in IT” (10:24) – Ben - “That cluster of ideas, discussions and debates – that is what excites me. There's a lot to come and it's far from over” (12:49) – Ben – “By building relationships with people so they trust you, it does a lot for the impact and influence that you can have” (15:51) – Ben – “Coding problems aren't hard. People problems are hard”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – BEN HONG Ben Hong is a Vue.js Core Team Member and a Staff Developer Experience Engineer at Netlify as well as a Google Developer Expert in Web Technologies & Map Platforms. He has spoken, taught and Emc'ed around the world at events such as VueConfUS, Vue Toronto and O'Reilly's Fluent Conf. He is also a lead instructor at Vue Mastery, one of the premier learning platforms for the Vue.js community.   CONTACT THE GUEST – BEN HONG Ben Hong can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/bencodezen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencodezen/ Website: https://www.bencodezen.io/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Annie Liew, who graduated from a Front-End bootcamp in summer 2019 and is currently the Front-End Engineering Lead at Pastel. She's passionate about bringing the technical and visual aspects of digital products to life and cares deeply about the user experience, beautiful pixels and writing clean, accessible code. Her goal is to become exceptional at Front-End built on strong foundational UX concepts. She is also very active in the tech and design community. Annie talks about how effective focus can help you to dig deep into a problem set, as well as help to develop your skills. She also discusses the importance of retaining the fun in everything you do during your IT career.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Honing your ability to do deep work, and concentrating your focus can help you to achieve a deep focus in tasks and help to develop your skill set going forward.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While creating an app from scratch for her tech challenge during an interview process, Annie found that some of her skills were a little rusty, and was forced to retrain herself while also relocating her life and healing from a hand injury!   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Annie won out against impostor syndrome by working hard and showing resilience. The result was an offer from a very large tech leader   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Digital literacy is an incredibly powerful tool in today's world. Being able to bring ideas to life in the tech space marks you out as someone who can make real, impactful change in the world.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The financial rewards which were very attractive. What's the best career advice you received? – Mentors are invaluable and can guide you when your career hits choppy waters. What's the worst career advice you received? – Always follow your passion so that you never work a day in your life. Passion shouldn't always be the driving force in your career path. What would you do if you started your career now? – Annie would not change anything in her journey so far as all experiences brought her to where she is now. But she would spend less time on social media. What are your current career objectives? Getting better at Javascript, as well as developing back end knowledge. What's your number one non-technical skill? – The ability to ask for, and take on board, constructive feedback without being offended. How do you keep your own career energized? – Annie makes sure that she brings her creative side to her work. What do you do away from technology? – Hiking, reading and travelling.   FINAL CAREER TIP Try to have fun and enjoy the process. Sometimes things can get tough, but remember that all struggles are temporary and all challenges provide lessons.   BEST MOMENTS (5:47) – Annie - “Something that is very useful is the ability to focus and go deep” (6:04) – Annie - “It helps to think of your skills and abilities as your career capital – valuable tangible assets that you can trade for things like salary and a great work environment” (10:20) – Annie – “We're often more capable than we think especially in times of stress and pressure” (12:42) – Annie – “Only you can decide who you want to be and where you want to go”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ANNIE LIEW Annie Liew graduated from a Front-End bootcamp in summer 2019 and is currently the Front-End Engineering Lead at Pastel. She's passionate about bringing the technical and visual aspects of digital products to life and cares deeply about the user experience, beautiful pixels and writing clean, accessible code. Her goal is to become exceptional at Front-End built on strong foundational UX concepts. She is also very active in the tech and design community.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ANNIE LIEW Annie Liew can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/anniebombanie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/anniebombanie Website: https://anniebombanie.com

In this week's show, Phil talks to Toni Collis, the CEO of Collis-Holmes Innovations, an award-winning leader, International Keynote speaker, Consultant and Leadership Coach. Her career has focused on facilitating the use of technology, and she believes that this requires true diversity in the future leadership of the tech industry. As Founder of Women in High Performance Computing (WHPC), she developed and led innovations aiming to diversify the international Supercomputing workforce. And in early 2019, she began to focus on her passion for broadening diversity & inclusion in the technology industry. She now offers Leadership & Executive Coaching for women in tech, with a personal goal of assisting 2000 women into the tech boardroom in the next 5 years. Toni talks about why remaining in our comfort zones can be restrictive. She also discusses why resilience is the key to overcome challenges.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP If you are not growing, then you're shrinking. The longer we remain in our comfort zone, the smaller it becomes. Always look for ways to expand and grow.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Toni found, at one point in her career, that she was saying yes to far too many things, and the overwhelm made her feel as though she was underperforming and not reaching the potential that she felt she could. Through this, she learned that it's okay to say no.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT When Toni was offered her first C-Suite executive role at the age of 34. A lot of work and determination had been spent, but the payoff was worth it.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Technology is the solution to all problems being faced by society today. By focusing upon fixing the world through tech, we can provide a better future for everyone.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – It was accidental – Toni realized that computing would play a large part in her degree education. What's the best career advice you received? – You can't fix all problems, so be selective about the ones you solve. What's the worst career advice you received? – “You can't afford to say no. Say yes to everything!” What would you do if you started your career now? – Toni would make sure she worked on things upon which supercomputing has more impact What are your current career objectives? Toni is trying to ensure that 2000 women are seated in boardrooms. What's your number one non-technical skill? – The ability to read a room. How do you keep your own career energized? – Toni steps outside of her comfort zone on a regular basis. You need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. What do you do away from technology? – Travelling and DIY.   FINAL CAREER TIP Work on your executive presence and your resilience every day. No matter where you are in your career, you need these skills!   BEST MOMENTS (3:18) – Toni - “I could have more of an impact if I could empower more people to do tech exceptionally well than I could ever do by myself” (4:07) – Toni - “What I really want do is put people into positions of leadership in the technology sector that means we change the way it operates to the betterment of everyone involved” (6:17) – Toni – “It isn't that you have a comfort zone. It's that if you're not constantly pushing at it, it's actually shrinking, and that applies to every aspect of our lives” (17:14) – Toni – “ Technology is really the solution for all the problems the human race faces today”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – TONI COLLIS Toni Collis is , the CEO of Collis-Holmes Innovations, an award-winning leader, International Keynote speaker, Consultant and Leadership Coach. Her career has focused on facilitating the use of technology, and she believes that this requires true diversity in the future leadership of the tech industry. As Founder of Women in High Performance Computing (WHPC), she developed and led innovations aiming to diversify the international Supercomputing workforce. And in early 2019, she began to focus on her passion for broadening diversity & inclusion in the technology industry. She now offers Leadership & Executive Coaching for women in tech, with a personal goal of assisting 2000 women into the tech boardroom in the next 5 years.   CONTACT THE GUEST – TONI COLLIS Toni Collis can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonicollis1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonicollis/ Website: https://tonicollis.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Devin Ford, a self-taught front-end developer who enjoys solving complex problems under pressure. And he regularly tweets about what he's doing and shares what he's learnt along the way. Devin talks about the power of networking and how it can accelerate your career. He also discusses why resilience is the key to learning, and how to overcome rejection.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Many believe that you should have lots of projects going on at the same time. However, it is far better to have a variety of projects ongoing, as this will demonstrate your flexibility and breadth of knowledge.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Having failed to check a process, Devin found that a crucial error was made, which taught him the value of always making sure not to rush, especially when it comes to quality control.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Devin's current work, involving building something that will make a huge difference to the way people engage with his platform.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The world is moving to a more decentralized, web-free world, and the possibilities are fascinating and exciting. It will also lead to a huge increase in privacy, and to a far more open world.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Devin and his father built his first computer and he was hooked instantly. What's the best career advice you received? – Be honest and upfront with everything. What's the worst career advice you received? – That you need to be married to a tech stack. What would you do if you started your career now? –Devin would find a more structured way of learning early on. What are your current career objectives? Devin is trying to move to a more senior position, and looking between platform and management roles. What's your number one non-technical skill? – The ability to communicate. How do you keep your own career energized? – Learning new things, but also knowing when to take breaks, which is important in rejuvenating his passion for IT and tech. What do you do away from technology? – Video games and spending time with family.   FINAL CAREER TIP Don't be discouraged if you receive a knock back, no matter what it is. There are some invaluable lessons to be found when you have to pick yourself up after a setback.   BEST MOMENTS (3:02) – Devin - “Had I not networked on Twitter, I probably would not have reach the position I am in” (5:45) – Devin - “You might feel that pressure to really perform, but it's worse to deliver something bad fast, than to slow down and deliver something good, but slower” (11:32) – Phil – “When you're in a role and you don't know something, don't just assume you shouldn't ask. Always ask!” (16:04) – Devin – “Being able to bring that to a level where everybody is on the same playing field has really helped me when it comes to my career”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – DEVIN FORD Devin Ford is a self-taught front-end developer who enjoys solving complex problems under pressure. And he regularly tweets about what he's doing and shares what he's learnt along the way.   CONTACT THE GUEST – DEVIN FORD Devin Ford can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/devindford LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devindford/ Website: https://devindford.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Jack Domleo, a front-end developer who loves working with web technologies and creating things for users to interact with. He has a particular passion for UX, accessibility and self-development. He is also the author of “Level-Up Your Career Today: Developer Edition” as well as a blogger and a speaker. Jack talks about the importance of diversifying when it comes to projects. He also discusses why we must not make excuses, and put the work in to get the things we truly want in life and in our careers.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Many believe that you should have lots of projects going on at the same time. However, it is far better to have a variety of projects ongoing, as this will demonstrate your flexibility and breadth of knowledge.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Jack was made redundant from his apprenticeship. After six months, the company went bankrupt, and at such a young age, he initially believed that his career had been irretrievably affected.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Being made redundant from his apprenticeship pushed Jack out of his comfort zone, which has helped him to grow and develop ever since, and has also made him more money!   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Technology is pushing every sector forward, and so the opportunities in every field seem to be limitless. But this does come with a downside, in that security is becoming a larger issue.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Jack has always had a knack with computers, and enjoyed considering the opportunities that they could bring. What's the best career advice you received? – You are not your code. Don't take comments too personally. What's the worst career advice you received? – That being a front end developer only makes you unmarketable. What would you do if you started your career now? –Jack would work more upon the immature behaviour he displayed at the beginning of his career. What are your current career objectives? – Jack has focused upon side projects and appearances in order to provide an income separate from his employment. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Communication and confidence. How do you keep your own career energized? – Keeping abreast of not just developer tools, but new advances in tech in general. This is better done by fine tuning our social media input. What do you do away from technology? – Ice hockey, travelling and video games   FINAL CAREER TIP Don't make excuses when you're afraid of something. No one is going to lower the bar for you. Things are sometimes tough, but never impossible.   BEST MOMENTS (6:17) – Jack - “I do lots of different varieties of things, and I think that this better shows a broad range of things that I can do” (11:55) – Jack - “I feel like we have the right people in place to drive this world forward” (15:01) – Jack – “You are not your code, so the code you write does not reflect you as a person” (20:32) – Jack – “I know what I want to do, and what I want to achieve in my career, and that has definitely helped me”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – JACK DOMLEO Jack Domleo is a front-end developer who loves working with web technologies and creating things for users to interact with. He has a particular passion for UX, accessibility and self-development. He is also the author of “Level-Up Your Career Today: Developer Edition” as well as a blogger and a speaker.   CONTACT THE GUEST – JACK DOMLEO Jack Domleo can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackdomleo7 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackdomleo7 Website: https://jackdomleo.dev/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Michelle Barker, a Lead Front End Developer for Atomic Smash and the author of front-end blog CSS In Real Life. She likes to build fun, creative websites and side projects that are also performant and accessible. She has written articles and regularly speaks about front end development at web conferences and meetups, covering topics such as CSS Grid Layout and CSS Custom Properties. Michelle talks about the value of community and how it can energise your career development. She also discusses why learning should always be fun, and the value of taking time out to realign with what lights you up.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Find a community – online or offline – and allow the people there to help and guide you. This can greatly accelerate your personal development and growth.   WORST CAREER MOMENT When returning from maternity leave, Michelle an extra sense of pressure in terms of proving herself, along with being exhausted and overwhelmed by new parenthood. Since then, she has recognized the value of not adding pressure to oneself unnecessarily.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Working on a project for The Grand Appeal, a Bristol children's charity, a cause close to Michelle's heart due to her own experiences with her son.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The IT community itself and the many ways in which people are innovating and pushing the sector forward. Community is everything in IT, and finding the right one is a constant source of inspiration.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The intersection between creativity and technical knowhow. What's the best career advice you received? – Write down your accomplishments. What's the worst career advice you received? – That we must always be coding, even in our spare time, and make work our life. What would you do if you started your career now? –Michelle would put less pressure upon herself. Your career is not a race. What are your current career objectives? – Michelle is spending far more time on writing, particularly on her blog, and now in partnership with other publications. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Working in customer services and in the events industry so as to get a better understanding of how to interact with others. How do you keep your own career energized? – Michelle enjoys creative coding as an outlet. What do you do away from technology? – Netflix and playing the drums. FINAL CAREER TIP Learning should always be fun. If you're struggling to get motivated, put down the tutorials and try to build something for fun!   BEST MOMENTS (4:00) – Michelle - “A good way to learn is to pick things up and just keep building little side projects. Follow the paths that interest you” (5:52) – Michelle - “I made so many connections just through taking the time to learn from others” (13:24) – Michelle – “You need to push past things, keep going, keep learning, and know that there aren't any shortcuts. It's not a race” (20:41) – Michelle – “Every time I make something come to life on the screen I feel that sense of accomplishment”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MICHELLE BARKER Michelle Barker is a Lead Front End Developer for Atomic Smash and the author of front-end blog CSS In Real Life. She likes to build fun, creative websites and side projects that are also performant and accessible. She has written articles and regularly speaks about front end development at web conferences and meetups, covering topics such as CSS Grid Layout and CSS Custom Properties.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MICHELLE BARKER Michelle Barker can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/MicheBarks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-barker-02819230/ Website: https://michellebarker.co.uk/ Website: https://css-irl.info/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Rob Rastovich, the Chief Technical Officer at ThingLogix, a provider of Internet of Things solutions, solution components and advisory services. He has been actively involved in technology for nearly 30 years including what is now known as Amazon's AWS IoT. As CTO of ThingLogix he is the chief architect behind the company's ground-breaking IoT platform that eliminates the need for code. Rob talks about the importance of continual learning and how it can advance our IT career paths. He also discusses why we must never feel boxed in by the career we choose, and why it's okay to follow our passions into other fields.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP We must always be learning. The IT industry is never static, and so we must endeavour to keep abreast of what's new, and master the skills and tools that push us forward.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While working on a job, Rob accidentally deleted some invaluable information on a server. It taught him to always make sure that he is aware of the consequences of every command entered.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT The Amazon acquisition was a particular highlight. The early development of these systems were a period of experimentation and discovery, and provided much insight and motivation.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The disappearing of laptops, computers and browsers, and the advancements that will replace them. The internet will become less of a service that we plug into, and something that becomes more ubiquitous – more device agnostic.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – After his first successful attempts at coding, Rob was hooked. What's the best career advice you received? – To go all in on ideas, and never live with any regrets. What's the worst career advice you received? – That Rob would be paid when the company went IPO. What would you do if you started your career now? –To have focused more time looking at the possibilities of cloud computing. What are your current career objectives? – Rob is focusing on stepping back from the cutting edge of innovation, and spending more time in guiding the next generation of thinkers and dreamers. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Ranching has taught Rob the value of balance. How do you keep your own career energized? – Rob is always researching and looking for the next big thing. What do you do away from technology? – Rob spends his time on his ranch, and enjoys outdoor pursuits.   FINAL CAREER TIP Rid yourself of the idea that your career path is permanent. Remain fluid, and if you find diversions that thrill you more than the path you're already on, follow your heart and diversify.   BEST MOMENTS  (6:37) – Rob - “The ability to discern and learn and absorb quickly has been the cornerstone for me” (6:50) – Rob - “That's a skill that you learn – how to learn” (15:09) – Rob – “Being on the cutting edge is fun and exciting, but it's not as profitable as being right behind that” (18:55) – Rob – “Shoot for the stars, and if you miss you'll end up on the moon”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS  Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ROB RASTOVICH Rob Rastovich is the Chief Technical Officer at ThingLogix, a provider of Internet of Things solutions, solution components and advisory services. He has been actively involved in technology for nearly 30 years including what is now known as Amazon's AWS IoT. As CTO of ThingLogix he is the chief architect behind the company's ground-breaking IoT platform that eliminates the need for code.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ROB RASTOVICH Rob Rastovich can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/thinglogix LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-rastovich-1560532/ Website: https://www.thinglogix.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Leila Singh, a tech industry career coach who works with high-achieving career professionals who may be feeling stuck, frustrated and undervalued. She has a passion for bringing out the best in others which she does through the mi-brand academy. She is also a TEDx & Keynote Speaker, an Author and host of the mi-brand HQ podcast. Leila talks about why hard work is only part of the reason you'll advance in your IT career. She also discusses why you need to be remembered for the right reasons to the people who matter.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Hard work alone is not enough to succeed in your career. You also need to make yourself know, and to stand out in order to advance.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Upon joining a new organization, Leila quickly began to realise that the culture was not compatible with her own values. It also taught her the value of standing out for the right reasons.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Leila counts her entire career trajectory as her career highlight, which was diverse and colourful at the outset. Hard work and dedication has seen her identify the path she always desired, and she has made fruitful leaps and bounds ever since.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The industry is exciting dynamic, and filled with opportunities for all kinds of people with all kinds of skill sets. The playing field is level and open, and all are welcome.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – What's the best career advice you received? – To make yourself known What's the worst career advice you received? – That one cannot move on without experience. What would you do if you started your career now? – Leila would travel a very similar journey to the one she has behind her already. What are your current career objectives? – Growing the coaching practice and increasing reputation in the industry. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Communication and relationship building. How do you keep your own career energized? – Something that challenges and which aids in self-development. What do you do away from technology? – Leila's guilty pleasure is Tony Hadley and 80s music, as well as self-development and time with friends and family.   FINAL CAREER TIP If you're looking to further your career, you must be remembered for the right reasons to the people who matter, and who can make that ascension happen for you.   BEST MOMENTS  (3:15) – Leila - “Tech is a very dynamic and exciting industry to be in, and it's vastly growing” (4:42) – Leila - “it's about selling yourself, , and understanding how you can do that will enable you to propel yourself through your career” (6:15) – Leila – “You need to make yourself known, and stand out to make an impact” (24:41) – Leila – “There's always transferrable skills and experience that you gain from everything that you do”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS  Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – LEILA SINGH Leila Singh is a tech industry career coach who works with high-achieving career professionals who may be feeling stuck, frustrated and undervalued. She has a passion for bringing out the best in others which she does through the mi-brand academy. She is also a TEDx & Keynote Speaker, an Author and host of the mi-brand HQ podcast.   CONTACT THE GUEST – LEILA SINGH Leila Singh can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/leila_singh001 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leila-singh Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PersonalBrandingwithLeila Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leila_singh001/ Website: http://www.mi-brand.com/ Resource: www.leilasingh.com/go/playbook

In this week's show, Phil talks to Fernando Doglio, who describes himself as a fulltime geek. He's an experienced Software Development Manager and architect with a background in Web Development and Big Data architectures. He also writes technical articles and is a published author, his latest book being ‘Codes Well with Others' which is being published by Manning. Fernando talks about why we must continue to learn throughout our careers. He also discusses why it's okay to ask questions in order to make sure we do the job well.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP You must always learn how to learn. Development is the key to a long and successful career in IT, which is always changing and always growing.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Early in his career, Fernando deleted the homepage belonging to a client due to a minor error. Luckily a fellow worker had kept a backup, but it taught Fernando the value of taking care to back up at every moment.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT The current position being held is one that brings great satisfaction and potential. It is the culmination of everything that Fernando has been searching for during his career so far.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T It is ever-changing and has the potential to supply endless possibilities. The industry is exploding with talent, and people can work to make it better from anywhere in the world.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Early computers in childhood showed the influence that computing could have on the world. What's the best career advice you received? – Leave your problems at the door What's the worst career advice you received? – That experience is essential to begin your career. What would you do if you started your career now? – Fernando would work towards building a presentable portfolio on Github. What are your current career objectives? – Management and developing his project management skills. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Writing and expressing ideas through words. How do you keep your own career energized? – Writing every day including articles, which keeps the learnings fresh. What do you do away from technology? – Family time is incredibly important   FINAL CAREER TIP It's okay to use Google and online resources, to ask silly questions, in order to learn something new or even to remind yourself of something you've forgotten.   BEST MOMENTS (4:37) – Fernando - “Learning is the core to any profession or province that you can think of” (9:48) – Fernando - “You have to take it easy. Everything has a solution” (13:29) – Fernando – “Everything is at your reach. You can learn everything there is to know and you can work and learn from your house” (17:04) – Fernando – “Be proficient. Deliver whatever you have to deliver. Leave your problems at the door”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – FERNANDO DOGLIO Fernando Doglio describes himself as a fulltime geek. He's an experienced Software Development Manager and architect with a background in Web Development and Big Data architectures. He also writes technical articles and is a published author, his latest book being ‘Codes Well with Others' which is being published by Manning.   CONTACT THE GUEST – FERNANDO DOGLIO Fernando Doglio can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/deleteman123 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernandodoglio/ Website: https://www.fdoglio.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Alan Pope, an Engineering Manager and Developer Advocate for InfluxData, the creator of InfluxDB which is an open-source time series database. He is also a podcaster and he describes himself as a through and through geek. Alan talks about why it's okay to move on when the time is right in your career journey. He also discusses why it's important to take people's advice with a pinch of salt.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP It's okay to move on in your career when the time is right. Never feel as though you are chained to a position for your entire career. Being comfortable is often not a place where we challenge and grow.   WORST CAREER MOMENT When transitioning to a new company, Alan was confronted by HR who advised him that if he left, it would damage his career journey. It was a time of anxiety, but their threats came to nothing.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Alan trained many aspiring IT professionals, so when it came to looking for a position of his own, his reputation was already secured. Putting yourself out there is incredibly valuable to your career path.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The IT world is enormous and offers countless possibilities. It is incredibly easy to pivot and move between pursuits and sectors and offers an endlessly interesting path for any aspiring IT professional.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Alan was a nerd, and after receiving a ZX81, Alan developed a love for coding. What's the best career advice you received? – You always have a choice What's the worst career advice you received? – What would you do if you started your career now? – Alan would like to have attended university so as to establish a better foundation for his career. What are your current career objectives? – Learning new things. Alan is intent on staying far from his comfort zone and constantly challenging himself. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Having empathy for other people's points of view and perspectives. How do you keep your own career energized? – Alan keeps moving once the challenge has faded. It's vital to find the things that bring you joy. What do you do away from technology? – Cooking, which allows him the time to reconnect with the things that matter.   FINAL CAREER TIP Take other people's advice with a pinch of salt. Everyone has their own story and path through life, and the lessons they've learned may not always apply to your own path.   BEST MOMENTS  (3:26) – Alan - “People need to not be afraid to leave a role” (7:41) – Alan - “It's about looking after yourself and your own career” (8:57) – Alan – “Getting yourself out there and becoming known in your target industry is a very valuable thing to do” (13:15) – Alan – “Nobody cares what you look like. It's the output. It's the product you create, and it's the work that you do that's the important thing”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS  Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ALAN POPE Alan Pope is an Engineering Manager and Developer Advocate for InfluxData, the creator InfluxDB which is an open source time series database. He is also a podcaster and he describes himself as a through and through geek.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ALAN POPE Alan Pope can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/popey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-pope-b3a109143/ Website: https://popey.com

In this week's show, Phil talks to Neil Day, who has more than 30 years of experience in the industry having started his career as a coder with Apple. He went on to manage online systems for Walmart and Sears before creating the successful start-up MediaMaster. He is now the Chief Technical Officer for R-Zero. Neil talks about why the search for new initiatives may not always like in your immediate vicinity. He also discusses the value that can be found in building a great team.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Don't always look for problems to solve within the world of IT only. Broaden your search and the solutions you will find may surprise you.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While working for Walmart, Neil's team had been rushed to finish a web solution, but when the product was released, it was found to be lacking in many areas. Subsequently, Neil and the team were hurried back into action to enact a fix, which proved very challenging.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Neil is extraordinarily proud of the achievements he attained with several large companies, including Walmart's ecommerce site, a reimagined storage solution, and many more.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Although technology is all-pervasive in today's society, there are still so many things yet to be explored. There are always countless possibilities.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Neil began by working on Radio Shack kits with his father before moving on to programming. What's the best career advice you received? – Be solutions focused and results oriented. What's the worst career advice you received? – What would you do if you started your career now? – Neil thinks that joining a large team and understanding the importance of working to scale is vital at a career's outset. What are your current career objectives? – Building great solutions to interesting problems with people whose company he enjoys. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Research and the organization of information. How do you keep your own career energized? – Trying different things and working with interesting new people. What do you do away from technology? – Neil enjoys skiing, windsurfing, playing guitar and mandolin, and applying himself to new pursuits regularly.   FINAL CAREER TIP Find great people to work with and help them to develop their own skills. There is no greater feeling that successfully developing a great team.   BEST MOMENTS  (7:50) – Neil- “It's been a very important theme for me – having a very broad view and trying to match things that work in other areas” (13:06) – Neil- “In many domains there are good patterns and processes for managing problems” (15:50) – Neil– “I've really tried to find jobs where we could make a big difference to the company by developing a new capability” (16:26) – Neil – “The most important thing is finding something that has real impact”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – NEIL DAY Neil Day has more than 30 years of experience in the industry having started his career as a coder with Apple. He went on to manage online systems for Walmart and Sears before creating the successful start-up MediaMaster. He is now the Chief Technical Officer for R-Zero.   CONTACT THE GUEST – NEIL DAY Neil Day can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-day-121444/ Website: https://rzero.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Jessica Chan, a self-taught web developer who provides practical tips and tutorials for beginners in web development which she shares through blog posts and her YouTube channel, ‘Coder Coder'. Jessica talks about why communication skills are so important in an IT career. She also discusses the importance of patience when it comes to setting life goals.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: TOP CAREER TIP Communication skills are equally as important as the technical skills we need, in order to have a successful IT career.   WORST CAREER MOMENT While working on a website redesign, Jessica mistakenly deleted a huge amount of work and was unable to retrieve it. While it was touch and go for a while, Jessica learned to keep backups!   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Being able to quit her full time job as a developer and focus on content creation, teaching others how to engage with coding and fulfilling her ambitions to become more independent.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The growth of developer advocate roles, in which developers are asked to create content, is fascinating and is pushing the industry forward.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Jessica taught herself coding and programming and developed a love for computers from an early age. What's the best career advice you received? – Always keep your audience in mind. What's the worst career advice you received? – To become a teacher, which was not a fit for Jessica's personality or skill-set. What would you do if you started your career now? – Jessica wishes she had seen the potential in an actual career in IT a lot sooner. What are your current career objectives? – To make Coder-Coder financially sustainable. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Anticipating the needs of others. How do you keep your own career energized? – Jessica tries not to let things stagnate too much She is always learning and trying new things. What do you do away from technology? – Camping and spending time in nature.   FINAL CAREER TIP Life goals are a marathon and not a sprint. Don't get too discouraged if you don't get instant results.   BEST MOMENTS (4:40) – Jessica - “Communication will make you someone that people want to work with, as opposed to someone that people try to avoid working with” (7:30) – Jessica - “It's okay to make mistakes. It's not okay to sit on that mistake” (9:15) – Jessica – “Being able to be a part of someone's story is so transformative” (21:55) – Jessica – “Life goals are a marathon, not a sprint”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – JESSICA CHAN Jessica Chan is a self-taught web developer who provides practical tips and tutorials for beginners in web development which she shares through blog posts and her YouTube channel, ‘Coder Coder'.   CONTACT THE GUEST – JESSICA CHAN Jessica Chan can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecodercoder/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecodercoder/ Website: https://coder-coder.com/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/CoderCoder

In this week's show, Phil talks to Anna McDougall, a former opera singer and now a full-stack developer with a passion for JavaScript. She is also a tech blogger, a YouTube creator and a public speaker. Anna discusses impostor syndrome and why it's always wise to receive feedback with the right mind-set in place. She also talks about the importance of altering your perspective when looking for a job in the IT sector.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: TOP CAREER TIP When you are faced with insecurity and constructive feedback, remember that you are never there to prove yourself to someone. Remember to keep a learning mind-set active whenever feedback of any kind is offered.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Anna gave up when she was young, which is a constant source of regret. With the passage of time, she has come to realise how skilled she was, but was held back by societal expectations.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Anna made a career change and took on a new role, pivoting completely in terms of a career path, working hard to build her technical skills, and also applied much effort into understanding the back-end of tech while building an online presence and community.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Anna is most excited about the potential of tech – how it can achieve lasting change, benefit humanity, and reinvent itself constantly.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The potential of technology and how it can change the world. What's the best career advice you received? – Don't be afraid to say no! What's the worst career advice you received? – To not ask for a very big salary upon moving to Leipzig. What would you do if you started your career now? – Anna would focus on back-end technologies and Java. What are your current career objectives? – Anna's main objective is to raise her technical skills as much as possible. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Public speaking. How do you keep your own career energized? – Anna always looks for challenges to keep her knowledge fresh and her instincts keen. What do you do away from technology? – Gym work and training.   FINAL CAREER TIP When looking for a job or career path, we must think less about our own needs and wants and more about the wants and needs of our potential employers or recruiters.   BEST MOMENTS (6:43) – Anna - “It's not about an improving-yourself mind-set. It's about a learning mind-set” (7:21) – Anna - “Finding those gaps in your knowledge is a good thing” (17:31) – Anna – “If something isn't right for you, or if you don't have time, it's better to say no” (20:42) – Anna – “Think less from your perspective, and think more from a recruiter's perspective”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – ANNA MCDOUGALL Anna McDougal is a former opera singer and now a full-stack developer with a passion for Javascript. She is also a tech blogger, a YouTube creator and a public speaker.   CONTACT THE GUEST – ANNA MCDOUGALL Anna McDougall can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AnnaJMcDougall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annajmcdougall/ Website: https://www.annamcdougall.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Mike Karan, the co-host of the podcast HTML All The Things and the co-founder of Digital Dynasty Design. Mike talks about why it's important to begin networking as early as possible in your IT career. He also discusses why it's crucial to step outside of our comfort zones in order to truly develop.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Never be afraid to start networking as soon as possible in your IT career. Put yourself out there and start making connections – even early in your IT journey. Look for your audience and develop it from the get go.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Mike was asked to choose the technology for a new application. Mike did so, but when it reached the client, it was found that the application didn't work with the client's devices. Mike learned that it's vital to vet everything.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Mike's current position allows for a much greater sense of mentorship between himself and those around him, allowing him to create a far more intense sense of collaboration on projects.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T New technologies are where the excitement lays. New ways of creating and developing are being released almost constantly, pushing the sector forward in dazzling ways.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Computers – Mike was instantly in love with them. What's the best career advice you received? – Keep it simple! Don't overcomplicate if you don't have to. What's the worst career advice you received? – That you have to switch jobs every few months in order to be successful. It isn't true at all! What would you do if you started your career now? – Mike would still be in web development. What are your current career objectives? – The focus is currently on building a network and audience, as well as looking for a larger team to lead and mentor. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Communication and public speaking have been invaluable. How do you keep your own career energized? – Mike's podcast keeps him abreast of the sector and its developments and allows him to meet new people. What do you do away from technology? – Hiking and online gaming   FINAL CAREER TIP If we find ourselves in too comfortable a place, then it's always worth stepping out of that comfort zone. Pushing ourselves to do unfamiliar things helps us to grow.   BEST MOMENTS (3:05) – Mike - “Get yourself out there and network as early as possible” (9:39) – Mike - “Mentorship and guiding has been my career highlight” (10:57) – Mike – “It's not just about coding. It's about the whole enterprise structure” (17:25) – Mike – “Don't settle into a spot where you're comfortable”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – MIKE KARAN Mike Karan is the co-host of the podcast HTML All The Things and the co-founder of Digital Dynasty Design.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MIKE KARAN Mike Karan can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikhailkaran LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikhail-karan-4361925b/ Website: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Tom Taulli, an author, a speaker and an advisor to startups. He has co-founded a variety of companies including Hypermart.net, WebIPO and BizEquity. And his books include ‘Artificial Intelligence Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction' and ‘The Robotic Process Automation Handbook: A Guide To Implementing RPA Systems'. Tom talks about the importance of following your passions when it comes to your IT career. He also discusses how if you create a career based around the things you love, you'll never be short on inspiration.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Never be so set upon lofty goals that you miss the opportunities all around you. Follow your passions and do what you instincts tell you to do.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Tom has experienced periods where he reached crossroads in his career and did not follow his passions. With age has come experience and maturity, which has led to a better understanding of what is around him.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Tom recognized a need and provided a revolutionary piece of software to fill that need. Building this system allowed him to spread his wings.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Robotic process animation, artificial intelligence and quantum computing are fascinating concepts that keep Tom's mind alive with possibilities.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Tom was attracted to computers in school as he thought they were cool! What's the best career advice you received? – Bill Gates advised Tom to get a solid foundational education in mathematics before moving to programming. What's the worst career advice you received? – There is only really advice unsuitable for its receiver. What would you do if you started your career now? – Tom would go to Silicon Valley and meet as many people as possible. What are your current career objectives? – Tom is working on a book about mainframe, as well as courses on the same. What's your number one non-technical skill? – A business background in college has been very useful. How do you keep your own career energized? – What do you do away from technology? – Tom takes breaks, including walking and travelling   FINAL CAREER TIP Focus on what lights your fire – the thing that gets your out of bed in the morning and inspires you to do better every day.   BEST MOMENTS (5:08) – Tom - “It's not about setting lofty goals, but doing what you really what you're passionate about” (5:52) – Tom - “Ideas are a dime-a-dozen. It's the execution on the idea…” (13:00) – Tom – “Just because everyone says that's what you have to do, doesn't mean that that's the key” (19:15) – Tom – “We always think that we need to go through certain hurdles or paths to get where you want. Sometimes there are faster, more unconventional ways of getting there”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – TOM TAULLI Tom Taulli is an author, a speaker and an advisor to startups. He has co-founded a variety of companies including Hypermart.net, WebIPO and BizEquity. And his books include ‘Artificial Intelligence Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction' and ‘The Robotic Process Automation Handbook: A Guide To Implementing RPA Systems'.   CONTACT THE GUEST – TOM TAULLI Tom Taulli can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ttaulli LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomtaulli/ Website: http://www.tomtaulli.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUklLcIcf3hsxuALfmD_AYQ

In this week's show, Phil talks to Shruti Balasa, a full stack developer. She has developed and delivered more than 200 websites over the last 9 years, ranging from static to fully-fledged networking and eCommerce sites. She is now focused on creating tutorials and courses to simplify web development for beginners. Shruti talks about why we should always try to remain open to new possibilities in our IT careers. She also discusses the importance of effective networking in order to let the world know what we're capable of.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP We should be open to any opportunities, especially earlier in our IT careers. Even the pathways that may seem alien to us can often allow us to gain new skills that take us in new directions.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Shruti developed a piece of software that was subverted by a single user, who hacked the system due to a hidden backdoor. This made Shruti feel the weight of an error, but also spurred her on to be more attentive subsequently.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT At the beginning of her career, Shruti was interviewed and assessed by Microsoft without any expectations. As she was about to leave, she was advised that she had done far better than she had expected.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Shruti is constantly excited by the eternal state of learning in the IT sector. The excitement comes in the fact that we must always be developing in order to stay afloat.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The fact that IT itself is built around problem solving – Shruti's main strength. What's the best career advice you received? – To start a YouTube channel What's the worst career advice you received? – Shruti was advised against joining a startup by a manager, despite her instincts telling her that it was the right decision. What would you do if you started your career now? – Shruti was join Twitter and begin networking much sooner. What are your current career objectives? – Shruti wants to simply web development and coding concepts that people usually find complex. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Public speaking, which has allowed her to overcome her introversion. How do you keep your own career energized? – Shruti loves adventures, and so takes every opportunity to embark upon new ones. What do you do away from technology? – Shruti's young child is taking up most of her time, but it is a rewarding life. Family is very important.   FINAL CAREER TIP It's very important to improve your communication and networking skills. You have to let people know what you can do and what you are capable of.   BEST MOMENTS (4:20) – Shruti - “I want to you to be open to any opportunities, at least in the beginnings of your career” (5:11) – Shruti - “Try your hands at everything, because you never know what you're really good at until you try” (11:37) – Shruti – “Look for the small wins every single day” (19:43) – Shruti – “I want to love everything I do, so I take up anything that excites me. That's how I keep my career energized!”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_philburgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – SHRUTI BALASA Shruti Balasa is a full stack developer. She has developed and delivered more than 200 websites over the last 9 years, ranging from static to fully-fledged networking and eCommerce sites. She is now focused on creating tutorials and courses to simplify web development for beginners.   CONTACT THE GUEST – SHRUTI BALASA Shruti Balasa can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/shrutibalasa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shrutibalasa/ Website: https://www.shrutibalasa.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Thirus

In this week's show, Phil talks to Don Jones, who has worked in the IT industry since the 1990s, and in that time has been everything from a software developer to a network engineer. He's written dozens of IT books, and now focuses on helping technologists become the owners of their careers. Don discusses why you should never underestimate your value. He also talks about why we must be thoughtful about our careers, and guide them selfishly in order to create our own unique path in the world.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Never underestimate yourself, and do not under-sell yourself. Don't let what you see influence your entire opinion about something.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Don projected his negative perspective onto an employer with which he was having difficulty. He left but found a worse experience. But it taught him not to run away from things, rather run towards better opportunities.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Don has now found his ideal career position – a company that encourages growth and development at every turn.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Don is eternally excited by the sheer explosion of growth directions – the unlimited potential of fields within IT and how they can change the world at such pace.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Don has always been in love with science fiction, the future, and computers What's the best career advice you received? – You don't have to respond to every email! What's the worst career advice you received? – That we must be very good at mathematics in order to work with computers. What would you do if you started your career now? – Don would focus heavily on software development at the beginning. What are your current career objectives? – Don is spending time looking down the ladder and seeing who might need a hand upwards. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Writing and written communication How do you keep your own career energized? – Don looks for opportunities, and problems that need to be solved. Don actively seeks solutions and to empower others to do the same. What do you do away from technology? – Don writes fiction novels.   FINAL CAREER TIP Be thoughtful. Your career is the one thing that will be with you for your entire life. Consider each direction carefully and make sure it serves you selfishly.   BEST MOMENTS (5:12) – Don - “If you know the life you want, you can start to plan a career that can take you in that direction” (3:53) – Don - “Own that career, make it your own, and make it give you what you want” (8:01) – Don – “Be careful about making decisions based on incomplete thinking or an incomplete perspective. Keep an open mind” (10:03) – Don – “Don't run away from something. Run towards something”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_philburgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Facebook: https://facebook.com/philtechcareer Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – DON JONES Don Jones has worked in the IT industry since the 1990s, and in that time has been everything from a software developer to a network engineer. He's written dozens of IT books, and now focuses on helping technologists become the owners of their careers.   CONTACT THE GUEST – DON JONES Don Jones can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/concentrateddon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/concentrateddon/ Website: https://ampere.club Website: https://donjones.com

In this week's show, Phil talks to Jana Axline, the CEO and Chief Project Officer of Project Genetics where she drives ideas from initiation to implementation, achieving successful outcomes for clients. She has strong skills and a passion for project management, coupled with years of leadership experience across a variety of industries.   She is also an international speaker as well as an active PMP, ACP, CSM and Scaled Agilist.   Jana talks about the importance of volunteering in order to energise your IT career. She also discusses the importance of recognizing our unique gifts, and recognizing who we are, so that we can better identify our prospective career paths.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Volunteering for tasks that fall within your skill-set, can often increase your chances of standing out, building relationships, and securing the trust of those who can help to accelerate your career goals.   WORST CAREER MOMENT After a cultural faux pas due to her non-exposure to diversity, Jana experienced a pivotal moment in her life, where she learned that not everyone is the same, and a little effort is required in order to be as inclusive as possible.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Jana was promoted three times during her tenure in project management, which seemed to gel perfectly with Jana's skills, and ignited her desire to do better.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T Technology is fast-paced, and wonderful, because the skills we acquire across pursuits can be adapted and transferred into new fields.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Jana had a passion for project management, and found her path opening up to her naturally. What's the best career advice you received? – Get yourself a mentor! What's the worst career advice you received? – Jana was told that her career path was too varied, but they were all stepping stones to where she is now, and all helped to shape her. What would you do if you started your career now? – Jana would go through an internship, and more formal education – where relationships and networks can be built for life. What are your current career objectives? – Scaling Project Genetics in order to grow. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Problem solving abilities, which can expedite solutions and help others to understand. How do you keep your own career energized? – Constant learning and development What do you do away from technology? – Sailing and outdoor activities.   FINAL CAREER TIP Always understand exactly who you are, what you're good at, and what the opportunities ahead are like for you. Only then can you gain a clear perspective on what your future looks like.   BEST MOMENTS   (7:56) – Jana - “Volunteering within your discipline can help you gain experience you may not gain in the workplace, as well as build relationships with people” (13:56) – Jana - “Learn about the company and the marketplace and how those things connect, so that you can be a catalyst to drive the market forward” (25:37) – Jana – “If you get involved in societies, then you build a network that can create value for the rest of your life” (28:43) – Jana – “It's important to understand who you truly are” CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:   Twitter: https://twitter.com/_philburgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – JANA AXLINE Jana Axline is the CEO and Chief Project Officer of Project Genetics where she drives ideas from initiation to implementation, achieving successful outcomes for clients. She has strong skills and a passion for project management, coupled with years of leadership experience across a variety of industries. She is also an international speaker as well as an active PMP, ACP, CSM and Scaled Agilist.   CONTACT THE GUEST – JANA AXLINE Jana Axline can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/AxlineSolutions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janaaxline/ Website: https://projectgenetics.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz0Z2FUJsciMBXJBIy-mxsA  

In this week's show, Phil talks to Patrick Lynott, the Head of UK Admissions & Placement at Boolean, a tech education company that teaches their students to be software engineers and then helps them to land their first job in tech. Patrick talks about why people should consider a career as a software engineer and how Boolean can help. He also discusses the positive ways in which investment is changing the shape of the tech sector in the UK, the best ways for aspiring engineers to begin their careers, and the best resources that can energise your own tech career plans.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER BECOMING A SOFTWARE ENGINEER? Software engineering and coding provides a problem-solving approach and set of challenges that many with an analytical mind find appealing. The career prospects are incredible, and potential for diversity and growth is limitless.   WHAT DO I NEED TO LEARN? Begin by building a mental map of the industry itself, We can best achieve this by hearing from people in the industry through YouTube, blogs, vlogs and other social media. Forming this map of the sector in your own mind will give you a far better idea of what kind of role you'd like to play in it.   WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET STARTED? Networking in places such as LinkedIn and Eventbrite are a great way to begin getting to know people and the kinds of skills that have helped them. Resources such as Codebar can help those at the start of their tech journey, and pairs you with people already in the industry, and allow you to solve problems together.   WHAT'S THE STATE OF THE TECH INDUSTRY IN THE UK (AND THE WORLD) RIGHT NOW? The tech industry is a boom town right now, and has proved resilient and robust, even through the pandemic. The UK right now is the third hottest area for investment in tech, behind only the US and China. Most investment is staying in the south of the country, and specifically London. This has led to a hiring frenzy in the sector.   HOW DOES A NEWBIE OR JUNIOR DEV GET HIRED? The first step is to combat any feelings of impostor syndrome and build confidence in the skills you've accumulated. Gathering effective feedback will help you to identify any potential parts that may need development in your skill set. The next step is correctly identify the terms being used when it comes to tech roles, and better select the career path you want.   WHAT IS BOOLEAN AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER TRAINING PROVIDERS? Boolean is an online international tech academy that began in Italy three years ago, and which has partnered with 800+ companies on its hiring platform. It follows a “Six months course with six months career coaching” program of learning. Boolean prides itself on its one-to-one support, and the fact that it directs students in how to solve problems on their own.   HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH YOUR COURSE, AND GONE ON TO SECURE JOBS? 1,300 students have been trained by Boolean. Last year alone Boolean had a 95% placement rate for students.   BEST MOMENTS (1:50) – Patrick - “The aim is to turn coding newbies into software developers” (9:17) – Patrick - “A question you should ask yourself is ‘As a developer at this company, what would my role be in helping a company to achieve its goals?'” (14:55) – Patrick – “Tech is genuinely a way in which we could level up” (18:38) – Patrick – “The tech community is so powerful, so strong. Not just for finding a job, but also for personal growth”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:   Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Facebook: https://facebook.com/philtechcareer Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – PATRICK LYNOTT Patrick Lynott is the Head of UK Admissions & Placement at Boolean, a tech education company that teaches their students to be software engineers and then helps them to land their first job in tech.   CONTACT THE GUEST – PATRICK LYNOTT Patrick Lynott can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklynott/ Website: https://boolean.co.uk/

In this week's show, Phil talks to Slater Victoroff, who has been building AI, machine learning and deep learning solutions for the enterprise for the better part of the past decade having worked with everyone from the federal government to two-person startups to the Fortune 100. He has also educated hundreds of business users in the successful implementation of deep learning through a simple framework that helps executives rapidly accelerate the adoption of the technology in their businesses. Slater talks about the importance of effective communication, and how your skills as a storyteller can inspire and motivate others. He also discusses the importance of reflecting upon the “why” that drives us onwards.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Regardless of the field that you are in, so much of your ability to drive change will depend on the way you communicate and are able to create narratives that will inspire and lead others to go the distance.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Slater was a CEO, and while he did not underperform in the role, he found that his skill-set was not what the company deserved. Sometimes we need to recognize when we are not the right person for the job.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Slater marks out the “feeling of togetherness” he experienced when bringing together a team, and the sense of high spirits and camaraderie that he helped to construct along with the team.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The idea of building shared spaces where non-technical subject matter experts can contribute to the technical solutions being developed – a broad church of skill-sets and backgrounds that combine to enrich the IT sector.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – When Slater realized that empires can be built through technological means. What's the best career advice you received? – Slater has always found that the best way to advance his career is to not follow too much advice. What's the worst career advice you received? – That control makes you successful. What would you do if you started your career now? – Slater would still tread the path he's walked, as he believes his company has always been his calling. What are your current career objectives? – Growing Indico and helping their customers to be able to tell their own stories. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Acting and performance have helped Slater to deliver presentations more effectively. How do you keep your own career energized? – Talking to interesting people, and continuously improving his outlook, is the best way to keep the creative juices flowing. What do you do away from technology? – Martial arts, vegan baking, and reading science fiction..   FINAL CAREER TIP Don't forget the “why” and focus on the foundational reasons behind what it is that you're doing.   BEST MOMENTS (1:47) – Slater - “I never want to be doing something that I believe will get done without me” (4:52) – Slater - “So much of your ability to be effective and drive change in your organization is going to pegged to how well you can story-tell” (6:10) – Slater – “The further you go in an organization, the bigger the problems you're solving” (18:26) – Slater – “So many of our limitations are self-imposed. You can do so much on a laptop!”   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey.   CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Facebook: https://facebook.com/philtechcareer Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer   ABOUT THE GUEST – SLATER VICTOROFF Slater Victoroff has been building AI, machine learning and deep learning solutions for the enterprise for the better part of the past decade having worked with everyone from the federal government to two-person startups to the Fortune 100. He has also educated hundreds of business users in the successful implementation of deep learning through a simple framework that helps executives rapidly accelerate the adoption of the technology in their businesses.   CONTACT THE GUEST – SLATER VICTOROFF Slater Victoroff can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/sl8rv LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/slatervictoroff/ Website: https://indico.io/

In this week's show, Phil talks to James Stanger, CompTIA's Chief Technology Evangelist. James has consulted in cloud security, open source, and networking for organizations such as Northrop Grumman, Tesco, AWS, West Point, SoftBank, and Symantec. He has also developed education programs on a myriad of subjects, including security analytics, cloud administration, Linux, British Romantic literature and kayaking. In this episode James talks about the importance of interpersonal skills and why we should always remember that IT is a people business. He also discusses the value in developing your own network of people. KEY TAKEAWAYS: TOP CAREER TIP Always keep on top of your power skills, especially the ability to act effectively in an interpersonal way. Remember that IT is a people business, so we must show respect for others. WORST CAREER MOMENT Early in his working life, James realized that he had spent much of his time training and gaining qualifications, only to be stuck in a job that would not pay him accordingly. CAREER HIGHLIGHT James's public speaking touched the mind and heart of an audience member who later approached him to tell him that the advice he had given had been life-changing. THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The incredibly rapid change that happens in IT. So long as we have the foundational skills, we can always adapt and pivot in the sector and find new opportunities. IT has also impacted the world in incredibly positive ways throughout the COVID experience. THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – James recognized the need to make technology do very interesting things for humanity. What's the best career advice you received? – Always be curious. What's the worst career advice you received? – Follow the money! What would you do if you started your career now? – James would have worked harder in learning the foundations of IT and tech. What are your current career objectives? – Understanding security elements and analytics, as well as project management and how to be more “agile”. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Developing empathy and working out where people are coming from. How do you keep your own career energized? – James likes to do deep dives into specific topics and really get to the heart of matters. What do you do away from technology? – Scuba diving, kayaking and working on cars. FINAL CAREER TIP As well as being curious, always do your best to develop your network. Learning from others is the best way to grow. BEST MOMENTS (8:55) – James - “If you can't manage your time, you're not as useful as you think you are” (13:52) – James - “It comes down to listening to your network of friends and people you work with and for” (18:20) – James – “Technology, when it's used right, can be there to help us out as long as we use our tools correctly, and don't use them for ill” (22:06) – James – “If you have an innate sense of trying to figure out how something works, you'll always get into the meat of a situation” ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organizations to design, develop, and implement software solutions.  Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.  And in 2017 Phil started the I.T. Career Energizer podcast to try to help as many people as possible to learn from the career advice and experiences of those that have been, and still are, on that same career journey. CONTACT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/_philburgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast's website, https://itcareerenergizer.com Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer ABOUT THE GUEST – JAMES STANGER James Stanger is CompTIA's Chief Technology Evangelist. He has consulted in cloud security, open source, and networking for organizations such as Northrop Grumman, Tesco, AWS, West Point, SoftBank, and Symantec. He has also developed education programs on a myriad of subjects, including security analytics, cloud administration, Linux, British Romantic literature and kayaking. CONTACT THE GUEST – JAMES STANGER James Stanger can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesstanger LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesstanger/ Website: https://www.comptia.org/home

In this week's show, Phil talks to Seth Hammerman, a Senior Cloud Security Sales Engineer for a large Cybersecurity vendor having made a mid-career change from the construction industry into IT. He has been either a pre-sales Sales Engineer or Sales Engineer Manager for most of his IT career, but has also held roles such as Technical Sales Manager and Director of Channel Sales Enablement. Seth talks about the importance of choosing the right career in IT, and following the path towards the things you truly love. He also discusses why the great IT careers are built upon an attitude of gratitude. Check out the show notes for this episode at https://itcareerenergizer.com/e302

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Kyle Prinsloo, who helps web designers and developers to launch and grow their freelancing careers. He is a developer, consultant and course creator as well as host of The Freelancer Podcast where he shares freelancing and marketing nuggets for web developers. Kyle talks about the importance of curiosity and inquisitiveness. He also discusses the value of forging strong relationships so as to better learn from those who can teach. Show notes for this episode can be found at https://itcareerenergizer.com/e301

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Jan Muhlfeit, who has a proven track record in building and leading successful teams which he acquired through an extensive, 22-year career at Microsoft Corporation where his last role was that of Chairman for Europe. Since leaving Microsoft in 2014 he has been coaching individuals and teams on how to uncover their personal strengths and find the best in people. He also coaches high-level executives, Olympic games winners and artists from different countries and continents. And he still manages to find the time to be a highly-regarded global speaker, having spoken at Harvard, MIT and Cambridge to name a few. Jan talks about the importance of self-awareness, and why discovering ourselves can lead to better understanding of others. He also discusses why having a growth mindset will allow us to become the best version of ourselves. Show notes and links can be found at https://itcareerenergizer.com/e300