I.t. Career Energizer: Phil Burgess Chats With Robert C Martin, John Sonmez, David Rael And Other Successful It Professionals

Phil’s guest on today's show is Danny Thompson, a Software Developer who has a passion for tech and programming.  He is also Chapter Founder & Leader of GDG Memphis, providing resources for aspiring developers. In this episode Danny joins Phil to talk about why it’s okay to admit when you don’t have the answer, and how it can lead to personal growth. Danny also discusses the importance of self-motivation, and why your career goals can only truly be achieved by never giving up. Full show notes and links to related resources are available on the IT Career Energizer website - https://itcareerenergizer.com

Phil’s guest on today’s show is Sam Lightstone, IBM’s Chief Technology Officer for AI Strategy, an IBM Fellow and a Master Inventor in the IBM Data and AI group. He is also chair of the Data and AI Technical Team, the working group of IBM’s technical executives in the division. In this episode Sam joins Phil to discuss the power of innovation, and why we must always seek to first convince people that we have good ideas by allowing them to visualise, and innovate through creative thinking. Sam also talks about the importance of being clear when it comes to your career goals in IT, and why without a clear goal to aim for, we can never truly hope to arrive at our ideal destination Full show notes and links to related resources are available on the IT Career Energizer website - https://itcareerenergizer.com

Phil’s guest on today’s show is Douglas Ferguson, an entrepreneur and technologist with over 20 years of experience.  He is a master facilitator and the author of three innovation books: Beyond the Prototype, How to Remix Anything, and Start Within.   He is also the founder and president of Voltage Control, a facilitation agency helping teams to work better together.   Douglas discusses the importance of finding new perspectives by looking outside of our own industry, and how this can lead to innovative thinking. He also talks about the importance of facilitation, and how it will shape the future of an ever-more automated working landscape.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP We must look outside of our own industries. By opening ourselves to new ways of working, of new experiences, we allow ourselves to find new perspectives and new ways of thinking.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Whenever emotions get the best of Douglas, it can get the better of him. Being dressed down in public can give rise to negative emotional im

Phil’s guest on today’s show is Raj Subrameyer, an international speaker, writer and tech coach who helps people step into the leadership role of their dreams through his services and speeches.  He is helping countless people to discover their ‘Zone of Genius’ and leverage it to live the life that they love. In this episode Phil and Raj discuss the importance of establishing your own brand, and how an effective network can help to energise our career path. Raj also talks about the importance of deciding on the course of your own journey, and why it’s never too late to make a change. Full show notes and links to related resources are available on the IT Career Energizer website - https://itcareerenergizer.com

Phil’s guest on the show this time is Doug Arcuri, a Software Engineering Manager for IBM who has worked in the IT industry for 15 years.  His interest in computers began when his parents purchased a Gateway PC in 1998 which led to him developing a few successful game modifications for Half Life. Subsequently, Doug went on to learn engineering concepts, C++, website design and game modification tooling setting the foundation for his IT career.   Doug and Phil talk about the importance of building effective business relationships over being entirely purpose-driven, and why people should be the foundations of any career.   Doug also talks about why feedback should always be welcomed as a way of helping us grow and develop, instead of being seen as criticism.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Don’t be entirely purpose-driven. It’s important to focus on the business and upon delivery, but we must also pay consideration to building effective, empowering relationships.   WORST CAREER MOMENT After finding himself ou

Phil’s guest on today’s show is Brad Finkeldei, a former IT professional who is now on a mission to help 10,000 people-pleasers become confident, and to do what they love.  He teaches his clients how to find their purpose, and how to powerfully share their stories so that they stand out in the job search process. Brad discusses the importance of listening to the voice inside that guides us from time-to-time, and why we should endeavour to find the confidence to speak out on our own behalf when opportunity knocks.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Always speak up for yourself when you have the chance to. A missed opportunity to share ideas and put yourself out there can haunt you for a long time afterwards. It can also help to identify issues earlier, and prevent unnecessary pain later on.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Brad once turned down a huge opportunity for career development because of a lack of self-belief. Sometimes the opportunities that we are given are as a result of an outside perspective that other have

Phil’s guest on today’s show is Kris Howard, a Solutions Architect Manager at Amazon Web Services in Sydney, Australia.  Her achievements include creating a serverless application that creates an iCal feed for tech events, and the RoaldDahlFans website which has been running since 1996. In this episode Kris shares her thoughts on mentorship, IT as part of a modern society, the importance of engaging with your local tech community and much more. Full show notes and links to related resources are available on the IT Career Energizer website - https://itcareerenergizer.com/e265

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Ramona Shaw, the former VP of a global equity firm, who now leverages her analytical, results-driven approach, personal leadership experiences and extensive research to help companies such as Google, Dropbox and Asana, to achieve success through building relationships and a strong executive presence. Ramona shares her thoughts on successful leadership, remote working and the importance of making those around you feel valued. Full show notes and links to related resources are available on the IT Career Energizer website - https://itcareerenergizer.com

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Boris Paskhaver, author of 'Pandas in Action' and a full-stack web developer who builds apps in React and Ruby on Rails. He is also an Agile consultant and online educator, with six programming course credits on Udemy, encompassing 236,000 students. Boris discusses his insights into ways of dynamically increasing your own creativity, the importance of initiative, and why we must always strive to grow. Full show notes and links to related resources are available on the IT Career Energizer website - https://itcareerenergizer.com

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Ramzi Marjaba, Senior Sales Engineer for Keysight Technologies, where he helps customers to diagnose problems and then build a vision of the required solution. He is also the creator of the website WeTheSalesEngineers and its corresponding podcast, which seeks to help other sales engineers develop and improve their careers.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   (2:35) TOP CAREER TIP Although the world is headed to a more tech-driven destination, we must always endeavor to work on the human side of business, developing skills such as communication, persuasion and demonstration.   (6:20) WORST CAREER MOMENT A technical error can lead to disaster, as was almost the case with a simple mouse-click for Ramzi. It’s important to know the tools that you’re using, and understand what the potential consequences can be.   (8:19) CAREER HIGHLIGHT The bane of every sales engineer is to perform a demonstration with little information going in. Ramzi chose to forego the misinfo

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is David Bishop. He is a technologist, consultant, researcher, entrepreneur, and instructor with experience across telecommunications, transportation, government and utilities.  He is an author of numerous books and articles as well as a frequent contributor to the IEEE’s Engineering Management Review.   David is also founding chair for the Atlanta chapter of the IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society.   In this episode, Phil and David Bishop discuss how to manage your manager to improve your career opportunities. They talk about the importance of focusing on the business and what it does rather than just the tech.   David also talks about the challenge of selling your skills and how to do it well. As well as explaining why being happy to take risks is a good idea in the IT industry. David also briefly covers solving business problems using his Metagility approach to Managing Agile Development.     KEY TAKEAWAYS: (5.30) TOP CAREER TIP

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Broadus Palmer. He is a Google Cloud Training Architect and Cloud Career Coach. Broadus is focused on helping individuals who are strongly committed to changing their lives by advancing or transitioning careers in the cloud industry.   He’s an in-demand coach, specialising in hands-on coaching with the industry’s hottest tools and skills along with motivation aimed at changing your mindset.   In this episode, Phil and Broadus Palmer discuss how to be ready for the next big thing, so your skills are always in demand. They talk about the importance of having a plan and sticking to it. As well as how to leverage what you are learning to help others, build a community and move your career forward.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (11.41) TOP CAREER TIP Sometimes success loves speed. At times, you will need to fast track your learning to take advantage of new opportunities. To push yourself to be ready.   If something new comes out and you think it is going to be

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Tom Gilb, the author of ten books and hundreds of papers on requirements, design, project management and related subjects. His ideas on requirements are the acknowledged basis for CMMi Level 4, which were based upon his pioneering book, ‘Software Metrics’, where he also coined that term. Tom has lectured at universities across the globe, and has been a keynote speaker at multiple technical conferences. In 2012, he was named an Honorary Fellow of the British Computer Society. Tom joins Phil today to discuss his extensive business journey, his outlook upon the analytical approach to solving problems, and why the future of IT may lie in adopting an engineering approach.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (4:08) TOP CAREER TIP Always try to volunteer to help people who may be facing a challenge. Gain permission to help, make friends and learn along the way. Even if you aren’t always successful, you will mark yourself out as a useful colleague.   (9:08) WORST CAREER

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Joe Carson. Joe is a cybersecurity professional with over 25 years’ experience in Enterprise Security & Infrastructure.  He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, an active member of the Cyber Security Community, and a frequent speaker at Cyber Security events around the world. He is currently the Chief Security Scientist at Thycotic. In this episode, Phil and Joe Carson discuss how to keep your skills fresh and relevant. Joe explains that it is not just about learning new languages. He shares how he uses physical experiences to help him to identify the right way to approach projects. Joe also identifies several areas of technology that are set to take off, in the near future. They also discuss how to get started in the cybersecurity field.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (5.38) TOP CAREER TIP Never stop learning. Being a continuous learner ensures you do this and keep moving. It is now normal to have to switch roles and tech every fiv

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Austin Belcak. He teaches people how to land jobs they love in today’s market without traditional ‘experience’ and without applying online. His strategies have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Inc., Fast Company, and USA Today.  His clients have landed job offers at Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook to name but a few.  In this episode, Phil and Austin Belcak discuss how to land an IT job with a major company even if you do not have traditional experience or qualifications. He explains how to establish a connection, build relationships, and leverage them. They talk about how to demonstrate to your target firm that you have something that they need. They also discuss how not to fall into the trap of simply following the crowd. As well as looking at how the CoVid crisis is changing the way everyone works and lives.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (29.32) TOP CAREER TIP If you see everybody else recommending something, take a step back and ask if

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Nyari Samushonga. Nyari is the Chief Executive Officer of WeThinkCode_ where her primary responsibility is to gear the organization up for growth.  She also co-founded FoldLeft, a digital consultancy that uses hypothesis-driven models to design and deliver impactful software solutions. Her expertise lies in bridging the divide between business executives and tech innovators to maximize the value of software. In this episode, Phil and Nyari Samushonga discuss the best way to make complex decisions, especially those that relate to your career. They also talk about how to successfully handle the politics that exists in most workplaces.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (4.55) TOP CAREER TIP Get good at making decisions. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the many different things that could happen as a result of your decision. You need to learn how to understand and make sense of all of that complexity. During the podcast, Nyari shares 4 important questions you need

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Bret Fisher. Bret is a freelance DevOps and Docker consultant, Udemy Instructor, trainer, speaker, and Open Source volunteer.  He teaches courses on Docker and Container technology and often does live training workshops. He’s also a volunteer Docker Captain and has been blogging about tech for more than 15 years. In this episode, Phil and Bret Fisher discuss the importance of holding strong opinions on things that are fact-based. While still listening, with an open mind, to what others have to say on the matter and not being afraid to change your view when appropriate. They also discuss how to effectively use even short online courses to greatly improve your career prospects. Bret also shares why employers now want to employ people who are willing and able to help others.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (4.43) TOP CAREER TIP Here Bret talks about the importance of having “strong opinions that are weakly held”. It is important to know why you hold the opinion

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Chani Simms. She is an award-winning cybersecurity leader and keynote speaker with more than 17 years’ experience in the IT industry.  Chani is an advisor and a specialist in helping organizations to understand, implement, and manage information security and privacy requirements. She is also the founder of the SHe CISO Exec. Global platform.  In this episode, Phil and Chani Simms discuss how to ensure that you are always learning and why being dropped in the deep end is often a good thing. They also talk about workplace bullying and what to do about it. Chani explains how being afraid to fail holds most people back and how to overcome that fear.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (9.13) TOP CAREER TIP Try to push yourself out of your comfort zone all the time. It is the only way to ensure you are always learning new things   (11.34) WORST CAREER MOMENT At one stage, Chani was bullied in the workplace by her program director. It had never happened to her before,

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Dan Shappir. He has been involved in software development for more than 25 years, having worked in a variety of different roles including engineer, team lead, architect, and chief technical officer.  Dan is currently the performance tech lead at Wix.com where he focuses on making their 100 million hosted websites load and execute faster. He is also an international speaker as well as a panelist on the JavaScript Jabber podcast. In this episode, Phil and Dan Shappir discuss the importance of being in control of your career. As well as how to change things if you are on the wrong path. Dan also explains why he thinks his biggest career highlights are still ahead of him and where today´s emerging technologies are likely to take us. He also shares why he is more interested in hiring problem-solvers rather than just people who are familiar with a specific technology.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (5.25) TOP CAREER TIP It is up to you to determine the meaning of

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Krista Seiden. She is an experienced leader in the digital analytics industry.  She has led analytics and optimization at companies such as Adobe, The Apollo Group, and Google. She is also a frequent conference speaker as well as a winner of ‘Digital Analytics Rising Star’ in 2014 and ‘Practitioner of the Year’ in 2015. In this episode, Phil and Krista Seiden discuss how she got into digital analytics and how she used informal mentors and social media to learn and network. She also explains how volunteering has helped her to gain new skills and she shares her thoughts on the future of IT.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.35) TOP CAREER TIP Use informal mentors. From the start of her career, Krista has been doing exactly that. When she saw something that interested her on social media, she would reach out to learn more. It proved to be an effective way of making connections. When she finally met them in person, after following them and reading what they had