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

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

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Tobias Macey. He currently manages and leads the Technical Operations Team at MIT Open Learning where he designs and builds cloud infrastructure to power online access to education for the global MIT community. He also owns and operates Boundless Notions where he offers design, review, and implementation advice on data infrastructure and cloud automation.  And he’s the host of the weekly Python Podcast and the Data Engineering Podcast. In this episode, Phil and Tobias Macey discuss some of the assets MIT offers free of charge to the global community, including Open Courseware and the Open edXplatform. They talk about how knowing the fundamentals makes it easier to learn the latest tech. Tobias also talks about the advancements in the ability to gain insights in real-time from data and how data engineering will be the biggest driver for our global economy.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (5.06) TOP CAREER TIP Make sure that you are always learning. But, also

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Sanjeev Sharma. He was an early practitioner and coach of the Scrum methodology and has become a world-renowned expert and thought leader in DevOps as well as a pioneer of DevOps at IBM. He has authored two bestselling books, “DevOps for Dummies” and “The DevOps Adoption Playbook” and he is now a thought leader in the emerging area of DataOps. In this episode, Phil and Sanjeev Sharma discuss the importance of not getting distracted by the tech and ending up chasing certifications. They also talk about how to achieve a proper understanding of what it is that your customer needs. Sanjeev also shares why initially you need to focus on learning how to learn and the core principles of IT.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (4.44) TOP CAREER TIP Do not get distracted by the technology, focus on the core principles. In the podcast, Sanjeev explains what they are. As well as how not to fall into the trap of chasing certifications you don´t really need.   (9.58) WORST C

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Chris Ferdinandi. He is the author of the Vanilla JS Pocket Guide series, creator of the Vanilla JS Academy training program and host of the Vanilla JS Podcast.  Chris has created JavaScript plugins that have been used by organizations such as Apple and the Harvard Business School. He also publishes a developer tips newsletter which is read by more than 8,000 developers every weekday. In this episode, Phil and Chris Ferdinandi discuss how networking enables you to find out about roles that are not public knowledge yet. He shares a bad experience that taught him the need to be cautious at the interview stage, ask the right questions and get things in writing. They also talk about why communication is a vital skill and how sharing what you know brings benefits.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.11) TOP CAREER TIP Meet as many people as you can and continue to network throughout your career. It is a great way to find out about roles before they are advertised.

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Bob Belderbos. He is a software developer at Oracle, co-author of the 100 Days of Code in Python course and co-founder of PyBites, a community for those wanting to improve their Python skills. To date, Pybites has hosted 50 code challenges, published more than 100 articles and built a Python exercise platform. In this episode, Phil and Bob Belderbos discuss owning your career and how to choose the right skills to acquire. They also talk about how to turn a mistake into a positive situation. Bob also covers how the CoVid crisis, AI and automation are going to change the industry. He and Phil talk about why you need to push yourself and learn how to market yourself effectively and share what you are doing.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (2.30) TOP CAREER TIP You have to own your career. It is a mistake to rely on your manager or superior to be in charge of your development. Choose the skills you learn strategically. It is not enough to just focus on things th

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Roberta Matuson. She has helped leaders in Fortune 500 companies, as well as small to medium-sized businesses, achieve dramatic growth and market leadership through the maximization of talent. Roberta is a leading authority on leadership and the skills and strategies required to earn employee commitment and client loyalty. She is also the author of several books including the recently released “Evergreen Talent”. In this episode, Phil and Roberta Matuson discuss the importance of building strong interpersonal and people management skills. They talk about why, instead of waiting until you have acquired every skill asked for in a job advert, you should just apply. Roberta also explains how the IT job market is changing and how job hunters can adapt and benefit from the changes. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (4.16) WORST CAREER MOMENT Losing a great job, mainly because she had failed to build a good relationship with her boss and other members of higher managem

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Steve Kahan. He has a distinguished career. Steve has helped to grow seven startup companies from early-stage development to going public or being sold, resulting in a total value of more than $3 billion. He is currently Chief Marketing Officer for Thycotic, a cybersecurity company, which he has helped take from $10 million to over $60 million in its first three years. And late last year his book “Be A Startup Superstar: Ignite Your Career Working at a Tech Startup” was published by Wiley. In this episode, Phil and Steve Kahan discuss the benefits of working for a startup, how to pick one with a winning product and quickly track down the best jobs within the sector. They also cover how to give yourself the best chance of landing the job you want. Then what you need to do to progress quickly and take full advantage of the chance to grow your skillset.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.06) CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST STARTUP EXPERIENCE? Steve started by

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Siddick Elaheebocus. Siddick has worked in the IT industry for 18 years.  He is currently a Director and Technology Strategist for an IT services company based in the French Pacific providing vendor-agnostic digital advisory, professional services and training. Siddick is also a Chartered IT Professional, a long-standing Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), a technology conference speaker and a mentor. He is also a former Microsoft TechIdol winner In this episode, Phil and Siddick Elaheebocus discuss how continuous self-development provides security and opens up exciting possibilities. In the podcast, Siddick goes over numerous ways you can do all of this efficiently. They discuss why having a purely technical skillset is no longer sufficient for IT professionals. As well as why failure is not a negative thing. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (6.37) TOP CAREER TIP Invest in yourself continually. Things change fast you never know when your role will change drasti

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Derick Rethans. Derick is a PHP internals expert and author of Xdebug.  He works as an independent contractor and consultant on PHP extensions and related projects. Derick has contributed to the PHP project in numerous forms and is the host of the PHP Internals News podcast as well as being a frequent speaker at conferences. In this episode, Phil and Derick Rethans discuss why asking for help is a strength rather than a weakness. Derick shares how he counters his introvert tendencies so that he can fill in his knowledge gaps and help others. They also talk about how to take on challenging roles and build new skills, while still maintaining the right work/life balance. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.18) TOP CAREER TIP Asking for help should be a skill that you use liberally. Doing so saves you a huge amount of time and hassle. Often, it is a mutually beneficial experience. They answer your questions and, often, will ask you a few of their own. We should all

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Stephen Woolston.  Stephen is a program and service delivery consultant with an extensive background in IT infrastructure.  He holds a first-class computer science degree from Nottingham University and started his career working on mainframe systems at Norwich Union. He is also a professional coach, helping people to become happier and more successful in what they do. In this episode, Phil and Stephen Woolston discuss how to quickly adapt your approach to problem-solving, in an ever-changing landscape, by using radical adaptability and positive direction-finding. How to quickly adapt to new environments, find and fix more problems effectively. As well as the importance of having confidence in your abilities. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.04) TOP CAREER TIP Develop radical adaptability and a positive direction finder. You need to have the ability to drop into any commercial environment and quickly figure out what is happening and how to move things in the

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Aslam Khan. He has more than 20 years of experience in software design and architecture, leveraging his background in Electronic Engineering. He is a regular speaker at local and international conferences on software development and agile methodologies as well as the author of Grokking Functional Programming. He says that he is convinced that software development is hard, very hard. In this episode, Phil and Aslam Khan discuss how to better understand the problems you are trying to solve for your clients so that you produce better solutions and designs. As well as why everyone needs to be prepared to take the lead sometimes. They also discuss how the IT industry is evolving into a more diverse and accessible one.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.24) TOP CAREER TIP Don´t change jobs simply to earn more money. It is far better to do so to learn something new. Aslam has always sought out people who can teach him something and it has greatly benefitted him to

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Kevin Kline. He is the Principal Program Manager at Sentry One, a leading provider of award-winning tools for database management and monitoring. Kevin is a founding board member and former president of the international Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS). He frequently contributes to database technology magazines, websites, and discussion forums. Kevin is also an author or co-author of several books including SQL In A Nutshell, published by O’Reilly Media which is now in its third edition. In this episode, Phil and Kevin Kline discuss how seeking out ways to actively practice your skills pays dividends. They talk about why soft skills really matter for IT professionals and how to develop them. Kevin shares his insights into the future of the IT industry. Including how automation and big data will greatly benefit everyone. Show notes for this episode can be found at https://itcareerenergizer.com/e241

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Madison Kanna. She is a software developer working at Keeper Security.  Madison is also the host of the CodeBookClub, an online community with live online meetups for beginners and intermediate developers.  She blogs about JavaScript and teaching yourself how to code without attending a Bootcamp.    In this episode, Phil and Madison Kanna discuss how someone who is new to the industry can map out what they will learn and in what order. Madison explains how to motivate and organize yourself to acquire the knowledge you need.     KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.22) TOP CAREER TIP If you are a new developer, create a curriculum for yourself. Try to map out what you will learn. Knowing, in advance, what step you are going to take next will help you to keep momentum, so your career does not end up stalling before it has really got started.   (5.41) WORST CAREER MOMENT Early in her career, Madison just did not enjoy her work. The firm she worked for did not belie

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Anna Murray. She is a nationally recognized technology consultant, speaker, and blogger as well as the owner of a successful software development company.  She founded one of the earliest web-development firms, emedia, in 1996 and is a double recipient of the Stevie Award for Women in Business.   She also serves as the President of the Board of the International Women’s Writing Guild.   In this episode, Phil and Anna Murray discuss the fact that there are a lot of roles within the industry that do not require you to have an engineering background or degree. They speak about practical ways to progress your career on a daily basis.   Anna also explains why she has focused on what she wants to get out of her working life, rather than chasing after a specific job title.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.41) TOP CAREER TIP You need a day-to-day to-do list. But it is very important to have a second one, a career to-do list. Things that you need to do to move your

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Mandy Michael. She is a community organizer, speaker, writer, and developer.  Mandy is currently working as a Development Manager at Seven West Media in Western Australia.  Her passion is front end technology and she’s a strong advocate for women in technology, volunteering at events such as She Codes and Muse JS.   She is also Founder and Organiser of Fenders, a local meetup for Front End Developers, co-organizer and director of MixinConf and was named as one of the Top 20 Women in Tech in Western Australia in its inaugural year.    In this episode, Phil and Mandy Michael discuss why it is worth taking the time to learn how to use organizational tools effectively. They talk about the best way to challenge decisions others make that affect you.   Mandy also talks a little about variable fonts, how they can be created and what you can achieve by using them. She explains how public speaking and becoming more empathetic have both helped her caree