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 Rick Claus. Rick is a Microsoft Developer Advocate on the Azure engineering team. His role is to connect with technical communities in order to share his knowledge about the ecosystem and capture feedback on how to make things better. He has worked in the IT industry for more than 20 years, working on Core Azure infrastructure services, Windows Server, systems management and all things “cloud” In this episode Phil and Rick discuss why you need to challenge yourself to learn, the potential of new technologies to make our lives easier and why you should try to work with people smarter than you.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (5.21) TOP CAREER TIP Rick says that career advice is often specific to the individual. However what has worked for him is to continue to stay curious but also challenging yourself to continue to learn. Rick approaches everything as someone new to the industry which helps to maintain his level of excitement and curiosity.   (6.56) WORST C

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Allan Kelly. Allan is the author of several books including “Continuous Digital”, “Project Myopia” and “A Little Book about Requirements and User Stories”. He is also a regular conference speaker and the originator of Retrospective Dialogue Sheets, Value Poker and Time Value Profiles In this episode Phil and Allan discuss why a career in I.T. can be a risk, why new technologies will open up new problems to be solved and why you shouldn’t be scared to take some time out for yourself. Allan also provides some fantastic stories and insight into his own career.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.58) TOP CAREER TIP By having an interesting career in I.T. you are taking on a lot of career risk. Allan talks about the number of companies that he has worked for in the past that have subsequently either disappeared or folded. This is because interesting and innovative companies often haven’t found out how to make money reliably and this could delay your pay check.   (

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Aslak Hellesoy. Aslak is the creator of Cucumber and co-founder of Cucumber Limited.  He is a co-author of The Cucumber Book and was an early adopter of XP and BDD.   He has worked as a programmer, software architect, business owner and trainer in a variety of industries including finance, telecom and retail.   In this episode Phil and Aslak discuss his involvement in the test-driven way of working and how Cucumber came about. He explains how his Open Source projects played a role in the company’s formation and how his career has benefited from this way of getting things done.   Aslak demonstrates why learning functional programming languages is now a good idea. They also discuss the merits of CRDT and functional programming languages.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (8.50) TOP CAREER TIP Get involved in Open Source. Doing that has played a big role in Aslak’s career success. It is an effective way to learn new tech, have fun, expand your network and make a

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Bert Jan Schrijver who is Chief Technical Officer at OpenValue in the Netherlands.  He focuses on Java, Continuous Delivery and DevOps.  And he is a Java Champion, JavaOneRockstar speaker and user group leader for the Dutch Java User Group.   He also loves to share his experiences by speaking at conferences, writing for the Dutch Java magazine and helping out Devoxx4Kids with teaching kids how to code.   In this episode Phil and Bert Jan Schrijver discuss how engaging with the tech community leads to more interesting career opportunities. They talk about how switching projects regularly enables you to achieve more and progress your career faster. Bert explains how to get the balance right, so you can find interesting, fun and engaging work.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.57) TOP CAREER TIP Engage in tech communities. Doing this has really shaped Bert’s career. Every company he has worked with in the past 10 years is one he heard about via the community,

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Sarah Guthals. She is currently a Senior Program Manager for Microsoft, focused on education.  She received a PhD in Computer Science from UCSD in 2014. During graduate school, she co-founded ThoughtSTEM, a company that teaches children to code through software and courses. She is also author of a dozen technical books targeted at students and was recently named in Forbes 30 under 30 list and UCSD’s 40 under 40 alumni. In this episode, Phil and Sarah Guthals discuss why you need to review the direction your life and career is taking, every 6 months, or so. They also talk about imposter syndrome and how it damages everyone, rather than just you. Sarah explains why you need to tailor the work you do to fit in with your unique skill set, an approach that benefits everyone. She also shares a simple tip that will enable you to become more effective at negotiating pay and benefits packages.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (5.24) TOP CAREER TIP Check-in with yourse

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Claudio Perrone. A well-known Lean & Agile management consultant, entrepreneur and start-up strategist.  He is a Fellow of the Lean Systems Society, the creative force behind A3 Thinker and the inventor of the PopcornFlow thinking model.   He has also been the driving force behind the design and development of several large scale solutions for global companies in the fields of e-learning, e-commerce, manufacturing and automation.     In this episode, Phil and Claudio discuss the PopcornFlow thinking way of working and how it drives faster change. He explains how to overcome the tendency to be zombie-like and always choose the default solution. They also speak about the importance of challenging yourself, so you stay marketable and discuss how this can be done.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (7.42) TOP CAREER TIP Grow claws like a tiger – stay sharp, always be learning and keep yourself marketable. Search out projects that keep you working on yourself. N

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Allen Holub.  An internationally recognised software architect and Agile-transformation consultant.  He’s worn every hat from CTO to grunt-programmer, and is an expert-level programmer in many languages.   He is also an international speaker and a widely published author, having written ten books and hundreds of articles.    In this episode, Phil and Allen discuss the unique challenges working as an independent throws up and how to cope with them. They also discuss the benefits that working this way bring.   They talk about why you need to seek advice from the right people. Then reveal two non-technical skills that will keep you organised and energize your career.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (7.29) TOP CAREER TIP If you are working as a consultant, make sure you keep at least 6 months of cash to hand. Your income is going to fluctuate and you need to be able to cover your bills.   Social media marketing is important for consultants. Twitter works particu

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Josh Doody. He helps software developers to get more high-quality job offers and negotiate higher salaries.  He is also the author of the book “Fearless Salary Negotiation”, a step-by-step guide to getting paid what you’re worth.   In this episode, Phil and Josh discuss the right way to negotiate high salaries. He shows the audience how a few simple language changes will turn you into a better negotiator and self advocate.   Josh explains how to avoid weakening your negotiation position by using a number when answering the question, how much do you want to make? He also reveals the IT sector in which his highest paid coaching clients are involved and explains why you may want to switch career direction.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.09) TOP CAREER TIP Always re-negotiate job offers, even if you think the offer is a really good one. Usually, you will have underestimated your value to that firm. They know this is likely to be the case. So, most firms, wil

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Rob Allen. He leads impactful, cohesive development teams from the ground up to solve thorny problems.  He turns wild-west-style engineering organisations into professional powerhouses by leading untested initiatives through to successful deployment and broader adoption.    In this episode, Phil and Rob Allen discuss why setting clear goals is essential. As well as how to work out what they should be and achieve them. They also discuss the benefits of learning to be inclusive, listen closely and be empathic in your work life. As well as touching on how and when to reassess things so that you become even more effective and grow your career.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (3.17) TOP CAREER TIP The best GPS system can’t help you if you do not have a destination in mind. Career-wise you need to know where you are going in order to plot a way of getting there.   Rob points out that setting good career goals is not necessarily about setting your sights on working

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Laurie Barth. She is a software engineer who started as a mathematician.   She currently works as a developer and consultant with Ten Mile Square Technologies in the Washington DC Metro area.   In this episode, Phil and Laurie Barth discuss how to use your previous skills and experience to succeed when taking on new roles. They also speak about how the background of those getting involved in the industry is becoming more diverse and the positive impact that is having.   During the podcast, they discuss how an empathetic approach to project management brings benefits for both the customer and the development team. As well as, talking about the opportunities working collaboratively as an IT community is creating.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (4.46) TOP CAREER TIP All of your skills are transferable. Your past experiences from your education and previous jobs will all be relevant in some way, even if it is not obvious how. So, when you start a new role, reme

Arlene Andrews is a self-guided learner who has moved into the Quality Advocate section of the tech world with Lightning Fox. In this episode Phil and Arlene discuss the importance of continual learning, why you should do due diligence on a company before agreeing to join them and how the current diversity trend is impacting the way the tech industry works.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (4.10) TOP CAREER TIP Be curious and interested in everything. The more you know the easier it is to find interesting projects and people to work with.   (5.16) WORST CAREER MOMENT A start-up Arlene worked for is now being investigated for major fraud. The fraud took place around the time she left. The experience has taught her to be a little bit more cynical and to carry out more due diligence before accepting new positions or projects.   (6.33) CAREER HIGHLIGHT Working on a group project with the CodingBlocks Slack folks is currently Arlene’s career highlight. The idea came from the community and the CodingBlocks team decided to make it

My guest on today’s show is a senior cloud advocate for Microsoft.  As a member of the Azure engineering team, he engages with the community and customers around the world to share his knowledge and collect feedback to improve the Azure platform.   Prior to working for Microsoft, he was a Lead Architect for a consulting and engineering company in Switzerland.   EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on today’s show is Thomas Maurer. He works for Microsoft as a senior cloud advocate. In that role, he engages with customers and the community to use the cloud to transform their businesses. He is part of the Azure engineering team. Thomas has been awarded the Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) Award, several times. He is also an accomplished public speaker and the author of two books. Over the years, he worked as a software and systems engineer for several companies. Prior to joining Microsoft, he was the Lead Architect for a Swiss engineering and consulting firm. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (1.15) – So, Thomas can you tel

My guest on today’s show is Chief Architect at Headspring, author of MVC in Action books, an international speaker and a prolific OSS developer.  He is an expert in distributed systems, REST, messaging, domain-driven design and CQRS.   EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on today’s podcast is Jimmy Bogard. He has a BSEE in Computer Engineering. But, he became a software developer and engineer. Jimmy worked for Icabob Design, VI Technology and Dell Inc in those roles. In 2008, he joined Headspring and, today, he is their Chief Architect. Jimmy is an expert in distributed systems, REST, domain-driven design, messaging and CQRS. He is also the author of the ASP.NET MVC in Action books, as well as a prolific OSS developer and public speaker. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (00.46) – So, Jimmy, could you tell us a little bit more around your background and your current role as chief architect at Headspring? Jimmy starts by explaining that he graduated with a computer engineering degree and kind of fell into an IT career, when he lef

My guest on today’s show is a JavaScript developer, consultant, author and, educator.  He is a huge proponent of the web as a mobile app platform and wants to help developers push it to the next level.  Henrik is also a conference speaker and has taught workshops for Frontend Masters and O’Reilly and author of the book Human JavaScript.   EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on today’s I.T. Career Energizer podcast is Henrik Joreteg. He is an independent JavaScript Consultant, speaker, and trainer who is particularly interested in the intersection between web and machine learning. Henrik specializes in building Progressive Web Apps using tools like Redux and React/Preact. His consultancy work has led to him working on projects for firms like Microsoft, Starbucks, and Groove. Henrik is the author of the popular book Human JavaScript. He has also helped clients like AT&T, Ericsson, and Pacific Northwest National Labs build modern JavaScript applications KEY TAKEAWAYS: (00.43) – Please expand on my introduction

GUEST BIO: My guest on today’s show is a public speaker, blogger, and technical writer.  She has spoken at more than 40 conferences in three continents on a variety of topics.  She is also a Senior Developer Advocate for LaunchDarkly and she specializes in creating entire documentation suites for new companies.   EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on his IT Career Energizer podcast, today, is Heidi Waterhouse. She is an accomplished technical writer. Heidi has a talent for quickly understanding complex systems and creating clear and concise documentation. Heidi is also a well known public speaker and blogger. She has delivered talks at 40+ conferences, across three continents. Currently, she is working for LaunchDarkly as a Senior Developer Advocate. Her role there involves listening to current and potential clients to understand their needs and help the development team to meet and exceed them. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (00.37) – Can you perhaps tell us a little bit of why you got into public speaking blogging and techn

GUEST BIO: My guest on today’s show helps developers to take a step up in their skill set with a focus on making complex topics approachable, regardless of skill level. He is a Microsoft MVP for .NET, has authored seven courses for Pluralsight and has delivered more than 300 technical presentations across the United States and Europe.   EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on today’s I.T Career Energizer podcast is Jeremy Clark. Currently, his focus is on helping IT professionals to quickly improve their skills. He has authored several courses for Pluralsight, a platform that enables developers to assess their current skill levels and identify the right training path for them. Over the years, Jeremy Clark has delivered more than 300 technical presentations at conferences, throughout the world. He has also spent over 9 years of his career sharing his knowledge as a consultant and mentor. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (00.49) – Can you maybe tell us a little bit about some of the courses you've written for Pluralsight. To date,

My guest on today’s show is a Developer Advocate at Google working with the Chrome team to develop and promote web standards and developer tools.  Prior to Google he worked at Lanyrd on their mobile website and for the BBC on JavaScript libraries and standards. He says that he wants the web to do what native does best, and fast. EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on today’s show is Jake Archibald. He is a Developer Advocate at Google. Currently, he is working with the Chrome team developing and promoting innovative tools like squoosh.app. He is there to promote web standards and developer tools to all who will listen. Before beginning his career at Google he worked for the BBC developing their web services and JavaScript library and standards. Later he moved to Lanyrd. Today, he is a well-known conference speaker. Jake has delivered talks at JSConf.Asia, LDNWebPerf and SmashingConf London, to name a few. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (00.49) –Could you give us an understanding of what your current role with Google as a devel

My guest on today’s show is a Staff Operations Engineer from Zendesk.  He describes himself as a Linux systems geek with a passion for making systems serve great content.  And he is recognized as an expert in metrics and monitoring, about which speaks, as well as a featured panellist for the MonitoringScale Live community panel.   EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on today’s show is Jeff Pierce. He has been working in the industry since 2003 when he started Coldflare Internet Services. Later, he moved into systems administration working for several firms. Jeff then changed direction a bit, taking up a role as a senior systems engineer for Apple in 2011. Then again when he started work as a DevOps Engineer for Krux Digital and a Senior DevOps Engineer for Change.org. After a few years working as a software and infrastructure engineer, he is now Staff Operations Engineer for Zendesk. He specializes in automating large clusters of Linux systems. Metrics and monitoring are his other passions. He is an expert in t

GUEST BIO: My guest on today’s show is a Senior Cloud Advocate for Microsoft.  He conducts “science experiment” Hackathons with industry-leading organizations to test theories and create Proof of Concepts utilizing Microsoft cloud services.   Previously he has been awarded Microsoft Most Valuable Professional 4 years running for evangelising mobility products and solutions through public speaking engagements and other efforts.   EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on today’s show is Anthony Bartolo. He has been working in the tech industry for just over two decades. Initially, he worked within the communications sector as an IT manager and a general manager. Later, he became an Applications Specialist, Partner Engagement Manager and B2B Sales Manager for an electronic learning provider. In 2013, he re-joined Microsoft in the role of VP, Business Developer. Within 3 months he became a Sr. Technology Evangelist. Today, he is a Sr. Cloud Advocate for Microsoft. Anthony is a Data & AI, IoT and Identity & Se

GUEST BIO: My guest on today’s show is an aspiring tech polymath, a coder, a speaker and a teacher.  She joined Atos’s rotational graduate scheme in 2016 under the Technical Consultancy Stream and was awarded Graduate of the Year in 2018.  She is also a Course Instructor for Code First: Girls.   EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Phil’s guest on today’s podcast is Shaquilla Johnson. She is just starting out on her IT career, yet she has already been able to have a big impact. In 2016, she joined Atos’ graduate scheme. Shaquilla went on to win the 2018 Graduate of the Year award. She is already speaking at conferences and running courses at Code First: Girls. Shaquilla is an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner and is currently taking more courses. For the past three years, she has been working on her own tech blog. KEY TAKEAWAYS: (1.06) – I wanted to start by asking you about Code First: Girls. So, I understand you got a bit of a background in there before you went into the instruction side of things? Around 2015, while at uni