philburgess

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 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 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 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 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/htmleverything

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikhail-karan-4361925b/

Website: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/

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