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Published: June 8, 2020, midnight

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Phil\\u2019s 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.\\xa0 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\\xb4s 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.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

(5.25) TOP CAREER TIP

It is up to you to determine the meaning of your own success. Always choose the career path that makes sense for you. We all tend to listen too much to what others think. For example, so many people have switched to management and ended up being extremely unhappy because their role is no longer creative enough for them.

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If you feel like you are on the wrong path, don\\xb4t hesitate to make a change. It is all too easy to wait too long to do that.

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(9.22) WORST CAREER MOMENT

In one of his former roles Dan ended up working with a CEO he could not see eye-to-eye with. Things got so bad that he did not even want to go to work.

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At the time, he held a very senior position. So, leaving almost inevitably meant taking a step down. Fortunately, his wife was supportive, and he was brave enough to do exactly that. In the end, it turned out to be a good move for him. One that actually gave his career a boost.

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(12.32) CAREER HIGHLIGHT

Dan has had quite a few career highlights. Working on products that millions of people use is something he has particularly enjoyed.

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He also enjoyed working for a small startup that ended up being listed on the NASDAQ by the time he left. In the podcast, he shares details of several more career highlights.

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(14.44) THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T

The fact that every project you work on is to a large extent unique and different is not likely to change in the future. So, a career in I.T. will always be an interesting and fulfilling one.

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(16.17) THE REVEAL

What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? \\u2013 Dan got into computers at a young age. Almost from the start, he wanted to create, rather than play video games so an IT career was a natural fit.

What\\u2019s the best career advice you received? \\u2013 One great developer is worth any number of mediocre developers. That advice is what pushed Dan to be the best.

What\\u2019s the worst career advice you received? \\u2013 Just shut up and do what you are told.

What would you do if you started your career now? \\u2013 Dan would still be a programmer but would probably not do his master\\u2019s degree in software again.

What are your current career objectives? \\u2013 Dan is currently working on enhancing his personal brand. In the podcast, he explains how he is doing that.

What\\u2019s your number one non-technical skill? \\u2013 Being interested in what others are doing and having the ability to genuinely connect with them.

How do you keep your own career energized? \\u2013 Dan makes sure that he is always working on things he enjoys and takes an active rather than a passive role whenever he can do so.

What do you do away from technology? \\u2013 Dan and his wife enjoy traveling when they are not doing things with their children. They like live music too.

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(25.11) FINAL CAREER TIP

Enjoy what you are doing. Your job is a big part of your life, so make sure that you like your job. If you don\\xb4t, take action and find something that you do enjoy.

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BEST MOMENTS

(5.46) \\u2013 Dan - \\u201cIt is up to you to determine the meaning of your own success. Always choose the career path that makes sense for you.\\u201d

(12.14) \\u2013 Dan - \\u201cIf you are not enjoying the place where you\\xb4re at, don\\xb4t hesitate, make a change.\\u201d

(17.40) \\u2013 Dan - \\u201cThe key to success is to get the best people that you can to work for the company that you\\xb4re at.\\u201d

(23.00) \\u2013 Dan - \\u201cTry to work with people you have never worked with before. It is a great way to learn new things.\\u201d

(25.25) \\u2013 Dan - \\u201cIf you are not enjoying your work, change what you do. Life\\xb4s too short not to do so.\\u201d

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ABOUT THE HOST \\u2013 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.\\xa0 Phil has always had an interest in helping others to develop and advance their careers.\\xa0 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.

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CONTACT THE HOST \\u2013 PHIL BURGESS

Phil can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/philtechcareer

LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess

Facebook: https://facebook.com/philtechcareer

Instagram: https://instagram.com/philtechcareer

Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact

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Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast\\u2019s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com

Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer

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ABOUT THE GUEST \\u2013 DAN SHAPPIR

Dan Shappir 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.\\xa0 Dan is currently the performance tech lead at Wix.com where he focuses on making their 100 million hosted websites load and execute faster.

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He is also an international speaker as well as a panelist on the JavaScript Jabber podcast.

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CONTACT THE GUEST \\u2013 DAN SHAPPIR

Dan Shappir can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanShappir

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dShappir/

Website: https://www.quora.com/profile/Dan-Shappir-1

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