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Published: June 15, 2020, midnight

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Phil\\u2019s 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\\u2019 experience in the IT industry.\\xa0 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.\\xa0

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.

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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

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(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, so she did not know how to react. She was afraid of the consequences of standing up for herself, so she finished the project.

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In the podcast, Chani explains what happened next. She also shares some advice about what to do should you find yourself in a similar position.

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(15.46) CAREER HIGHLIGHT

Founding Meta Defence Labs with her friends and colleagues is Chani\\xb4s career highlight, to date. They set up the company because they realized that for every project security came last, which meant that they were never able to do things properly. Setting up their own company enabled them to work the way they wanted and do things the right way.

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For Chani, that experience was a springboard into what she is currently doing. In the podcast, Chani shares more of her entrepreneurial journey and how she ended up providing training for others.

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(18.52) THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T

The industry is changing faster than ever before, which is something that Chani expects to continue. Chani enjoys training people so that they can keep up and continue to succeed within the industry.

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(19.55) THE REVEAL

What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? \\u2013 Chani knew that she did not want to be a lawyer, accountant, or doctor. So, for her, a career in I.T was a great way to avoid having to take one of those jobs.

What\\u2019s the best career advice you received? \\u2013 If you are not sure about something, don\\u2019t be afraid to ask questions.

What\\u2019s the worst career advice you received? \\u2013 Over the years, people have advised Chani not to try things because they thought she was going to fail. Most of the time they have been wrong.

What would you do if you started your career now? \\u2013 Chani would spend a bigger percentage of her time learning soft skills instead of just focusing on tech skills.

What are your current career objectives? \\u2013 Right now, Chani is focusing on security research and hacking.

What\\u2019s your number one non-technical skill? \\u2013 Being able to communicate well using multiple formats.

How do you keep your own career energized? \\u2013 Staying super busy and having lots of projects on the go keeps Chani energized.

What do you do away from technology? \\u2013 Chani enjoys spending time with her family and cooking. She also likes swimming and snorkeling.

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(30.21) FINAL CAREER TIP

Don\\u2019t stand still. If you stay in a single position for too long you will end up stagnating. Keep challenging yourself and be sure to learn some soft skills as well as new technologies.

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BEST MOMENTS

(8.47) \\u2013 Chani - \\u201cBe creative and try new things. Even when you make mistakes you will still learn.\\u201d

(14.35) \\u2013 Chani - \\u201cIf you have a workplace issue that cannot be resolved, move on. Your sanity is more important than a big salary.\\u201d

(24.45) \\u2013 Chani - \\u201cLearn soft skills. You will need them regardless of what technologies you end up learning and using.\\u201d

(30.22) \\u2013 Chani - \\u201cIf you are stuck in one job for many years, you\'re not progressing. Change jobs regularly to learn new skills.\\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 CHANI SIMMS

Chani Simms is an award-winning cybersecurity leader and keynote speaker with more than 17 years\\u2019 experience in the IT industry.\\xa0 Chani is an advisor and a specialist in helping organizations to understand, implement, and manage information security and privacy requirements.

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She is also the founder of the SHe CISO Exec. Global platform.\\xa0

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CONTACT THE GUEST \\u2013 CHANI SIMMS

Chani Simms can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChaniSimms

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chani-simms/

Website: http://www.metadefenselabs.com/

Website: https://shecisoexec.org

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