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Published: June 22, 2020, midnight

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Phil\\u2019s 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.\\xa0 He teaches courses on Docker and Container technology and often does live training workshops.

He\\u2019s 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.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

(4.43) TOP CAREER TIP

Here Bret talks about the importance of having \\u201cstrong opinions that are weakly held\\u201d. It is important to know why you hold the opinions you do, but you also have to be prepared to discuss other possibilities. Even change your opinions should someone make a strong argument that proves you need to do so.

This approach ensures you become a decisive person who is also able to move with the time and use other people\\xb4s ideas to improve things

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(9.36) WORST CAREER MOMENT

Bret\\xb4s worst moment happened when, for a blog he was working on, he forgot to tick the AWS auto-scale box. So, when one of their posts went viral and was number one on the Reddit homepage, the site went down. As a result, they missed out on a ton of traffic. It was fixed within an hour, but it was an awful mistake to make.

In the podcast, Bret explained how he changed the way he works to make sure it could not happen again.

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(13.32) CAREER HIGHLIGHT

Bret describes what he is doing now as being his career highlight. In particular, being able to reach and help a huge audience through his courses and how that has helped to turn him into a popular public speaker.

In this section, Bret explains how he keeps everything fresh. As well as how he keeps up with the changing needs of his audience.

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(17.21) THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T

Bret and Phil discuss how the implementation of tech automation is changing the job market. As well as how people who work in the IT field can take advantage of this by seeking out and learning new stuff.

Bret also discusses how you can use low-cost training to change direction and boost your career. Sometimes you only have to spend the equivalent of a few days taking a course and implementing what you learn to equip yourself to land a fantastic new job.

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(23.26) THE REVEAL

What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? \\u2013 Bret always liked computers, so it was a great fit for him.

What\\u2019s the best career advice you received? \\u2013 Share everything you can. Be a fountain of knowledge for your colleagues.

What\\u2019s the worst career advice you received? \\u2013 Go get a college degree to get your promotion.

What would you do if you started your career now? \\u2013 Bret would still bootstrap and learn everything from the ground up.

What are your current career objectives? \\u2013 Currently, Bret is focusing on how to use automation, metrics, and infrastructure as code as an effective way to manage change.

What\\u2019s your number one non-technical skill? \\u2013 Being comfortable standing up in front of a group of people and talking about something.

How do you keep your own career energized? \\u2013 Helping others is what keeps Bret\\xb4s career energized.

What do you do away from technology? \\u2013 Bret enjoys spending time with his wife cycling, going to the beach, and exploring local eateries.

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(28.51) FINAL CAREER TIP

Regardless of where you are on your career path, stop and think about what skills you are going to need. Then address any deficit you find.

Also, do everything you can to help others and share what you know. The people who are willing and able to do this are now seen as important assets by most employers.

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BEST MOMENTS

(6.57) \\u2013 Bret - \\u201cHold strong, fact-based, opinions. But also listen to what others think and be prepared to change your stance, when appropriate.\\u201d

(13.19) \\u2013 Bret - \\u201cLearn how to use Q&A processes to prevent human errors from causing problems and improve workflow.\\u201d

(17.40) \\u2013 Bret - \\u201cSeek out new stuff. When you do you will always be able to find new opportunities.\\u201d

(19.20) \\u2013 Bret - \\u201cTake advantage of training online. It is cheap. Yet, provided you follow through, it can change your career.\\u201d

(23.46) \\u2013 Bret - \\u201cShare everything you can. Be a fountain of knowledge for your colleagues.\\u201d

(29.51) \\u2013 Bret - \\u201cYour value is now directly tied to how much you can share and help others.\\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 BRET FISHER

Bret Fisher is a freelance DevOps and Docker consultant, Udemy Instructor, trainer, speaker, and Open Source volunteer.\\xa0 He teaches courses on Docker and Container technology and often does live training workshops.

He\\u2019s also a volunteer Docker Captain and has been blogging about tech for more than 15 years.

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CONTACT THE GUEST \\u2013 BRET FISHER

Bret Fisher can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BretFisher

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

Website: http://www.bretfisher.com

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