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Phil\\u2019s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Mark Heckler. He is a Pivotal Principal Technologist and Developer Advocate, conference speaker and published author focusing upon software development for the Internet of Things and the cloud.

He has worked with key players in both the private and public sector across multiple industries to develop critical capabilities on time and on budget.\\xa0 He is also a frequent open source contributor as well as author/curator of a developer-focused blog.

In this episode, Phil and Mark Heckler discuss how to not let the fact that the industry moves so fast that it is impossible to keep up overwhelm you.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

(2.09) TOP CAREER TIP

Embrace but do not accept your inadequacy. In the world of IT, things move so fast that you are effectively losing ground every day. It is impossible to keep up and know everything. You can either let fact frustrate you or spur you on and enjoy the fact that there are always fresh challenges to enjoy.

However, it is very important not to take things too far and to know when to rest. You have to maintain a good work-life balance or you neglect your family and burn out.

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(6.52) WORST CAREER MOMENT

Fortunately, Mark\\u2019s worst career moment lead directly to his best one.\\xa0 He was working as a Java evangelist. A job he loved.\\xa0 So, when, very suddenly, his team was dissolved and he was fired he was crushed.

Fortunately, others in the industry understood how good Mark and his team were at what they do. Almost immediately, several companies tried to hire them.

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(8.41) CAREER HIGHLIGHT

Mark describes what he is doing now as being the highlight of his career. He is really enjoying working with some of the defining companies on the planet to help them to deliver mission-critical software.

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(10.12) THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T

The fact that you really can as Steve Jobs said: \\u201cPut a dent in the universe.\\u201d Is an exciting prospect and it is getting easier to do. Using the tools that are available now practically anyone can make a huge difference to people\\u2019s lives and in the future, it is going to become even easier to do so.

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(12.04) THE REVEAL

What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? \\u2013 Mark loved programming, so for him, working in IT was always the way to go.

What\\u2019s the best career advice you received? \\u2013 Be teachable. If you have a closed mind you end up missing out on so much.

What\\u2019s the worst career advice you received? \\u2013 Do what others aren\\u2019t willing to do. This approach can work, but you have to make sure that do not end up completing tasks that take your career nowhere.

What would you do if you started your career now? \\u2013 Focus on what you can learn rather than what you can earn.

What are your current career objectives? \\u2013 Mark is planning to write a solo book.

What\\u2019s your number one non-technical skill? \\u2013 Being able to easily get along with others.

How do you keep your own career energized? \\u2013 Mark ensures that he never loses the wonderment of what\\u2019s new.

What do you do away from technology? \\u2013 Mark travels a lot, so during his downtime, he tends to stay close to home. He really enjoys spending time with his wife and kids.

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(16.36) FINAL CAREER TIP

Cultivate within yourself a love of learning. If you only learn one thing per day, that is 365 new things per year.

He also thinks that it is important to invest in your family. When you do those 2 things, everything else falls into place.

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BEST MOMENTS

(2.26) \\u2013 Mark - \\u201cDon\\u2019t let your inadequacies get you down.\\xa0 Instead, use them to spur you on.\\u201d

(12.33) \\u2013 Mark - \\u201cBe teachable, it is the only way to unleash your full potential.\\u201d

(12.48) \\u2013 Mark - \\u201cFilling gaps that others aren\\u2019t willing to fill is a good thing, but only if you are careful about the ones you choose.\\u201d

(13.33) \\u2013 Mark - \\u201cWhen you start your career, focus more on what you can contribute and learn rather than how much a project pays.\\u201d

(16.43) \\u2013 Mark - \\u201cLearn something new every day. When you do, by the end of the year you will have learnt 365 new things. \\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 organisations 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:

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

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 Mark Heckler

Mark Heckler is a Pivotal Principal Technologist and Developer Advocate, conference speaker and published author focusing upon software development for the Internet of Things and the cloud.

He has worked with key players in both the private and public sector across multiple industries to develop critical capabilities on time and on budget.\\xa0 He is also a frequent open source contributor as well as author/curator of a developer-focused blog.

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CONTACT THE GUEST \\u2013 Mark Heckler

Mark Heckler can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mkheck

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

Website: https://theheckers.com

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