314: It’s Okay To Move Onwards And Upwards and Take Advice With A Pinch Of Salt with Alan Pope

IT Career Energizer

In this week’s show, Phil talks to Alan Pope, an Engineering Manager and Developer Advocate for InfluxData, the creator of InfluxDB which is an open-source time series database. He is also a podcaster and he describes himself as a through and through geek.

Alan talks about why it’s okay to move on when the time is right in your career journey. He also discusses why it’s important to take people’s advice with a pinch of salt.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

TOP CAREER TIP

It’s okay to move on in your career when the time is right. Never feel as though you are chained to a position for your entire career. Being comfortable is often not a place where we challenge and grow.

WORST CAREER MOMENT

When transitioning to a new company, Alan was confronted by HR who advised him that if he left, it would damage his career journey. It was a time of anxiety, but their threats came to nothing.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT

Alan trained many aspiring IT professionals, so when it came to looking for a position of his own, his reputation was already secured. Putting yourself out there is incredibly valuable to your career path.

THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T

The IT world is enormous and offers countless possibilities. It is incredibly easy to pivot and move between pursuits and sectors and offers an endlessly interesting path for any aspiring IT professional.

THE REVEAL

What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Alan was a nerd, and after receiving a ZX81, Alan developed a love for coding.

What’s the best career advice you received? – You always have a choice

What’s the worst career advice you received? –

What would you do if you started your career now? – Alan would like to have attended university so as to establish a better foundation for his career.

What are your current career objectives? – Learning new things. Alan is intent on staying far from his comfort zone and constantly challenging himself.

What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Having empathy for other people’s points of view and perspectives.

How do you keep your own career energized? – Alan keeps moving once the challenge has faded. It’s vital to find the things that bring you joy.

What do you do away from technology? – Cooking, which allows him the time to reconnect with the things that matter.

FINAL CAREER TIP

Take other people’s advice with a pinch of salt. Everyone has their own story and path through life, and the lessons they’ve learned may not always apply to your own path.

BEST MOMENTS

(3:26) – Alan - “People need to not be afraid to leave a role”

(7:41) – Alan - “It’s about looking after yourself and your own career”

(8:57) – Alan – “Getting yourself out there and becoming known in your target industry is a very valuable thing to do”

(13:15) – Alan – “Nobody cares what you look like. It’s the output. It’s the product you create, and it’s the work that you do that’s the important 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 [e-mail] and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com

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ABOUT THE GUEST – ALAN POPE

Alan Pope is an Engineering Manager and Developer Advocate for InfluxData, the creator InfluxDB which is an open source time series database. He is also a podcaster and he describes himself as a through and through geek.

CONTACT THE GUEST – ALAN POPE

Alan Pope can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/popey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-pope-b3a109143/

Website: https://popey.com