IT Career Energizer 273: Read Your Way To Success and Don’t Compare Yourself To Others with Ian Reynolds
Phil’s guest on today’s show is Ian Reynolds, a Partner and the Chief Solutions Architect at Zibtek, a software development company focused on helping businesses build custom software.
He has spent the better part of his career in consulting covering a diverse range of industries, including Finance, Oil & Gas and Healthcare. He now helps companies to solve their core business objectives with agile software development.
Ian talks about the importance of reading, and of constantly feeding your knowledge base. He also discusses the value of recognising your individuality, and always pushing yourself to see what you’re capable of.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
TOP CAREER TIP
You have to constantly read. Books should be your perennial companion. Reading leads to success. On average, the wealthiest Americans read 22 books per year.
WORST CAREER MOMENT
In an early job, Ian encountered an employee with behavioral issues. Rather than confront the issue, Ian chose to leave the job – decision that has caused him regret ever since.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT
The highlight so far has been the acquisition and growth of Zibtek, along with the success achieved and the improvements made along the way. Many more ambitions has since been realized, with many more to come.
THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T
In terms of IT’s life in the world, we really are at the “Stone Age” period. The potential for how IT will change the world is staggering and infinite. To be at this crucial stage in its history is exhilarating.
THE REVEAL
What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Ian recognized the changing world of IT, rapidly evolving from day to day, and aspired to be a part of its evolution.
What’s the best career advice you received? – Don’t be afraid to try new things.
What’s the worst career advice you received? – To not stand out. We must always endeavour to be the brightest talent out there.
What would you do if you started your career now? – Ian would embark upon business acquisition strategies far earlier.
What are your current career objectives? – To expand knowledge on particular subjects, with a current focus upon banking, legal and finance items.
What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Enhanced emotional intelligence. It is good to be non-emotional at times, but emotion can also propel us forward when needed.
How do you keep your own career energized? – Keeping dialogue channels open with family and friends allows Ian to experience new perspectives.
What do you do away from technology? – Aggressively reading!
FINAL CAREER TIP
Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to yourself and push yourself to see what you’re capable of.
BEST MOMENTS
(6:30) – Ian - “You are doing yourself a disservice if you are not constantly learning”
(9:20) – Ian - “In business, you’ve got to separate some degree of the emotional from the rational”
(9:59) – Ian – “Failure is not failure unless you fail to learn from it”
(18:03) – Ian – “Talking with people about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it, has been the most helpful thing in keeping my career energized”
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/philtechcareer
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess
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Instagram: https://instagram.com/philtechcareer
Website: https://itcareerenergizer.com/contact
Phil is also reachable by email at phil@itcareerenergizer.com and via the podcast’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com
Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer
ABOUT THE GUEST – IAN REYNOLDS
Ian Reynolds is a Partner and the Chief Solutions Architect at Zibtek, a software development company focused on helping businesses build custom software.
He has spent the better part of his career in consulting covering a diverse range of industries, including Finance, Oil & Gas and Healthcare. He now helps companies to solve their core business objectives with agile software development.
CONTACT THE GUEST – IAN REYNOLDS
Ian Reynolds can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/just_solve
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianjhreynolds/
Website: https://www.zibtek.com/