IT Career Energizer 261: Manage Your Manager and Learn to Interview and Network Well with David Bishop
Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is David Bishop. He is a technologist, consultant, researcher, entrepreneur, and instructor with experience across telecommunications, transportation, government and utilities. He is an author of numerous books and articles as well as a frequent contributor to the IEEE’s Engineering Management Review.
David is also founding chair for the Atlanta chapter of the IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society.
In this episode, Phil and David Bishop discuss how to manage your manager to improve your career opportunities. They talk about the importance of focusing on the business and what it does rather than just the tech.
David also talks about the challenge of selling your skills and how to do it well. As well as explaining why being happy to take risks is a good idea in the IT industry. David also briefly covers solving business problems using his Metagility approach to Managing Agile Development.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
(5.30) TOP CAREER TIP
Manage your manager. They are your gatekeeper. It is your manager who determines what your goals are, which opportunities you are given. As well as, to a certain extent, how you are perceived by others within the business.
In the podcast, David shares several ways to do that.
(7.54) WORST CAREER MOMENT
In his 30s, David was set to become the chief of staff for the CIO of a big telecommunications company. He sailed through the interview stages.
But, when he sat down to talk directly with the CIO, David spoke mostly about the tech, instead of focusing on what the business was all about. That switched the CIO off and he did not get the job. That experience taught him that at the end of the day everything you do at work has to be about what the business needs. The tech is just a means to an end.
(11.43) CAREER HIGHLIGHT
For David, starting to work for himself was a career highlight. When he did it forced him to exercise his intellectual and marketing skills as well as use his IT knowledge in more innovative ways. It pushed him to become a continuous learner and not be afraid to take on challenges.
At this point, David shares what he learned about selling his skills. In particular, how to stay in the game long enough to close a deal that can take months to come to fruition.
(13.44) THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T
The fact that IT is everywhere is exciting. But, it also means that the stakes are high. A failure could lead to a plane falling out of the air or the economy being affected when a financial system goes down.
(16.39) THE REVEAL
What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – David started programming at 13, so for him, a career in IT was a natural progression.
What’s the best career advice you received? – Don’t worry about what other people think. Just focus on yourself and what your needs are.
What’s the worst career advice you received? – Always go for the highest paying job.
What would you do if you started your career now? – David would be prepared to take more risks rather than playing it safe and automatically taking a job with a big company.
What are your current career objectives? – Evangelizing his Metagility approach.
What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Writing. It is a skill that is all too often overlooked.
How do you keep your own career energized? – David constantly networks with people. In the podcast, he talks about how he is coping with doing that despite CoVid.
What do you do away from technology? – David reads a lot and enjoys working on classic cars.
(25.19) FINAL CAREER TIP
Learn how to interview well and network well. Both skills are critical when you are starting out.
BEST MOMENTS
(5.37) – David - “Manage your manager. They are your gatekeeper and have a bit impact on how you are perceived.”
(10.02) – David - “If you want to convince someone to adopt a certain technology focus on what it can do for their business.”
(21.18) – David - “Go where the startups are. Get associated with some incubators. That is your best chance for long term gain.”
(23.10) – David - “Writing is a particularly important skill especially for people who work in the IT industry.”
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
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’s website, https://itcareerenergizer.com
Join the I.T. Career Energizer Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ITCareerEnergizer
ABOUT THE GUEST – DAVID BISHOP
David Bishop is a technologist, consultant, researcher, entrepreneur, and instructor with experience across telecommunications, transportation, government, and utilities. He is an author of numerous books and articles as well as a frequent contributor to the IEEE’s Engineering Management Review.
David is also founding chair for the Atlanta chapter of the IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society
CONTACT THE GUEST – DAVID BISHOP
David Bishop can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidAnthBishop
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbishop/
Website: https://agile-worx.com/
Metagility: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R8WGCLL/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
The Big Brother’s Guide to Job Interviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079BS9FNJ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2
Book – The Big Brother’s Guide to Networking: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0795BKFQC/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3