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Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Learn Soft Skills with Chani Simms
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Chani Simms
Chani Simms is an award-winning cybersecurity leader and keynote speaker with more than 17 years’ experience in the IT industry. She is an advisor and a specialist in helping organizations to understand, implement, and manage information security and privacy requirements.
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Resources
SHe CISO Exec. – Check out the SHe CISO Exec. website!
Meta Defense Labs – Check out the Meta Defense Labs website!
2 Top Career Tips
1) Try to push yourself out of your comfort zone all the time. It is the only way to ensure you are always learning new things.
2) Don’t stand still. If you stay in a single position for too long you will end up stagnating. Keep challenging yourself and be sure to learn some soft skills as well as new technologies.
Show Notes
Worst Career Moment
At one stage, Chani was bullied in the workplace by her program director. It had never happened to her before, so she did not know how to react. She was afraid of the consequences of standing up for herself, so she finished the project. Chani explains what happened next. She also shares some advice about what to do should you find yourself in a similar position.
Career Highlight
Founding Meta Defence Labs with her friends and colleagues is Chani´s career highlight, to date. They set up the company because they realized that for every project security came last, which meant that they were never able to do things properly. Setting up their own company enabled them to work the way they wanted and do things the right way. For Chani, that experience was a springboard into what she is currently doing.
The Future
The industry is changing faster than ever before, which is something that Chani expects to continue. Chani enjoys training people so that they can keep up and continue to succeed within the industry.
The Reveal
What first attracted you to a career in I.T.?
Chani knew that she did not want to be a lawyer, accountant, or doctor. So, for her, a career in I.T was a great way to avoid having to take one of those jobs.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?
If you are not sure about something, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
What is the worst career advice you’ve ever received?
Over the years, people have advised Chani not to try things because they thought she was going to fail. Most of the time they have been wrong.
If you had to begin your career again in today’s world, what would you do?
Chani would spend a bigger percentage of her time learning soft skills instead of just focusing on tech skills.
What career objectives are you currently focusing on?
Right now, Chani is focusing on security research and hacking.
What’s the number one non-technical skill that has helped you in your career so far?
Being able to communicate well using multiple formats.
What do you do to keep your own career energized?
Staying super busy and having lots of projects on the go keeps Chani energized.
What do you do in your spare time away from technology?
Chani enjoys spending time with her family and cooking. She also likes swimming and snorkeling.
Contact The Guest
Contact Chani Simms through the following social media platforms:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChaniSimms
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chani-simms/
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