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Let Your Inadequacies Spur you on and Learn Continually with Mark Heckler
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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. 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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Resources
TheHecklers.com – Check out Mark’s website!
2 Top Career Tips
1) 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.
2) 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.
Show Notes
Worst Career Moment
Fortunately, Mark’s worst career moment lead directly to his best one. He was working as a Java evangelist. A job he loved. 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.
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.
The Future
The fact that you really can as Steve Jobs said: “Put a dent in the universe.” 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’s lives and in the future, it is going to become even easier to do so.
The Reveal
What first attracted you to a career in I.T.?
Mark loved programming, so for him, working in IT was always the way to go.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be teachable. If you have a closed mind you end up missing out on so much.
What is the worst career advice you’ve ever received?
Do what others aren’t 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.
If you had to begin your career again in today’s world, what would you do?
Focus on what you can learn rather than what you can earn.
What career objectives are you currently focusing on?
Mark is planning to write a solo book.
What’s the number one non-technical skill that has helped you in your career so far?
Being able to easily get along with others.
What do you do to keep your own career energized?
Mark ensures that he never loses the wonderment of what’s new.
What do you do in your spare time away from technology?
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.
Contact The Guest
Contact Mark Heckler through the following social media platforms:
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mkheck
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markheckler
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