237: Be Flexible About Your Career Plans and Explore All of The Possibilities with Mahdi Kafi

Phil's guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Mahdi Kafi. He started his career at Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Canada where he learned the basics of IT consulting.  He now works for DXC Technology where he is an IT consultant helping HR departments to better understand how to make employees' lives easier through the use of technology.   In this episode, Phil and Mahdi Kafi discuss the need to keep an open mind when it comes to your career. They talk about how the industry is opening up and finding new ways to get the most out of their employees. Mahdi also shares some methods IT professionals can use to take their career in the right direction and progress faster.   KEY TAKEAWAYS: (2.14) TOP CAREER TIP Don't be afraid to change your career plans. By all means, have a plan but bear in mind that as you and the industry evolve you will have to change and update it.   During the podcast Mahdi shares a personal experience that demonstrates why this is so important.   (3.26) WORST CAREER MOMENT In his last job, things were slow. At points, they had very few clients. But it was not all bad. It gave Mahdi a chance to invest in himself and learn new skills.   (4.19) CAREER HIGHLIGHT His new job is proving to be the best thing he has ever done, so far. The business is growing fast, so the work he is doing is having a real impact. He is ensuring that the firm's staff have the skills they need to move things along at the necessary pace.   (4.47) THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The fact that you no longer need a college degree to get involved in the I.T. industry means that it is changing fast. It is exciting that people from all walks of life can now have great I.T. careers. Once they have learned to code people can solve all kinds of problems. So, this new environment is really empowering people.   (6.11) THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – The fact that no two days are the same and the flexibility this type of work offers to those who do it. What's the best career advice you received? – In all likelihood, your first job will be really boring. But don't let it stop you from focusing on your craft so that you can keep on levelling up. What's the worst career advice you received? – Quit your job and follow your passion. What would you do if you started your career now? – Learn to code earlier, not doing that has led to Mahdi missing out on a lot of opportunities. What are your current career objectives? – In the future, Mahdi wants to work with clients who are involved in the non-profit or green industry. So, he is working towards that. What's your number one non-technical skill? – His communication and listening skills. Becoming an active listener has made his personal and work relationships a lot easier. How do you keep your own career energized? – Mahdi likes to set himself new challenges. This year, it is learning to code in Python. What do you do away from technology? – Mahdi spends a lot of his spare time helping people who are new to tech to learn and progress faster. He does that in person as well as through his Primal Career YouTube channel and website.   (12.39) FINAL CAREER TIP When deciding which direction to take your career in, ask yourself what if. For example, asking yourself What if I get this job, what is next? will help you to open your mind to more of the possibilities and opportunities. Making it easy for you to plan the next step. Thinking like this will also enable you to double-check that taking on that role is right for you   BEST MOMENTS (2.34) – Mahdi - "Keep an open mind about your career path. When you do, you will not miss an opportunity." (3.48) – Mahdi - "Instead of waiting for the experience to come to you, just go get the experience yourself." (7.15) – Mahdi - "IT events are great places to network and find out more about what different companies are looking for." (11.14) – Mahdi - "Regularly set yourself challenges as a way to keep your career energized."   ABOUT THE HOST – PHIL BURGESS Phil Burgess is an independent IT consultant who has spent the last 20 years helping organisations 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 [email protected] 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 – MAHDI KAFI Mahdi Kafi started his career at Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Canada where he learned the basics of IT consulting.  He now works for DXC Technology where he is an IT consultant helping HR departments to better understand how to make employees' lives easier through the use of technology.   CONTACT THE GUEST – MAHDI KAFI Mahdi Kafi can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms:   YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/primalcareer1  LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/mahdikafi Primal Career: http://bit.ly/35AIS9G