316: Standing Out Is Crucial and Be Remembered For The Right Reasons with Leila Singh

In this week's show, Phil talks to Leila Singh, a tech industry career coach who works with high-achieving career professionals who may be feeling stuck, frustrated and undervalued. She has a passion for bringing out the best in others which she does through the mi-brand academy. She is also a TEDx & Keynote Speaker, an Author and host of the mi-brand HQ podcast. Leila talks about why hard work is only part of the reason you'll advance in your IT career. She also discusses why you need to be remembered for the right reasons to the people who matter.   KEY TAKEAWAYS:   TOP CAREER TIP Hard work alone is not enough to succeed in your career. You also need to make yourself know, and to stand out in order to advance.   WORST CAREER MOMENT Upon joining a new organization, Leila quickly began to realise that the culture was not compatible with her own values. It also taught her the value of standing out for the right reasons.   CAREER HIGHLIGHT Leila counts her entire career trajectory as her career highlight, which was diverse and colourful at the outset. Hard work and dedication has seen her identify the path she always desired, and she has made fruitful leaps and bounds ever since.   THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T The industry is exciting dynamic, and filled with opportunities for all kinds of people with all kinds of skill sets. The playing field is level and open, and all are welcome.   THE REVEAL What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – What's the best career advice you received? – To make yourself known What's the worst career advice you received? – That one cannot move on without experience. What would you do if you started your career now? – Leila would travel a very similar journey to the one she has behind her already. What are your current career objectives? – Growing the coaching practice and increasing reputation in the industry. What's your number one non-technical skill? – Communication and relationship building. How do you keep your own career energized? – Something that challenges and which aids in self-development. What do you do away from technology? – Leila's guilty pleasure is Tony Hadley and 80s music, as well as self-development and time with friends and family.   FINAL CAREER TIP If you're looking to further your career, you must be remembered for the right reasons to the people who matter, and who can make that ascension happen for you.   BEST MOMENTS  (3:15) – Leila - "Tech is a very dynamic and exciting industry to be in, and it's vastly growing" (4:42) – Leila - "it's about selling yourself, , and understanding how you can do that will enable you to propel yourself through your career" (6:15) – Leila – "You need to make yourself known, and stand out to make an impact" (24:41) – Leila – "There's always transferrable skills and experience that you gain from everything that you do"   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/_PhilBurgess LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/philburgess Instagram: https://instagram.com/_philburgess 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 – LEILA SINGH Leila Singh is a tech industry career coach who works with high-achieving career professionals who may be feeling stuck, frustrated and undervalued. She has a passion for bringing out the best in others which she does through the mi-brand academy. She is also a TEDx & Keynote Speaker, an Author and host of the mi-brand HQ podcast.   CONTACT THE GUEST – LEILA SINGH Leila Singh can be contacted through the following Social Media platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/leila_singh001 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leila-singh Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PersonalBrandingwithLeila Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leila_singh001/ Website: http://www.mi-brand.com/ Resource: www.leilasingh.com/go/playbook