253: Take Responsibility for Your Career and Work on Things You Enjoy with Dan Shappir

Phil’s guest on this episode of the IT Career Energizer podcast is Dan Shappir. He has been involved in software development for more than 25 years, having worked in a variety of different roles including engineer, team lead, architect, and chief technical officer. Dan is currently the performance tech lead at Wix.com where he focuses on making their 100 million hosted websites load and execute faster.

He is also an international speaker as well as a panelist on the JavaScript Jabber podcast.

In this episode, Phil and Dan Shappir discuss the importance of being in control of your career. As well as how to change things if you are on the wrong path.

Dan also explains why he thinks his biggest career highlights are still ahead of him and where today ́s emerging technologies are likely to take us. He also shares why he is more interested in hiring problem-solvers rather than just people who are familiar with a specific technology.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

(5.25) TOP CAREER TIP

It is up to you to determine the meaning of your own success. Always choose the career path that makes sense for you. We all tend to listen too much to what others think. For example, so many people have switched to management and ended up being extremely unhappy because their role is no longer creative enough for them.

If you feel like you are on the wrong path, don ́t hesitate to make a change. It is all too easy to wait too long to do that.

(9.22) WORST CAREER MOMENT

In one of his former roles Dan ended up working with a CEO he could not see eye-to-eye with. Things got so bad that he did not even want to go to work.

At the time, he held a very senior position. So, leaving almost inevitably meant taking a step down. Fortunately, his wife was supportive, and he was brave enough to do exactly that. In the end, it turned out to be a good move for him. One that actually gave his career a boost.

(12.32) CAREER HIGHLIGHT

Dan has had quite a few career highlights. Working on products that millions of people use is something he has particularly enjoyed.

He also enjoyed working for a small startup that ended up being listed on the NASDAQ by the time he left. In the podcast, he shares details of several more career highlights.

(14.44) THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T

The fact that every project you work on is to a large extent unique and different is not likely to change in the future. So, a career in I.T. will always be an interesting and fulfilling one.

(16.17) THE REVEAL

What first attracted you to a career in I.T.? – Dan got into computers at a young age. Almost from the start, he wanted to create, rather than play video games so an IT career was a natural fit.

What’s the best career advice you received? – One great developer is worth any number of mediocre developers. That advice is what pushed Dan to be the best.

What’s the worst career advice you received? – Just shut up and do what you are told.

What would you do if you started your career now? – Dan would still be a programmer but would probably not do his master’s degree in software again.

What are your current career objectives? – Dan is currently working on enhancing his personal brand. In the podcast, he explains how he is doing that.

What’s your number one non-technical skill? – Being interested in what others are doing and having the ability to genuinely connect with them.

How do you keep your own career energized? – Dan makes sure that he is always working on things he enjoys and takes an active rather than a passive role whenever he can do so.

What do you do away from technology? – Dan and his wife enjoy traveling when they are not doing things with their children. They like live music too.

(25.11) FINAL CAREER TIP

Enjoy what you are doing. Your job is a big part of your life, so make sure that you like your job. If you don ́t, take action and find something that you do enjoy.

BEST MOMENTS

(5.46) – Dan - “It is up to you to determine the meaning of your own success. Always choose the career path that makes sense for you.”

(12.14) – Dan - “If you are not enjoying the place where you ́re at, don ́t hesitate, make a change.”

(17.40) – Dan - “The key to success is to get the best people that you can to work for the company that you ́re at.”

(23.00) – Dan - “Try to work with people you have never worked with before. It is a great way to learn new things.”

(25.25) – Dan - “If you are not enjoying your work, change what you do. Life ́s too short not to do so.”

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...