IT Director EXPOSES the TRUTH about working in Tech

[@TechTualChatter]

Check out the Cybersecurity course at Leveld Careers and use my code TechTual10 to get 10% off your course. ⬇ www.leveldcareers.com/a/2147530874/RuqjrBGj Or Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/techtualchatter

[@tfowl8]

Certifications + “Skills” = Success. Good luck to all the people who are trying to break into this amazing industry! Keep grinding.

[@TechTualChatter]

You know it!

[@tguy38]

Experience will win over Certs and Skills.

[@MrNicks-gn8jc]

I say you need Certifications + "Skills" + Experiences/Stories + NETWORK OF PEERS

[@tfowl8]

Y’all are overthinking this lol. Of course there is no one size fits all scenario for how to break into the industry. However, as someone who lives in the DMV who pivoted into GovTech/Cybersecurity in 2022, that was the route that I’ve taken that allowed me to break into the industry. My degree is in Economics, not computer science or anything tech related. I got three certifications back in 2022 and a TS Clearance, updated my resume/clearance job profile, then started applying for non-technical roles that fit my transferable skills from my previous roles as a Workers Compensation Adjuster and Property Adjuster. I was able to articulate in my interviews how my skills are related/transferable to the role I’m interviewing for. There are many ways to get in, and I did it on my own with no network of peers.

[@TechTualChatter]

@tfowl8 govtech is easier to get into

[@carole3877]

One of the best interviews I have seen on your channel. Thanks for bringing it to the channel

[@TechTualChatter]

@@carole3877 💪🏾💪🏾 What was your takeaway from this episode

[@GioQuanTech]

I really enjoyed this Live!-it was hard to stop watching. It shared a ton of valuable knowledge. I’m currently working as a technical analyst and using opportunities like this to listen, learn, and keep advancing in my career. To be fair, I think a lot of people aren’t doing the work and those are often the loudest

[@TechTualChatter]

@@GioQuanTech ,🎯🎯🎯 You got this bro

[@GioQuanTech]

@ thank you I also just bought a $1700 PC with a 4070 super and used my AMEX points to get over 50% off so it’s definitely a great day

[@TechTualChatter]

@GioQuanTech major win

[@DesertStormVet67]

When he said " Anything with a screen on it belongs to I.T.". I definitely feel that. We get that every dang day

[@craigspencer4306]

Really good show, didn't feel like an interview. Felt like 2 bros chopping it up

[@TechTualChatter]

@@craigspencer4306 thanks man that always the goal

[@malvo_b]

Definitely appreciate this episode. As someone who’s been in tech about 3 years now I found some topics very insightful. Definitely easier navigating tech space when you find a good mentor who can answer questions or give insight on what to do next career path wise .

[@TechTualChatter]

@@malvo_b 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

[@Void_Sol]

This was a really good podcast. It randomly popped up for me and it speaks a lot to me. I work in security at a fortune 300 and run into the same issue though my path was different and my goals are different. There is so much on this to talk about but I’ll definitely be watching you both now. Thanks for this.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@Void_Sol appreciate it bro

[@vonlivebillionaire8674]

This episode was a wealth of information and advice on every level of

[@candicanejane1146]

Overall good interview. Tiny correction: it doesn’t take a long time to get to 100K in blue collar trades & professions BUT, it does typically take a lot of hard physical work outside in the elements. You can get entry 6 figures in Tech while WFH. The upper 6 figures and 7+ figures in blue collar professions comes from being a business owner. ❤

[@candicanejane1146]

Plus blue collar professions are generally not salary based and earnings resemble commission based pay structures.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@candicanejane1146 I would say it depends on the trade Just from my experience with them

[@vaughnforsythe]

Wish I had this podcast back in 2014

[@TechTualChatter]

@@vaughnforsythe same reason why I made it in the first place. I try to tell everyone how there wasn't any guidance for us 10 years ago

[@christaho2368]

“ if you treat her like a superstar, she’ll treat you like a fan” bro dropping game in and out the SOC😂

[@TechTualChatter]

🤣🤣🤣

[@doesthingswithcomputers]

This video is an encyclopaedia of tech career knowledge. Gonna archive this for my kids.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@doesthingswithcomputers 😅😅

[@peterhunte]

Learned much today! Good to know what to look out for in the work environment

[@TechTualChatter]

@@peterhunte glad we could facilitate this for you to learn

[@E_Wideman_Communications]

Naw fr I needed this lmao at the right time

[@Chattahoochee_Chief]

A CHRISTMAS EVE PREMIERE. I can dig it.

[@TechTualChatter]

Appreciate it! Hope you enjoy

[@theresalucas9477]

16:37 is so true. I believe the only way I graduate with honors in college is because I had a study partner 😅. When I tried to continue my education without a study partner I struggled receiving mostly “Cs”. LOL I remember Novell too 😅 This is my favorite interview of the year. He was so honest about things I’ve experienced being black and in tech. I appreciate this being the final interview of the year ❤🎉.

[@TechTualChatter]

😅😅😅

[@tam6011]

Everything he said I have been preaching. High Performance Clusters, Linux, Netwoking, Packet Tracing, Wireshark, and so forth. Now it’s quantum computing with devsecops, edge computing, ai and quantum, edge security, and so forth.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@tam6011 yes you have 😅 hopefully we all start listening

[@tam6011]

@@TechTualChatter i hope so we got a chance to be ahead of the game

[@dratlassian]

We losing the race!

[@wowitsjashon]

Some more IT tech heat before the end of the year 🔥

[@brycesistrunk2726]

I push back on college being the starting point; especially as tech is developing at a faster rate than what is being taught in some of those classes. Evaluate the program you are going into first. On average a program at Harvard or MIT is going to be significantly different than your local college or state institution. My avenue into tech as a young black male was not traditional. Enlisted in the Army reserves as an Intelligence Analyst, got a clearance, was able to get a higher paying helpdesk job as my entry into tech. 2-3 years later, now a DevOps engineer in the northern VA area. Biggest thing is finding a mentor who’s going to get into the weeds with you and build from the foundation you’ve done the work to establish. Great talk. Need more like this.

[@SEEKER4LIFE7]

This dudes energy is great 🫡🫡🫡

[@TheDoughGetta]

Navigating through Corporate Tech is a minefield. If you cannot “manage up” then you will struggle. The best tip I can give is to figure out how to make your manager good and do more of that.

[@TechTualChatter]

That is the real key.

[@ctjmaughs]

I think we were monitoring Gatech at that time.

[@damonaniton]

He is better than me. No way I could take Atlanta money to move to the Bay.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@damonaniton he got a raise shortly after that though

[@erick_ftw]

Netflix pays a lot

[@meg8358]

I enjoyed this conversation. Good information, and I agree with corporate culture and how to navigate while black, but it's sad we gotta maneuver like that.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@meg8358 right but hey it's the game 🤧

[@ChadTyrone77]

awesome discussion sir

[@E_Wideman_Communications]

This is a dope interview real eye opener for me I am a grad student at kennesaw state lots of good information 🎉

[@TechTualChatter]

@@E_Wideman_Communications that's 🔥🔥

[@DrNichelleDionne]

Great interview - The nuggets you are sharing is what I tell my students.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@DrNichelleDionne nice‼️

[@saigee2]

MISSISSIPPI IN THE HOUSE ❤️❤️❤️

[@AlohaBrawlhalla]

18 and planning to work in IT. Not sure what exactly I’m going for yet. Nice podcast fr.

[@lindadukes]

Facts. Stay focused

[@saigee2]

Mississippi State Student here as well, majoring in Business Information Systems.

[@saigee2]

3.4 GPA

[@TechTualChatter]

@@saigee2 shout out to you. Get you an internship asap

[@saigee2]

@ Thank you man, I’m working on that as we speak! ✊🏾✊🏾

[@bricesenross5273]

@@saigee2 HAIL STATE!!

[@saigee2]

@ HAILSTATE BROTHER🐾

[@xaratemplate]

Your noise gate is a little too strong sometime it sounds like speakers voice is cut out a bit at times. Maybe its just me but had hard time listening sometimes but maybe its just my ears. But audio quality is good enough. Better than most audio on KZbin but always room for improvement.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@xaratemplate a couple of episodes ago on over edited it but on this video I didn't really hear it. Maybe I'll check out it with some more headphones again

[@kayproduct876]

Got into Mississippi state with a 1.9 WTF

[@bricesenross5273]

Fortunately I was able to take a test to get into MSU despite having a low GPA coming out of HS. Not sure if this is still an option for people today but I’m thankful it was for me.

[@JailenRamone]

Henri, I really enjoy your show. You have a great style of interviewing people. One suggestion; Try not to use your phone when interviewing folks. It can be distracting for the guest, even if you are just looking something up, or trying to find a question. Wishing you the best.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@JailenRamone it's not distracting to the guest because they know beforehand what ok looking at

[@Jdfortheculture]

Best one so far. Thank you for all the gems

[@TechTualChatter]

Appreciate it!

[@dionthecyberdefender]

Merry Christmas Cyber Gang 🥂

[@TechTualChatter]

Merry Christmas!

[@blackjellybean678]

Top 5 interview this yr. Rank #1.. Most definitely a good way to end 2024 from start to finish this was an amazing interview .. definitely relatable from Memphis and Mississippi to ATL to California to end it in Texas..he dropped a lot of genuine nuggets.. If you thinking about enter the cyber security field and advancing in cyber security management

[@TechTualChatter]

@@blackjellybean678 that's why the convo went so long cause it was so good

[@blackjellybean678]

@TechTualChatter most definitely i bounce back from last interview.. it was kool. Respectfully..this one was just all da smok as a African American in tech. That climb tha Ladder. This why I listen to most of all your interview.. you want to get game from different ppl. EVERYBODY story contribute and keep me motivated in getting in the industry.. 🫡 keep going..

[@TechTualChatter]

@blackjellybean678 in person energy is always better than virtual 😅😅

[@toine9876]

Did he say he graduated with a 1.3 GPA and got accepted to MS St.?🤔

[@bricesenross5273]

Yep! Accompanying my GPA I took an accuplacer test, got references and had to score high on the ACT

[@lstyle3210]

This is a very interesting interview.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@lstyle3210 thank you

[@millertime6]

This was intuitive. Navigating the corporate world requires a whole different set of skills, especially for blacks.

[@jaegee3716]

Yeah tips n tricks are common practices to get a job in tech

[@carole3877]

I wish non profits would focus on middle school kids so they can be empowered towards a better academic/career path before they get to high school, i think black numbers in various fields and will improve that way.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@carole3877 that's possible but some of them are far away from being adults which can make it interesting working with them

[@ctjmaughs]

How non-profits help the situation.

[@JB-gs6dn]

I like how you subtlely called out where he went wrong in his role at Netflix and he clearly lacked the experience to lead at that level in big tech. Never believe the “Bring your whole self to work”. It’s recipe for failure. The focus should really be about being a cultural fit.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@JB-gs6dn yeah but most places don't leave you an island. They make you take certain mmgt classes internally and etc

[@JB-gs6dn]

@ Agreed. They clearly did not set him up for success.

[@bricesenross5273]

Generally I’d stuck to the never bring your whole self to work ideology but Netflix’s culture was centered around bringing your whole self, being transparent and making others comfortable etc so it was a bit of a necessity as it relates to culture fit but you live and you learn!

[@JB-gs6dn]

@ Your transparency and honesty is refreshing…there are so many grifters online who mislead and boldly lie about their experience in “tech”. The tech sales influencers are the worst offenders. Everybody is rich online lol. Keep up the good work!

[@noa7390]

Glad this ended up on my feed. Great video. I’m trying to get into cybersecurity and have been working gov tech for a year now as an FSR and field tech. Was told to get my google cybersecurity cert first but then im going for my CISSP now cause of this vid. Already got my sec+ lol so going to go up from there.

[@TechTualChatter]

I don't think you need a cissp You should find an intermediate cert to compliment the security role you want to land

[@noa7390]

@@TechTualChatterI’ll do some more research into it. Any recommendations? Thanks!!

[@followGreatness]

Please what is this gov tech ?and how do I go about it.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@followGreatness have you looked it up

[@millertime6]

One more thing I wanted to say your guest hit on is how Cali is. I worked for a firm in Orange County thinking they were progressive and they had one “Tom” on the team me, and 8 others. I went out there and had a rude awakening 🤣. First dinner meeting we had they started asking me about rappers like Coolio and shit. Denver is the same way.

[@TechTualChatter]

Mannn not Coolio hahahah This is why I prefer thriving black cities in the south

[@np18]

What is going on with the KZbin algorithm? This is the second vlog that I did not get an alert for.

[@TechTualChatter]

Make sure you hit all for notifications or else you won't know what's dropping either

[@djbattman]

1:53:18 what role is he looking for?

[@TechTualChatter]

A support role

[@djbattman]

@@TechTualChatter did he say 'Tootsie Roll'?

[@TechTualChatter]

@djbattman Tier 2 Role...

[@Ricocase]

Apprenticeships are required. Some unions gatekeep n keep u out. Without 'dei,' biz just reverts to 'isms.' Better adapt n contract. Wmn all corporate. Sheconomy.

[@realtechwoke]

🔥🔥🔥

[@PerksofHeartShakes]

This was such a great interview! Your guest speaks so knowledgeably. You guys both dropped a lot of gems - from being black and navigating corporate America in the tech industry - to focusing on your skill sets and stop trying to be a security analyst 😂 too many folks want to do incident response and it’s not the only role in IT, I couldn’t have agreed with you more on that one

[@TechTualChatter]

@@PerksofHeartShakes 😅😅😅 right 🤣

[@lindadukes]

Don’t get so focused on the certifications. I would get a specialized certification.

[@TechTualChatter]

@@lindadukes agree to an extent

[@lindadukes]

@ I’m just speaking from personal experience. No certifications but still promoted due to hard work. I am focusing on getting a certification in my field to continue to grow. I’m considering advanced education if I want to go into management although it’s not a requirement. Some companies have programs employees can join that encourage promotion.

[@ishaw9894]

What industry of tech do you work in?? I find it so hard for companies to deliver on their promise of career/ education advancement outside of health, Fang, and government jobs.

[@eman0828]

You need a homelab to gain practical experience because certifications alone isn't enough that won't cut it. I built my entire I.T career just developing my skills from my homelab. I taught myself scripting and automation that builds automation tools for my team. I've been putting a lot of focus on DevOps lately. I use GitLab in my homelab. Very well worth it.

[@shellisa04]

I got my BA in Accounting in 2016. I would have changed my major if I knew how big and important tech would be. Accounting did not pay enough when I graduated.

[@esjaigotdat1]

I thought accounting was amazing. Tech is very saturated now.

[@rafaelvigelandzoon5063]

Focus on Data science /ML its close to your field and you will make alot of money.

[@blackamericanlesbianprofes4357]

Shellisa04, I am a USAF Veteran who returned to University for a career change. I have my BSc in Accounting and Finance, and MSc in Forensic Accounting. Umm, I am surprised you don't see how Accounting and Cybersecurity connect. Do your research into it. I'm building my next career and recently I failed the ISACA CISA Exam a few weeks ago, and I will retake it soon. 26dec24

[@blackamericanlesbianprofes4357]

Shellisa04, I am a USAF Veteran who returned to University for a career change. I have my BSc in Accounting and Finance, and MSc in Forensic Accounting. There's a connection between Accounting and Cybersecurity in various ways. Do your research on it please. Personally, I am building my next career and recently failed ISACA CISA Exam a few weeks ago, I will retake it soon. 26dec24

[@ishaw9894]

Everyone I know in accounting is making BIG bucks. There are so many things you do revenue, plant controller, supply chain, Auditing. I’ve been hearing great things about auditing the pay and actual work load is light from what I’ve heard depending on organization, public/ private sector. If you want to get into tech definitely look is business analyst then data science. My goal is to work in health tech.