The IT XP (The IT XP)

Epic games recently released the Unreal Editor for fortnite with Epic Games Store exclusivity. In this video, I discuss why I think that others should use the editor, as well as its full potential, and why it is actually a big opportunity for everyone involved, not just content creators.

Links referenced in the show:
https://dev.epicgames.com/community/learning/courses/Yl6/fortnite-your-first-hour-in-uefn/yXkB/fortnite-your-first-hour-in-uefn-overview

https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/uefn/learn-programming-with-verse-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite

I'm the kind of guy that looks ahead to understand what's coming at us. I want to know what those changes will be so I can adapt accordingly. In this episode, I discuss some of the developing trends in IT that I expect to see occurring in the coming years. These changes are already underway, and if you're going to be a part of this industry, you should start paying attention - as they'll all have a significant impact on your business or job (if you have one). Some of the links I talked about:

Hyperledger: https://www.hyperledger.org/learn/blo...

Augmented AI: https://www.okta.com/identity-101/aug...

IoB: https://www.bmc.com/blogs/iob-interne...

Digital Stability: https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep24...

Cyber-Physical Systems: https://ptolemy.berkeley.edu/projects...

Edge Computing: https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/s...

#predicting #futurepredictions #ITpredictions #future #technology

Soft Skills are one of the keys to success in the IT industry. I present 10 soft skills that can help you in your growth as an IT professional. The beauty of honing your soft skills is that it can apply to many things within your life.

Just some ramblings while I reflect a bit on the IANS security forum in NYC.

I pulled this one up from last season because I'm dealing with a huge outage that many won't see in their lifetime; well hopefully not. High severity incidents, those where multiple systems are unavailable, will make or break you and your career. It's how you act during these incidents where you can either shine or sink deeper into the void. I provide you some insights into a recent high severity incident.

In this episode I discuss two paid platforms for your multi-cloud learning. These platforms I have leveraged in my own journey and I stand behind them. I know times are tough, but for those looking for a paid option to learn the various cloud platforms, these two may interest you.

A Cloud Guru:
https://www.pluralsight.com/cloud-guru

Adrian Cantrill's Learning Platform (AWS and Azure only):
https://learn.cantrill.io/

I am getting tired of the whole, LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT WHAT I DID! movement. I get it, you want to enact change, but you haven't said anything that would indicate you know what you want to do.

what are you getting done today? Musings around Reddit and the power of self awareness. 

Mom’s are awesome!

The journey continues as I discuss my feelings around the exam and what happened the day I took the test. This is some real heartfelt information here and I don't mince words. Everyone has their own opinions on this exam and certifications in general. I have a love/hate relationship with certifications and I go into my feeling about them.

Following TikTok trends, I am going to implement some of those best practices in getting a job. Folks like @wonsulting and @corporatelife are just two of the many personalities that I will be following. Let's see how well those will work for an old man like me.

This episode is a personal one in where I discuss mental health in the IT industry. I talk about what I’ve been going through and how I handle it. It is a topic that isn’t discussed often, but needs to. We all deal with things differently and we need outlets to decompress. For those that need to talk to someone right away, please call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. For veterans, call the same number and press option 1.

I arranged a conversation with two colleagues to gain insight into their humble beginnings. We discuss automation and certifications a bit. The overall theme was to gain an understanding of other thoughts and ideas around this world as Information Technology professionals.

Do you have the right tools for the job?

Getting back into Nascar has me wondering about brand loyalty. This came after wondering why there were so many empty seats at Bristol Motor Speedway this past Sunday. Are you doing what you need to be doing to keeping your fans/customers loyal? I know I have a lot more work to do!

Ditch the tech-coma and slay your 2024 goals! ⚔️

Procrastination got you in a chokehold? Career stuck in the buffering zone? Time to unleash the SMART goal secret weapon and rocket-boost your IT game. This ain't no burnout bonanza. We're talking consistent progress, confidence levels on fire, and finally unlocking your inner tech titan. 2024 is your year for IT domination, and SMART goals are your key to the kingdom. Ready to: Crush deadlines like bugs Code like a caffeine-fueled keyboard ninja Level up your skills faster than a viral tweet Leave burnout in the dust and watch your confidence soar ✨

Then hit that subscribe button and join the SMART goal revolution. We'll be cracking the code on career success, sharing epic wins, and proving to your mom you don't just "fix computers." This is your year to dominate, tech fam. Let's make 2024 legendary!

Congrats to the USWNT in winning the Women's World Cup! The men couldn't pull out a victory against Mexico in the Gold Cup, but hey, we can't have everything.

Certification season is upon us! I start this season with the AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals exam. I discuss why I'm going back to basics and where I plan on taking my journey this season. Happy Easter and Passover to all who celebrate. If you don't celebrate, then Happy Spring!

A decent snowfall has occurred here in the farmlands of New Jersey! I discuss the curve balls property owners face, especially when the weather rears its ugly head. Then I dig into the first world problems we face, again, like losing a repo in Kodi and starting the process of looking for a new repo.

It's tax day in the United States! Get out there and pay those taxes. What's the saying, there are only two certainties in life: Death and Taxes!

Career goals are the objectives that you want to achieve in your life. They can be personal or professional, short-term or long-term. Your career goals should not just be a dream but also have a plan of action. You should always work towards your goals so that you can achieve them one day. If you write down your career goals, it helps you keep track of them and also gives you an idea what to focus on next in order to achieve these goals!

Here are some of the resources I shared on today's episode:
https://simplycyber.io

https://certificationstation.org

https://freecodecamp.org

I discuss the Girls On The Run event I attended yeterday. This goes into the girl/woman empowerment movement and my experiences as a Latinx male.

I completed my MBA - IT MGMT from WGU in December of 2020. I go through the entire program and give insights into why it took me 7 months to complete and how you can complete it within 1 term (6 Months). Will this degree propel you into the upper echelon of executive management? Well, not really. Ultimately, you need to make this degree work for you and you will be successful.

From the reddit thread that started me on this journey:

https://www.reddit.com/r/WGU_MBA/comments/gmxkxo/mba_master_of_business_administration_course_mega/ 

Writing resource I noted, Perdue Online Writing Lab (OWL):

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/graduate_writing/introduction_graduate_writing/index.html 

Content is hard to come by, especially when content providers are making it harder and harder for folks to consume it easily. I jump back on my soapbox on these platforms that are charging money for content. There are too many out there and this is why folks still choose peer to peer sharing.

Welcome back to our sixth season. We're trying to make this valuable to our listeners. Let's see how this goes.

The cloud started off with well intentions of bringing more products to market faster, but it has turned into a competing race on how to optimize costs while deploying products at break neck speeds. I talked about how you can begin your multi-cloud journey because it is no longer a one provider show. Most organizations have gone multi-cloud and others are following suit. This show aims to help guide you on how you should approach learning all the clouds; well at least AWS, Azure, and GCP. Pardon the rant earlier in the episode. I started using a new service called Riverside.fm (Not sponsored) and it was challenging to say the least.

The sysadmin role is considered, in my opinion, the glue that binds many aspects of an IT organization. The sysadmin is the escalation point for the helpdesk and desktop support. They work hard on keeping the lights on and work with various engineering teams to further improve the overall efficacy of the environment. The sysadmin also works with lines of business, like HR, in the new hire/termination process. A very challenging role, but one that can pay off in your future successes.

1. Recap of last week's topic: SysAdmin

2. What the Network Engineering role entails

3. Day to Day job functions that typically are performed by this role

4. What certifications you should look at getting

5. Next steps after working in this role for 1-3 years

6. Then covering some job postings in trying to help everyone interpret job details. 

We revisit Season 1 episode 1.1. Looking back 5 years on my humble beginnings and the many career paths technology has to offer. Elon Musk started with the Commodore Vic-20, so did I. Look at where he's at and look at me. Everyone's path is different, so don't get discouraged.

Cloud Resume Challenge: https://forrestbrazeal.com/2020/04/23/the-cloud-resume-challenge/

The IT industry is at an inflection point and continues to come to terms with disruptive technologies reshaping the world of work. Chuck discusses the role of A.I. as it pertains to our industry, and asks if it's possible for us to rethink how we interact with these technologies. In this episode, we argue why Information Technology is not the correct term for what we do as a profession. We argue that it's actually Artificial Intelligence and how this impacts our work and careers. We also visit artificial intelligence tools that you can use to generate programs, code, art, or web apps.

You're are most likely going to be thrust into a role as a project tech lead. I'm giving you some tips and tricks that lay down the foundation of what a great tech lead can do. If you want to move ahead in your career, take a listen.

Focusing on the cloud ops and engineering roles in this episode. I didn't want to take away anything from the sysadmin role. This is why I added cloud ops in this episode. This is still a very niche role and I give my thoughts on the future state of this role.

The two courses follow the WGU MBA IT Management degree. IT Project Management and Managing Human Capital are the two courses I completed in a span of three weeks. I talk mostly about IT Project Management and my thoughts on this course; hint - it was a bear!

With the job hunting process not going anywhere, I decided to go for an MBA in IT management to give me that boost. I talk about why I chose WGU's MBA IT MGMT program.

Ranting about masks and people not wanting to be tracked by the government. It's been about a year since I've been sequestered to my basement and this clearly shows where I am in my mental state.

Leadership is about making decisions, big and small, yet somehow people forget what it means to be an effective leader. We had a major incident recently that prevented me from recording new episodes and this was my first recording since I came back from vacation. I give a glimpse into what happened and my thoughts around the things that I observed and my two cents. I'm not playing arm-chair CIO here, I'm giving you my true feelings on what happened.

This is the first in a series of going deeper into some of the job functions you can find yourself holding within IT. I start with the help desk as your launchpad for your career. While not glamorous in nature, it will help you build upon your existing skills that will make you successful throughout the rest of your career.

I had the opportunity to go to AWS Summit NYC 2019. I briefly talk about the little protest outside of the Javits Center that morning on July 11th. Then I go into the summit briefly. Hopefully this will motivate some of you to get moving on your goals for this year.

Unlock the world of game development and unleash your child's creativity with this must-watch video on Unreal Editor for Fortnite! Join us as we dive into the exciting process of creating custom Fortnite experiences. Encourage your children's passion for gaming while learning together, fostering a unique bonding experience. It's more than just playing; it's about nurturing their creative minds and building valuable skills. Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a thrilling adventure in game development and make unforgettable memories with your children. Click now and start learning together!

Check out our YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@theitxp?si=fhC9iQN43ykLhT6k

Another round of mass shootings in America occurred over the weekend. I talk about how hatred is running rampant and just express my thoughts around this. This is a topic that should continue to be discussed. 

I know you’ve heard me about my decision NOT to go into the Information Risk route, so why the change? To be honest, I need to stay relevant somehow in the ever changing landscape of technology. You’ve heard about organizational change and the like, so I need to ensure I stay relevant. I’m giving you some resources for preparing for this certification exam. Won’t you join me on this journey?

Strap in as I take you back to my adventure at Western Governors University, where I crushed my Master of Science in Management and Leadership in one term (six months). Riding on the wisdom from a pivotal Reddit thread and armed with the solid gold insights from the Purdue OWL, I'm here to lay it all out bare: the good, the bad, and the brutally honest truths about speeding through WGU's competency based learning program. In this episode, I'm not just reminiscing about my academic grind during those intense months; I'm breaking down the strategies that could help you blaze through your own program even faster. But let’s cut through the noise for a second, will this degree be your golden ticket to the executive suite? Probably not on its own.

Coming at you with nothing but the truth, I want to talk about what a degree really means for us folks who've seen a bit more of life. As we dive into the realities of adult education, career pivots in a mid-life context, and the looming shadow of AI in our professional lives, I'm here to show you not just how to earn that diploma, but how to make it truly count in the hustle of real life. So, for anyone out there contemplating hitting the books again, eyeing a career change, or simply curious about the evolving role of academic credentials in an age dominated by technology, you're in the right place. Remember, success isn't just about the accolades; it's about the drive and determination you bring to the table. Let's unpack how to get that degree to open doors and create opportunities, no matter where you are in life’s journey. Join me, and let's get into it.

My MBA Journey: https://youtu.be/I3ibA8S1DyI

The Reddit Article that started me on this journey: https://www.reddit.com/r/WGU_MBA/comments/gmxkxo/mba_master_of_business_administration_course_mega/

My Favorite Online Writing Lab that shows you how to format your paper in different styles: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/graduate_writing/introduction_graduate_writing/index.html

Update on where I am in my job search. Talk about the resources I am using and where I have failed. Let's also talk about the future of this journey.

An interview with cybersecurity expert Dr. Eric Cole. We discussed passion vs purpose and what it takes to make it in the cybersecurity profession.

Eric has a book coming out in May 2021, Cyber Crisis, available for pre-order.

He also has a Virtual CISO course on his website.

Trump’s War is upon us!

Don't be the puppets they expect you to be. 

I start with the happenings on Wall Street between hedge funds and WallStreetBets. Then I get into my first part on "The Why" of looking for a new job. Finally, I discuss jobscan and its role in the job-hunting process.

TikTok Profiles to follow:
@wonsulting
@corporatelife
@icathryn

Database admins and engineers are paving the way for organizations to do more with the data they have. This has spawned a new role call data scientists/analyst/etc.., but it all starts here with the database admin/engineer.

The Crowdstrike Falcon issue was an eye opener for a lot of IT organizations on the readiness of their BCP or DR plans. This isn't the first time we've seen this, but it's been a while where such a large outage has been seen across a number of different industries. I discuss how you can leverage this as an opportunity for you to be more visible within your organization and finding opportunities to get ahead in your career.

Crowdstrike PIR: https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/falcon-content-update-preliminary-post-incident-report/

What is a post incident review: https://www.cybereason.com/resources/post-incident-review

In this Season 6 finale, I take a look back on the year that was. We had some great accomplishments, in light of what was going on around us, and had some failures. If you are like me, you've had more failures than accomplishments. Come join me as we close out the year 2020.

Today I go a bit technical as this weekend resulted in me working. Mostly just a rant on how operations teams are lackluster at best, especially when they are outsourced. 

WGU C213 - Accounting for Decision Makers. The course that will make you want to rip your eyes out! Such a dry course. Don't let it intimidate you, it's pretty straightforward, but you really have to see it through.

Unlock the world of game development and unleash your child's creativity with this must-watch video on Unreal Editor for Fortnite! Join us as we dive into the exciting process of creating custom Fortnite experiences. Encourage your children's passion for gaming while learning together, fostering a unique bonding experience. It's more than just playing; it's about nurturing their creative minds and building valuable skills. Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a thrilling adventure in game development and make unforgettable memories with your children. Click now and start learning together!

Check out our YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@theitxp?si=fhC9iQN43ykLhT6k

Another Monday where I complain about how people select usernames, especially for online games. Then I close it out with a quick discussion on password vaults for personal use. 

Episode begins with me ranting on the direction this show was taking and then finishes up with Day 2 of the Rev2 Data Science conference I attended back in May.

I had the opportunity to attend the Rev2 Data Science conference held by Domino Data Lab. While not an IT conference, I attended so I can gain a better understanding on what businesses are doing with data.

CBD oil for pets, what’s been your experience? I talk about the anxiety my dog goes through during loud events, i.e. thunderstorms. Will CBD oil prove to be as effective as it was with me?

I went back into the archives and pulled out this gem. It's the summer season and I'm out galavanting around the Caribbean right about now. I wanted to post some of my older shows so that you can hear what I sounded like back then and also reinforce some of the ideas that I constantly hear about education. There are many forms of education one can take to continue growing in their career. I go through some of these. I'm prepping a follow-up to this show, when I get back, and this will hopefully help you along your way.

We revisit season 1 again to give an update on how to keep learning in this world of constantly evolving technology. Some platforms may be right for you, others not so much. The only constant in technology is change.

I pulled this one up from the archives because I think mentoring still plays an important role as you develop your career. You may hear folks say that you also need sponsors to help you progress, while this is true, you also need someone that is going to be your mentor, either directly or indirectly, to help you navigate this game we all play. Right now I'm sitting on a beach in the Caribbean, disconnected from the world. I hope you all have had the chance to do the same.

WGU C214 Financial Management - This course was a tough one for me. It required that I finish the course reading/homework over the summer break; it definitely was not something that I could do during my spare time after work. One of the most difficult things about the course was having to analyze a restricted set of financial statements when preparing my analyses. Overall, I think this course improved my ability to read financial statements and prepare analytical reports around them.

We continue the series of job functions within IT that will provide more in-depth insights into what that role entails.

Topics covered:

1. Recap of last week's topic of the Help desk

2. What the Technical/Desktop Support role entails

3. Day to Day job functions that typically are performed by this role

4. What certifications you should look at getting

5. Next steps after working in this role for 1-3 years

6. Then covering some job postings in trying to help everyone interpret job details

Being laid off is a gut punch. I know, I've been there twice. But guess what? I turned those lemons into lemonade (metaphorically, of course - who has the energy for a real lemonade stand after that?).

My 9/11 Story: https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/theitxp/498529485-theitxp-my-9112001-story.mp3

FreeCodeCamp: https://www.youtube.com/c/Freecodecamp

Cybrary.it: https://www.cybrary.it/

HomeLab Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/10v6aip/guide_how_to_deploy_the_servarr_stack_on/

In this video, I'm spilling the tea on:

My personal layoff rollercoaster: How I went from "OMG, I'm jobless" to "Okay, new beginnings!" (Spoiler alert: there were tears, but also tacos. )
Actionable tips to navigate the layoff storm: From spotting the early signs to bouncing back like a boss.
Free resources to future-proof your career: Say goodbye to layoff anxiety with intel on potential mass layoffs and upskilling tools you NEED.
Whether you're facing layoff fears or just want to be prepared, this video is your Layoff Survival Kit. Hit play and let's turn lemons into opportunities!

P.S. Don't forget to smash that like button and subscribe for more career hacks!

20 years ago The Matrix was released. It got me thinking about the evolution of the digital world and the common theme amongst many of the futuristic movies, we need to unplug. 

The Apple Event of September! New products are announced and I go through some of my thoughts on what has been released. Check out the event on apple.com to see what's new. Stay tuned for the end where I jump back in to discuss my thoughts on the new iPhone 11 PRO!

Fantasy Football is the talk of many sports aficionados and I talk a bit about my experience with it and how much I SUCK at it. I'm back getting into a normal cadence of doing these shows again, so enjoy.

While navigating your IT career, you will come across nepotism. We talk through what nepotism is and how to handle situations such as the Circle of Friends hiring practices C-Suite folks typically do.

Course C200 - Managing Organizations and People is discussed in this episode. If you are interested in my journey, here is what I've gone through for this course. I also provide some information on the value of this degree and why you should consider it.