348: Build Your Skill Set and Have Patience with Luke Switkowski

<p>In this week’s show, Phil talks to Luke Switkowski, the CEO and cofounder of Kognitiv, a company that provides Workday consultancy and professional services. He has been working with Workday for more than a decade and developed an on-demand services model supporting Workday clients.</p> <p>Luke talks about why skill sets are at the heart of every IT career. He also discusses the value of patience when it comes to unhappiness in your career path.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>KEY TAKEAWAYS:</strong></p> <p><strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>TOP CAREER TIP</strong></p> <p>To build a career, you have to build a skill set. It takes patience and time, but everything is predicated upon this, so give it your full attention.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>WORST CAREER MOMENT</strong></p> <p>While consulting on a project, the testing was something of a disaster. Testing showed that the systems built were dysfunctional and barely working.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>CAREER HIGHLIGHT</strong></p> <p>Starting the Kognitiv business, and making it a success!</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>THE FUTURE OF CAREERS IN I.T</strong></p> <p>The tools and capabilities available to everyone in the world of today are very exciting, and enable us to make incredible things.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>THE REVEAL</strong></p> <p><strong>What first attracted you to a career in I.T.?</strong> – The potential to tinker and solve problems</p> <p><strong>What’s the best career advice you received?</strong> – Niche down and learn your specialist area.</p> <p><strong>What’s the worst career advice you received?</strong> – That degrees of education are always important to every part of your career</p> <p><strong>What would you do if you started your career now?</strong> – Work in consulting</p> <p><strong>What are your current career objectives? –</strong> Making Kognitiv even better</p> <p><strong>What’s your number one non-technical skill?</strong> – Asking questions</p> <p><strong>How do you keep your own career energized?</strong> – Working on side projects and pursuits