Welcome to the trailer/pilot episode of the Nerd Journey Podcast [@NerdJourney]! We’re John White (@vJourneyman) and Nick Korte (@NetworkNerd_), two VMware Solutions Engineers who are hoping to bring you the IT career advice that we wish we’d been given earlier in our careers.
Topics

* 01:05 – Why did we start this podcast?

* We both came from IT Operations in the SMB space and realized our career progress was slower than it could have been (i.e. making career advancement more of a priority)
* We’re sharing opinions and career advice we wish had been given to us along the way.
* Career advancement does not necessarily mean moving to a different company.
* Your career is a journey with many stops along the way.  We hope something we’ve said will help you.

 

* 03:33 – IT Conferences as IT Career Catalysts

* Each conference is different but can bring the same benefits.

* Spiceworld
* Epicor Insights
* VMworld

* What do you want to get out of the conference?

* Learn new skills / technologies
* Meet new people – at random or strategically
* How many people does John stalk on Twitter / LinkedIn to meet at conferences?

 

* 11:10 – Surviving and Thriving at IT Conferences

* What’s your plan to get plenty of sleep?
* Proper footwear is a must!
* How hard is it to stay hydrated?
* What’s your packing strategy?
* Planning your schedule at the conference each day is a balancing act between sessions and social activities.
* Drinking is not required to enjoy the conference.  Don’t let it be a detriment to your experience.
*  Nick’s blog posts about surviving/thriving

*  Podcasts about VMworld 2017
* Nick documented his first VMworld experience in a collection of articles here

 

* 24:45 – A Preview of Upcoming Podcast Topics

* What is it like to work for VMware?
* Prioritizing career advancement
* Interviewing for new positions (at your current job or elsewhere)
* Work / life balance
* Resume writing tips
* Company culture and the effects on career advancement
* Questionable career advice