Virtually Anything is Possible in Your CareerMelissa Palmer, VCDX #236Technologist, Veeam Product Strategy@vMiss33

Agenda

• About Me and My Career Path• My Three Favorite Career Tips• The Softer Side of VCDX

• Technologist at Veeam• VCDX Certification in 2016• I like space!• @vMiss33• vMiss.net

About Me

• Product Strategy Technologist at Veeam• VCDX-DCV• Technical Marketing Engineer/Solutions Architect at NetApp• Systems Engineer at NetApp• Virtualization Engineer at Large Pharmas• Post-College Rotational Program in IT Infra at Large Pharma• Infrastructure Intern on Wall Street• Student in Engineering School

My Career Path

My Three Favorite Career Tips

My Favorite Career Tips

• These tips apply to anyone in any stage of their career

• Apply to more than just IT careers, so share them with your friends!

• Discovered them through out my career, and have kept using them

• Discovered this one through pure luck!

• Find someone who you respect

• Some relationships work, some don’t• That’s OK!

Tip #1 – Find a Mentor

• What would a prospective employer be looking for in the job you want?

• Just do it!

Tip #2 – Do the Job You Want

• It is easy to say “This is terrible.”

• Instead say “This is terrible, and here is how to fix it.”

Tip #3 – Complaining Isn’t Enough

The Softer Side of VCDX

VMware Certified Design Expert

The VCDX Process

• Interact with customer to determine:• Requirements• Constraints• Assumptions• Risks

• Create conceptual, logical, and physical designs• Iterate on design with customer

Design

• Submit not only your completed design but:• Implementation Plan• Installation Guide• Operational Procedures• Test and Validation Plan

Submit

• From the VCDX blueprint:

• Orally defend the submitted design (75minutes) • Concisely explain the design and justify the decisions made to create

it. (Plan on spending no more than 15 minutes on this part.)• Throughout the defense, respond to questions posed by panelists.

• Work through a design problem posed by the panelists, in the format of an oral discussion. (45 minutes)

Defend

The VCDX Process

Written CommunicationListening & EngagingPublic Speaking & Presenting

WhiteboardingWritten CommunicationProject Management

Listening & EngagingPublic Speaking & Presenting

Whiteboarding

• These are skills needed in all stages of your career and they are a huge differentiator

• The VCDX is a unique opportunity to work on these skills and gain a widely recognized and respected certification at the same time

• VCDX is about more than technology• You will become a better IT architect, and better at your

current role

More Than a Certification

• These three tips will serve you well wherever you are in your career

Summary – Career Tips

• These softer skills are crucial to VCDX success, and to your career

Summary – VCDX Soft Skills

Virtually Anything is

Possible

Thank you