IT Guest Speaker – Anthony McMahon

We are proud to have hosted The IT Psychiatrist – Anthony McMahon to share his insights and experience with our students recently. Anthony was able to draw upon years in the IT industry to give the students valuable insights into the types of workplaces and cultures they are likely to encounter and how to conduct themselves accordingly.

The IT Psychiatrist is Anthony’s IT consultancy company. His work revolves around helping companies of different sizes understand their IT needs. From here he helps them to lay out the groundwork to address those needs, making sure that they have the tools and knowledge to do so.  He also gives presentations which cover a broad range of topics. His recent TechTalk presentation addressed the topic of stress in a modern environment and this one covered business cultures and advice for laying out a career in IT.

Anthony began by addressing the topic of corporate culture. While no two companies are identical, he broke down some broad categories that they tend to fall into, and gave the students a description of each. He gave an idea of the types of cultures that are more driven by appeasing shareholders and ones that are inclined to encourage risks and innovation. There is no one correct company culture to aim for and he emphasized this, rather it is best to know what structure works for you so that you’re equipped to get the most out of your career.

The job hunt was next to be addressed and again the advice was all relevant and practical. There was interview advice including the classic step, if too seldom followed, research the company you’re applying for and step into the interview with good knowledge. Further he talked about ways to demonstrate experience related to the role you’re applying for. On top of a CV, it can help a lot to present something more tangible to an employer.

Another point for discussion was professional conduct once you arrive in the workplace and are working in a team. He talked about the importance of open communication, both with team members and with managers. He also discussed the opportunities that can arise from getting out and meeting people. Only a small selection of the jobs out there get advertised, the rest are filled through personal interactions.

The guidance given was all practical, concise and relevant even though it covered a range of topics. We really appreciate Anthony’s time and his willingness to draw on his experience for the benefit of our students.