As mentioned at the beginning of my sid-500.com webpage, I intend to publish not only technical articles. Today I would like to share some thoughts for your career. Venturing into the realm of the mind as a technician is a dangerous undertaking. Since I am also a teacher, I have accompanied many course participants and believe I can report a lot. This is a nice transition to the actual topic: 8 rules to be successful.

1 Stay hungry and curious

Always be inquisitive. Knowledge is power. Craftsmanship is no longer as important in our industry as it used to be. Even if you are already on the top of the hill, remember that there’s always someone who’s better than you. Try to be as good as he is.

2 Never give up

Have you seen Rocky I? Rocky Balboa’s goal was to make it through 15 rounds. He achieved it. But at the end he still lost. But he actually won, because he achieved his personal goal. Find your personal goal. If you fall down, get up and move on again and again.

Recently a former classmate asked me: “Is it difficult to write blog posts”. I answered: “Yes, it is. You have to read over the article again and again. You have to put yourself in the readers shoes. You have to check the codes, commands and the wording again and again.”

3 Keep an eye on the latest technologies

It’s in the nature of man to demonize new things. I still remember the messages relating to authentication with biometric data such as fingerprint. That’s insecure. Sure? All smartphones now have a fingerprint sensor and face recognition is on it’s way to become the standard authentication method. This is called progress. Don’t listen to naysayers who demonize all new.

Some time ago I had a discussion with a colleague. He said face recognition is not secure. My answer was: “Are passwords secure? Remember Keylogger and Shoulder Surfing. Nothing in this world is 100% secure.”

It’s always the same with new technologies: “First you are laughed at and then it becomes standard.”

4 Be aware that you’ll only need 50% technical skills

Decisive for success is not only technical know-how, but social competence. Remember that the one who is technically not so experienced, but does his job reliably, will be the better one. That’s the  way it is.

I always tell my students a story about a professional and a beginner. The professional can solve the problem but does not do it in time. The beginner asks the professional and then solves the problem in time. It does not matter to the user. The problem is solved. Which one will the user be more satisfied with?

5 Be aware that not everyone shares your passion

Some people are lucky. Their profession is their passion. Respect people who don’t share your passion. They do their work only for their income. This also means that they may not as much motivated as you are. Accept that.

6 Everybody here puts his pants on the same way as you

Don’t let yourself be deterred by supposedly better educated people. Believe in yourself. No matter what education you have, if you work hard, you’ll be better than the others.

7 Once you have learned the basics, specialize in a topic that you enjoy most

The time of the generalists is over. The new all-rounders are electricians who configure houses as smart homes and car mechanics who equip cars with technology. Behind them, IT specialists do their work. That’s you. Choose the topic you enjoy most and try to be really good at it, no matter what it is.

8 Don’t be extreme

Some invest everything in safety. Some don’t care. Keep in mind that a balance between comfort, functionality and safety should be guaranteed. Of course in relation to the respective environment.

The Security Triangle illustrates the situation. The ball is in the middle and can move in one direction or the other as needed. Find a good relationship between the three areas.

Here’s a balanced situation, suitable for most companies.

The graph below shows an environment focusing on comfort. It lacks security features and is vulnerable to attacks. Many believe that they have a safe environment. However, it is not the case for most of them.

That’s it for today. I hope you enjoyed it!