10 Years - Reflection on Time in IT

Yesterday as I was driving it dawned on me that I have been in IT (or very close to it) for 10 years (full time) now.  I wish I could say the time has flown by, but that is definitely not the case.  In the past 10 years I've run the gauntlet of IT:  help desk, phone support, network administration, system administration, network security, penetration testing, auditing, investigations.  Everyday has been different and the same which is odd, but seems to be the norm in this industry.

What have I learned?  What would I do different if I were starting out?

Work for an MSP.  There are big ones and small ones.  It's nice because you will get exposed to various technologies all at once.  Every environment is different and learning about each will build you into a better tech.  Plus at most places you could move to different teams given some time.  I know at the place I worked at we had someone who started as just a ticket taker, but eventually they started doing the easy stuff when the call came it.  Shortly after, they moved onto the help desk team.

Never stop learning.  It's really easy to get comfortable in this industry and that leads to clock punching.  It's tough to work all day and then come home to continue studying or labbing, but if you don't do it you'll be stuck.  I know a lot of old guys who have just withered because they didn't want to put in the time to upgrade their skills.  Even when the company is paying for it they aren't taking advantage of the programs available to them.

Have a plan.  I've always been a planner, so my plan A has a B, C, D and E backup.  Eisenhower said, "Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."  Nothing ever goes according to plan, but in the process of planning you can see the pitfalls and account for them.  This is as true to your life as it is to a big migration or other work related project.

Major in Computer Science.  I know a lot of people won't agree with me on this, but this is really my only regret in my career.  CS opens a lot of doors and still allows you to work in IT.  Two of my buddies were CS grads and both work in IT.  One had two minors in IT and the other just stayed at the job where he got an internship.  Being able to code alone is definitely worth it's weight in gold so at the very least minor in CS if nothing else.

Exercise.  You don't need to be a marathon runner, but doing 30 minutes a day of some activity will definitely change things for you.  We sit all day long and it definitely doesn't do us any favors.

Speak your mind.  I've gotten far in my career because I have never been afraid to speak up.  I'm not saying just be a complainer, have a plan or some way to fix something, but if something isn't working or isn't right speak up.  This alone has allowed me to work in positions normally someone like me would not have gotten.  People know if I raise an issue, it's an issue and that I am honest about it.  That means owning up to mistakes as well.

Do the job nobody wants.  I was told this in the academy, but it has been something I've done for most of my working life.  Friday I got stuck with a duty nobody wanted and was a complete drag, but it also let me talk to some people I would not have met otherwise.  Learned quite a bit and that made the 12 hour day worth it.

Save for retirement.  This for me happened much later then it should have and it has definitely cost me quite a bit.  I was always like, "man I need every cent I make", but at the end of the day when you look at what you get after putting in a few bucks you realize it isn't that bad.  Maybe one less lunch a week or one less coffee (or Monster) could mean a huge difference when your time comes to stop working.  I know a lot of guys who are onto second careers and not by choice.  It's fine if you wanna keep working or to get another job for some extra cash, but you never want to have to do it.

Network, network network.  This is the way of the world and a lot of jobs come from knowing someone.  A buddy of mine has gotten every job he's had because of people he knew.  My current job came from working with guys here on a case.  You never really know who or what might be the source for your next job.