Its been a log while since I was able to write in this blog. Things got extraordinarily busy, my bad ^_^
I had dinner with one of my proteges recently and he was telling me that he has yet to do what he had trained for in school. Even after being a couple of years in the industry. In fact, he decided to cane direction. To learn even more technical stuff. And he's totally OK with it. In fact, he's excited about it!
One of the things I keep telling my students, fairly often, is that chances are when you do get into the industry you WIL NOT be doing what you trained for. More than likely you'll start at the bottom doing grunt work. And LEARNING more. My protege said it best: "I went to school to learn how to learn." It's so very rare that you'll start at the top. If you do it may only be for a shot time because people who stay at the top remain there via experience. I don't recommend rushing to the top. Not being at the top means that you don't have a target on your back. You get to go home and most likely not take the work home with you. There is nothing wrong with putting in a hard days work to make someone else look good. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint.
Being at the top means that you should have a great deal of dirt under your nails. That you put in the time, effort, and energy to get there. To know what it is it be at the bottom. The best people at the top raise others and help them, not crush them. Those people at the top sometimes carry the scars of their past and help others avoid getting them while teaching the same valuable lesson. Learn those lessons in order to avoid the same pitfalls.
Don't rush to the top. Revel in your time. Be smart. Learn and absorb all you can.
Sometimes, you get only one chance.
