20 years in IT, here’s what I’ve picked up along the way. Big read, skimming optional

A catchy title, right? “Here’s what I’ve picked up during my last 20 years of my life” would have worked as well, if you know what I mean. But hey, we’re in IT, we are ambitious, hungry for knowledge, eager to learn, over achievers, workaholics, and what not. It’s fun, potentially stressful, hard work, but also very satisfying and rewarding at the same time. At least that’s how I would describe my career so far.   

I have been in IT just short of 20 years now, quite a stretch. I thought I’d share some words of wisdom (debatable) for those who are just getting started (and others perhaps), in IT or other fields of expertise, or “life” for that matter.

Throughout the years I’ve gone through some personal changes, which was a fun but also challenging, and sometimes scary process. Never the less, I’m happy that I took the route I did, it has brought me a lot of good, in general, I mean. So, besides the “be on time” and “do as promised” advice, which I life by, here are some more…

1. Be yourself! Yeah, I know, an “open door” but I can’t stress this point enough. Don’t try to impersonate, be, or act like someone else. Not in person, not online, just don’t. It’s OK to have people you look up to, idolize etc. in fact, I think it helps, or can help you grow on multiple levels. But don’t do like they do, eventually it doesn’t work. People will like you (or not) because of you, and the way you are or act, it’s that simple. It may work for a little while, perhaps a few weeks, months, or even a year or so, but it won’t last. It’s a waste of time and energy, trust me.
2. Work hard but take naps. It’s true. You need to take care of yourself, really you do. It’s so easy to get caught up in all that we do on a daily basis. Another issue to fix or dive into, a new product or update has just been released, let’s have a look, a free webinar with some interesting topics and speakers, a blog post to finish, another tool to write, feedback to give, others to assist, a customer to visit, and let’s not forget about our “social” online presence… the list is basically endless. Get up early and do all those things, however, make sure to get some rest in between, you NEED IT. You know I’m right, right? Personally? I nap, a LOT. I think we’ve all heard about the sleep pods at Google, I mean, they get it.
3. Do sports. Go walking, jogging, running, play tennis, go swimming, or play golf, it really doesn’t matter. Any kind of physical activity counts. We are not made to sit behind a desk all day long, it’s not healthy. It also helps to organize your thoughts or clear your mind, you’ll get some “alone time”, burn of some calories and get in better shape. You’ll be a better person for it. Come to think of it, taking some time off from your laptop, desktop, desk etc. is always a good idea. Listen to, or make music, fix your house, organize your garden, go and have a few beers, or glasses of wine with your friends, or do whatever it takes to get you away from IT every once in a while, even if it’s only for an hour or so.
4. Don’t judge a book by its cover. In our professions you get to meet a lot of people, and I mean a lot. Ever been to a conference? Man. And that’s just one example. Some seem nice right from the start, there is a click, common interests and all that, perhaps you share a beer and so on. Others may seem a bit stiff at first, introvert, uncomfortable, or perhaps a bit weird even, and that’s ok. We are not all alike. Don’t judge. Give them some time to warm up, they may turn out be awesome. I’ve made that mistake in the past as well, but hey, that’s how we learn.
5. Be a student. Learn, study, then learn and study some more. Set goals (do this), something to work towards. Try to learn something new every day, which, to be honest, in our professions is relatively easy. Just look at some of the amazing communities out there. Not to mention the constant change from a technology point of view. However, technology will only get you so far. Inter-personally skills are equally important, focus on those as well. Built your own personal Roadmap – what would you like to have accomplished by the end of this year, next month, in three years’ time, and so on. Perhaps you have a certain job role you’d like to apply for. Find out what’s needed to get there, make a plan, and execute. Life isn’t that complicated :)
6. Write stuff down, take notes. USE A PEN. Yes, a pen, use your hands, really, handwriting, try it. There have been tons of studies showing us that writing by hand activates all kinds of brain activities, in a good way. You’ll remember the content better, it stimulates your creativity, your ability to process information, it develops or maintains your visual motor skill and what not. All things a keyboard does not do, in contrary. That’s why I always say, the pen (still) is (and will always be) mightier than the keyboard. Also, make lists. Per day, week, month, a combination of all combined. Keep track of what it is you need/want to do. Call it a “To Do” or “Success” list or whatever. It will give you peace of mind (you’ll sleep better) and helps you to get/be more organized. 
7. Say YES to something you’ve never done before and/or do not know much (or perhaps nothing) about. It doesn’t have to be in IT, or work related even. Than (deep) dive in right from the get-go. The “Just Do IT” approach. However, make sure you have time to do so. I mean, if your schedule is already overbooked, or it interferes with your “nap” or family time, then it might be wiser to give it a pass. Which brings me to my next tip.
8. Say NO! For many this might be one of the hardest things to do. To be honest, it’s something you learn as time goes by – I know I did. And by the way, I don’t mean that you have to start saying no to everything, not at all. It needs to fit your agenda during that particular period. The fear of missing out might come into play here as well. Just know that however great it may seem, the chances of it being a ”once in a lifetime” opportunity are slim to none in most cases. Try not to bite of more than you chew, is all I’m saying. It gives you stress, wrinkles and grey hair – been there.
9. Spend time with your kids, wife, husband, and family. I don’t have to explain this one, do I? Get your wife/husband something nice from time to time. Candy (a six-pack works as well) or flowers might seem (too) obvious to most of you, but when was the last time you actually bought something like that for your spouse, girl/boyfriend? Be honest! Just remember, it’s because of her/him that you get to spend all that time doing what you do and love. Also, it doesn’t have to be “a thing” you give. Take her/him somewhere nice, give her/him the attention she or he deserves, a nice massage perhaps, well, I’ll stop right here. You get my point, I hope. Treat yourself in the same way, you deserve a “reward” every now and again – so, no more doubts, go and get that new Surface Laptop 3, it’s only money.
10. Try to come up with a work life balance. This one is hard, most of you can relate, I’m sure. Whatever it takes, make sure you do everything in your power to get things organised. Of course, it also depends on the situation you are in. I’ll give you an example. In the afternoon I’m always home first, and I mean by an hour of two, sometimes even more. I try to use that time wisely. Besides taking naps, I go out for a run, do my studying, write blogs or do other community related work. Of course I try to dedicate some of that time to cleaning the house and such as well. When my girlfriend comes home, with our 10 month old boy, Mex, it’s family time. Sure, I still check my email from time to time, send a WhatsApp message every now and again, but nothing big. After, of before dinner, we usually go out for a walk, play with Mex and so on. After, we agreed that I can spend another hour or two behind my laptop doing whatever it is I like to do. However, when it gets close to 20:30 I’m done, or most of the time anyway, and it’s “the two of us” time again. Also, when I work in the weekends – and I almost always do – If she asks me to do something, I do it, right away (take note). Of course, I take bullet number 9 seriously as well (small gifts, a nice restaurant, flowers, etc.) I’m fortunate to have a girlfriend (wife to be) who understands and supports my passion. The KEY word? Compromise!
11. No, it’s not just a job. Not for most of “us” anyway. It would be too shortsighted to approach it with that kind of an attitude. Your personal life is more important, definitely. However, most of us spend like 10 hours a day doing what we do, not counting weekends. It is a huge part of who we are and what we do during life. That’s why It is important to you enjoy yourself, surround yourself with like-minded individuals whenever possible, to have support from the home front, to get some recognition (we all like, and need a compliment every once in a while), leave a job you hate (after giving it a serious attempt) for a more relaxed atmosphere, even if the pay may be less – eventually, it will be “worth” more.
12. Show me the money, Jerry! Sounds familiar? You’ve spend years becoming an expert and you’d like to be rewarded accordingly. Makes perfect sense. There is a danger in that as well. Don’t get carried away. Before changes jobs and accepting that huge paycheck make sure you do your research. Talk to people who work there, and even more importantly, to those who used to work there, also, use Google (seriously, Glassdoor.com can help as well), talk to friends, your family, make a list of pro’s and con’s etc. A six figure income (or something to that extend) is awesome, but when it comes at a “cost”, well, you know. Consider your options carefully, and when you do take the leap, make sure you get the things that matter to you (points you agreed upon during your interview (s)) in writing and signed. Always leave your current employer in style and treat them with respect. You never know what good it may do you, and, of course, it’s just a decent thing to do. My point, don’t make money your number one priority, it’s not “worth” it. Have fun, and while doing so reaching your full potential is much more likely to happen – the money will follow.
13. You know those sayings “live life like there is no tomorrow” or “approach every day as if it were your last”, “only do what you really love, life is too short” and there are many more, I’m sure. Ignore them. It’s BS. Be realistic. Would you be able to live like that? By only doing what you truly love/like, really? While still being able to pay your mortgage or rent, buy food and clothes for your kids and what not. I’m sure there are exceptions, though for most of you reading, this is probably a utopia. You need to have a healthy and positive mindset, most certainly, but don’t overdo it, this is real life, don’t feel guilty.
14. Be critical, but kind. Speak your mind, but do it constructively and try to think things through first. It’s OK to think whatever you like, it’s not OK to share everything you think, is what my father taught me crowing up, though, tbh, it sounds better in Dutch. This rule applies to social media as well, by the way. I’m sure many of you have seen examples of vendors going at each other, or individuals being overly critical of just about anything. You need to stay true to yourself and your principles for sure, however, you also need to take into account how something might sound or come across to someone else. It’s called tact, or empathy. It will make your (work) life easier in many, many ways.   
15. Step out of your comfort zone. It’s where the magic happens, you know? If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got. Isn’t that the truth?! But seriously, you need to do things differently if you want to improve and keep moving forward. Even if that means doing something you dread. For me it was presenting in front of groups of people, for example. , I even enjoy it from time to time. It’s funny how things like that work. First it’s something you honestly do not want to do, you might even be coming up with excuses to get out of it. Then, as you practice, at least that’s what I did, some time passes and you start to feel more confident. As the big moment approaches that confidence makes room for nerves but there’s no way back and you just do it. Afterwards, you feel nothing but joy and relief, you are proud of yourself (and you should).
16. Read. To relax, or to learn new skills, technically or otherwise, but also to get an idea of how others (including famous people, the ones you might look up to) experience the same type of anxieties you do. It helps to get things in perspective and will give your confidence a boost before you’ve even started. Trust me, if you think you are special in being scared of presenting, or something similar, you would be wrong. When I had my first few (big) presentations coming up I read multiple books. Most were written from real life experience on public speaking, which really helped me. The one I liked best was “Confessions of a public speaker” by Scott Berkun. From a technical point of view, I like to skim my email, LinkedIn and Twitter in the morning and “save” a couple of articles I’ll read later during the day – something I try to plan in my agenda/ToDo list. I also have a Google alert (Daily digest) set up. Once a day (around 10 in the morning) I receive an email with articles and news items on topics/key words I find interesting, simple but efficient.
17. Don’t give up. How many stories have you heard or read about some of the biggest names and minds in the industry (ours and others) failing over and over again before becoming successful? Personally, I try to ignore those. They’re hyped and turned into sales pitches, Not always, but often they are. Nevertheless, it can be challenging to keep going when you have to overcome setbacks and disappointments on a regular basis. Inspirations can be (very) useful, just don’t take it to seriously. Sometimes it helps to drop something for a while and have another try a few weeks later, for example. I like to cut things up into smaller pieces, or sections, taking it one step at the time, that’s how I can oversee things more clearly. Of course, it depends on what you have to deal with. I’d just like to encourage you to keep going – Try, Fail, Learn… Repeat! – I highlighted sports earlier. For many, doing sports is another way to challenge themselves, achieving previously set goals. They strive to get better, faster, fitter, stronger, etc. And you know what, it’s also builds great character. No human is limited, as Eliud Kipchoge likes to say. Who? Yeah, he runs, quite fast, as you’ll find out October 12, give it a Google.
18. Be honest about, and to yourself. Try to figure out your own strengths and weaknesses. It sounds easy, but it really isn’t. You need to accept your flaws and be realistic. You can’t be good at everything, or perhaps as someone. Accept that. Once that’s out of the way it will become easier to avoid situations where you might feel uncomfortable, or be second to someone else. Eventually you’ll be able to shine, showing off your “moves” so to speak, and I mean that I a good, non-snooty way (I googled that). In other words, (you will) learn to “pick your battles”.
19. Focus on making good even better. Yes, working on your weaknesses might be helpful. However, spending time on perfecting what you already master quite well could be more rewarding, I feel. Usually there is a reason why we are not good at something. We don’t have an interest in it, associate it with something we don’t like, we simply lack the natural talent or skills to get up and running quickly, hence why we don’t like spending too much time on it. While you will improve if you set your mind to it, you’ll have to carefully weigh if it’s worth the effort. Give it a go for a couple of weeks, for example, see where you end up, then move on, or not. The things we are already good at will be more fun to work on making it easier to progress. Though, success can never be guaranteed, of course. To be honest, you’ll have to figure this one out for yourself.  
20. Have you seen the documentary on Bill Gates? “Inside Bill’s Brain”, it’s on Netflix. Bill likes to take “Think weeks” where he’ll be all by himself in a cabin in the woods. No technology, only books and a fridge full of soda’s. He reads, thinks and takes notes (using a pen, on real paper). It’s how he organizes his thoughts and comes up with new ideas. It’s what I like to do as well (not something I copied from Bill, by the way). I prefer ones a year (skipped one or two in the past) and I do take my laptop with me. However the idea is the same. Some “alone/me time”, organizing my thoughts, taking notes, drafting blog posts and future plans, going out for my daily run, and so on. It works really well. It may not be for everyone but certainly worth considering.
21. Don’t worry too much. Life is too short. Try to put things in perspective. Think flooding, hurricanes, cancer, ISIS, warfare and you name it. What we “do” doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things. Try to relax, do your job as good as you can, be ambitious, have goals and all that, but try to have as much fun as you can while you’re at it. Work hard, play harder fits in nicely here. Not everyone will like you, so what? That’s fine, I don’t like everybody either, do you think they care? Haters are gonna hate, it’s that simple. “The subtle art of not giving a fuck” by Mark Manos might be worth giving a read.  
22. Ask questions and listen. Probably the simplest tip of all, properly applied by few. You know when they say “if you are the smartest person in the room you are in the wrong room” well, that’s not enough. Getting in the right room is step one. Get my drift? It’s something I had to learn as I went along. At first, I didn’t want to ask questions because I thought it would make me look stupid. You know what makes you look stupid? Getting something done in hours while it could have took you 15 minutes if you had asked for help – and that’s just one example. So, yeah, just do it. Ask as many questions as you can – ask for help. Also, when you are in the “right” room, don’t just hear what others have to say, LISTEN! Take notes (use a pen) and take it from there.
23. Find a mentor, become a mentor. When I got the chance to become a “Manager” (don’t ask) 10-12 years ago, my supervisor was a seasoned and hardened businessman who had founded and sold multiple companies with great success. The problem was, that’s how I saw him. He was my “boss” and I could feel the hierarchy between us, which, to be honest was mostly me. I didn’t realize all the things he could teach me, or at least I didn’t thought of it in that way, I didn’t saw him as a mentor. Strange actually, ambitious as I was. Anyway, after a few months we sat down, had a cup of coffee and he asked me how I thought things were going. Of course, he knew it was my first time “managing” and such. He was also curious how I saw him and how I thought we were getting along. I gave it a thought and basically told him what I just wrote here. That was the moment he told me, why not treat or see me more as a, or your mentor, someone to turn to with questions, advice, when in doubt or in need of support, etc. Made me think, and so I did. Turned out he wasn’t just “judging” me, and I don’t mean that in a bad way, on my results. No, he wanted to help me grow and perhaps “shape” me a little. Eventually, life happened and we got separated, but it was an educational time for sure. From that moment on I thought to myself, whenever I feel I have something to share with others, perhaps in a similar role, I’ll let him/her/them know right from the get-go. Do you have someone like that around as well?
24. Last, but most certainly not least… Help others and reach out. Not only is it satisfying, it will teach you a thing or two as well, about others and about yourself. The funny thing is, while giving and helping others, in the end, you’ll receive back as well, though that shouldn’t be the main reason to start. Share what you have learned and picked up along the way, by writing, presenting, or perhaps by having a private talk while enjoying a coffee, a few beers, go out for lunch or dinner and make plans. Start a community or join an existing one, visit community initiated events and so on. I personally know dozens of people who are willing to help. How I got to know all of them? You already know the answer.

That’s bout it. I’m pretty sure I have left one or two out so I might be updating this post in the future. It would also be nice to hear from you guys, do you have some “nuggets” of knowledge to share as well? Please do. Hope this helped someone out there.

Thanks for reading.

Bas van Kaam

Field CTO EMEA by day, author by night @ Nerdio

Father of three, EMEA Field CTO @ Nerdio, Author of the book Van de Basis tot aan Meester in de Cloud, Co-author of the book Project Byte-Sized and Yuthor of the book: Inside Citrix – The FlexCast Management Architecture, over 500 blog posts and multiple (ultimate) cheat sheets/e-books. Public speaker, sport enthusiast­­­­­­­­: above-average runner, 3 x burpee-mile finisher and a former semiprofessional snooker player. IT community participant and initiator of the AVD User group Community world wide.