Simple career advice

Sometimes my students ask me, "How do I get an A in your course?" I always tell them, "Don't ask how to get an A; learn the material, and you'll get an A." I just did a panel for the Katz MIS-MBA program and offered a similar piece of advice when asked about how to get a job.

Don't try to get a job; figure out what you want to do, learn as much as you can, and you'll get a job.

I don't have any hard data to back it up, but I've found most of my best students are the ones that really are passionate about programming and technology. I always have students that are only interested in getting an A, but I think the students that are the most memorable (and I'm guessing the ones that end up being the most effective in their careers) are the ones that really enjoy what they're doing and are doing everything they can to learn everything about the subject. They're never interested in getting the best grade, they're interested in doing.

Be passionate about what you do, or do what you're passionate about. I think that the people who work on something they enjoy, something they believe in - they're the effective ones, and I'm guessing that they're the happiest in their careers.

If you're only interested in getting a job, what do you do once you get one?

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