To My 20-Year-Ago Self: 7 Things That Would Change My Career

Short summary

A 20-year tech veteran reveals seven career lessons: be selective with project commitments and prioritize depth over breadth; favor simplicity over premature complexity to reduce operational risk. Build personal side projects to drive self-directed learning and develop judgment unavailable in corporate roles. Integrate security into architecture from day one, learn from failures, and choose strategic focus over resume padding.

• •Saying 'no' to opportunities creates space for higher-impact work and deeper expertise
• •Simplicity in system design is a mark of skill; complexity creates operational and security risk
• •Personal projects provide learning and control unavailable in corporate environments

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.