What core technical skills would you want to learn if you could go back to your early stages of career?



I was gifted a server in the early 2000s with the hint to install linux on it. I was a teenager at this time and rather playing counterstrike 1.6 at this time. I'd probably be an Unix wizard today :(
 
I'd be all in into learning as many programing languages as possible and getting skilled with coding in as many areas as possible.
One has to be young for this because it takes years to master.
No no no. I made that mistake in the 1980's I made a hobby of "collecting" programming languages but failed to develop expertise in what they might be used for.

Yes, learn multiple programming languages. Really -learn- them, too. But if -this- language is pretty much like -that- language that you already know then don't waste your time. Learn a language that's different in more than just the syntax and keyword choice. My suggestions would be:
  • Learn C. Just quit your whining and learn it.
  • Learn Assembly. It doesn't really matter what flavor.
  • Learn an object oriented language
  • Learn SQL
  • Learning MUMPS (as a counterpoint to SQL)
  • Learn FORTH (get a handle on stack handling)
  • Learn shell scripting
Maybe javascript for the object oriented choice. Maybe throw in some python.

Ruby, perl, lua, lisp, etc etc ad nauseum - maybe later, on an as-needed basis.

That should keep you busy for a while. A selection of languages like the above list will emphasize key elements that you will use often throughout your career. Also learn certain common algorithms - how to implement a quick sort vs a bubble sort and why one might be better than the other and that sort of thing.

But also
  • Learn "Systems analysis" - the steps before "coding" are critical.
  • Learn data structures - stacks, queues, linked lists, arrays, structs, etc, etc.
  • Learn system administration. Yes, Windows too. Even if you don't plan on getting certs.
  • Learn "networking" - often lumped in with system administration
  • Learn at least a little about security
  • Learn at least a little about file transfers.
  • Learn about many facets of -business- because employers want "subject matter experts"
  • Learn at least a little about hardware control
  • Learn git
  • Learn grub
  • Learn English, both written and spoken
Depending on where your career takes you (or where you expect to take -it-...
  • Learn a little about word processing
  • Learn a lot about spreadsheets
  • Learn a little about slide presentations
  • Learn about CAD
  • Learn about graphics
  • Learn about application support and even customer support.
Become an expert in -something- but don't be "one dimensional"

Do not let yourself start to believe that the technical stuff is important and the "soft side" (user / customer interactions) aren't.

Do not just depend on my advice - I learned some of these things too late in my career and some of them may not apply today.
 
I'd do what I did then. Learn mathematics - advanced mathematics.

Math is a language designed to determine logic - it's logicism. Programming is logic, generally speaking.

So, the foundation in logic would make me more able to adapt to changes and I could learn as needed.

I'd also learn some soft skills, like public speaking and management - but that's not a part of your question. In my life, I've employed many people. Those two skills are essential to move up the ladder and get paid better. I think you could learn those skills outside of formal education.
 
Yes, learn multiple programming languages. Really -learn- them, too. But if -this- language is pretty much like -that- language that you already know then don't waste your time. Learn a language that's different in more than just the syntax and keyword choice.
I agree with you, some languages are too similar and learning these is indeed waste of time because knowing only one is enough.
I meant to learn as many distant languages like you said, e.g. as distant as assembly, C and ruby, but not 2 similar ones like C++ and Go since one is made against the other, in which case I'd opt in for just one of these.
 
Let's learn soft skills, What resources are there/?

Head to your favorite search engine and look for 'best management books'. Better still, go to your library and ask at the desk. Libraries still exist and are still awesome places to go learn things.

At your nearest school, take some classes - like public speaking. You can even audit the class without paying (often) but they won't give you a grade or anything. But, they might let you participate in labs. You can also just find ways to practice it. If you have a local bar you can head there on open mic night to sing a song, or start doing sets at your local comedy club. Go read books to children at the library. It's a big world.

This will be more difficult if you live in a very rural area.
 
At your nearest school, take some classes - like public speaking.
Toastmasters - if that's still a thing, is highly recommended. it sure helped me a bunch. I'd probably want to get familiar with a few languages as well - not just the programming kind - Spanish, German, French, Japanese, etc. though to be fair just being fluent in English is good enough for most jobs.

tech wise, if I had to do it over again, I'd start at an MSP. that's a lot like learning by being on the business end of a firehose but you'll pick up a lot of good skills - or you'll wash out and learn early on that you cant hack it in the support end of things without wasting too much time. I'd probably also get more certs, those are good for getting your foot in the door at a lot of places - but real world experience is always better (hence the MSP suggestion).

dunno really, IT is a huge field - there's bunches of stuff in it that never interested me, but you might find riveting.
 
How to not express anger while in a meeting. Had a bad stuffs yesterday, might as well get terminated...
 
I think for me. Python. Even though I have been using Linux a long time, I never really started using Python until about
2009 or 2010. Everything in Linux used to be Perl. I thought Perl was the way to go. I never was an expert, but I was good
enough to do most of things I needed done with it. Somewhere in a last 10 years, it seems Perl has all but disappeared.

Everything is Python now. Oh, other programming languages are still popular, I just mean a lot of internal Linux utilities have gone over to python. I do use it, but again, I don't consider myself an expert by any means. Love it or hate it, it's here for
the long haul I think, so we might as well get used to it.
 

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