Exploring Diverse Interests in IT: A Journey Through Careers
Written on
Chapter 1: My Multifaceted IT Career
Throughout my 25-year journey in the IT field, I've found myself drawn to various domains and disciplines. My experience spans from software development in COBOL on mainframes to .Net on Windows and server environments, as well as SQL on multiple platforms. After dedicating over a decade to these areas, I transitioned into cybersecurity, where I spent more than five years, and now I am engaged in infrastructure support.
In the course of my career since graduating from college, I have identified a handful of topics that pique my interest for future exploration. These include bug bounty programs, cloud engineering and architecture, and machine learning. The latter two are somewhat interconnected and resonate with my academic background in Statistics.
It’s worth noting that in many of my previous writings, I’ve alluded to beginning new projects, often with the intention of providing updates, only to see those updates fall by the wayside. For example, I wrote about my return to iOS development, but despite my initial enthusiasm, I haven’t touched iOS coding in over a month.
Since 2019, I have been purchasing several bundles of books from HumbleBundle each year, primarily focused on cybersecurity, programming, and machine learning. I have amassed 63 bundles, though I can’t even estimate the total number of books, which far exceeds what I could possibly read. However, I do maintain a reading list specifically for my bug bounty studies, along with another for cloud computing and machine learning.
While I may not have a strong track record of committing to my promises, I am hopeful that by staying focused, I can return here to share what I am learning. The future appears to be increasingly centered around machine learning and artificial intelligence, and I anticipate that my studies in cloud architecture and machine learning will yield more fruitful outcomes than my bug bounty pursuits. Perhaps my upcoming articles will feature my reading lists.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Section 1.1: The Challenge of Juggling Interests
In the realm of IT, it can be quite overwhelming to manage numerous interests simultaneously. This phenomenon often leads to a lack of focus, making it difficult to delve deeply into any one subject.
Subsection 1.1.1: The Importance of Focus
The ability to concentrate on a single area can enhance mastery and lead to more meaningful advancements in one's career.
Section 1.2: Resources for Continuous Learning
As I continue my journey, I have found that investing in educational resources, such as books and online courses, can be incredibly beneficial. These resources not only deepen my understanding but also keep me motivated to explore new technologies.
Chapter 2: Insights from Thought Leaders
In "The Danger Of Having Too Many Interests | Deep Questions With Cal Newport," Cal Newport discusses the pitfalls of spreading oneself too thin across various interests. He emphasizes the importance of focus in achieving success and fulfillment.
In "Too Many Interests & Not Enough Follow Through? Try This," strategies are offered for managing multiple interests while maintaining a sense of direction and purpose in one’s professional life.