I recently gave a presentation to final year students at UL and prior to me talking their lecturer had asked them for comments on topics they’d like to hear from people.  This one line stood out to me and I added it to the presentation as it really hit home for me how I’ve gotten a job from being involved in open source and something that I love.
I’ve been very fortunate in the jobs that I’ve done they’ve been enjoyable and paid well so I’ve been able to attend and participate at events in other countries which is great.  It’s opened a world that I could not have known about had I not gotten involved in open source and not gotten the bug about wanting to know more and get involved.  I know many people who work 9-5 and don’t enjoy their work or would love to be doing something else but haven’t yet found the opportunity.  Don’t lose faith or sight that it is possible to get your dream job but do realise it may not be the first or the second or any time soon after you finish college.  It is better to be working in a job and meeting people and learning about new technologies or taking part in workshops it will also benefit you in the long run.
For me being involved in Clubs and Societies in UL was one of the best things I got from college.  I made some fantastic friends and got involved on committees and councils and in many ways gave me a good heads up on things were done in the real world. From being involved in Skynet, to being on the Clubs and societies exec to being societies officer and also community officer I learnt a lot about dealing with people and how things were run. It also showed me being just a student in my class wasn’t enough for me and not if I wanted to learn about things that weren’t on the syllabus.
I just thought I’d share this with people, just because you are currently studying one area doesn’t mean you won’t end up in a completely other area.
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when i was in high school my dad told me: “son, there isn’t a worse punishment in life than working in something you don’t like. nobody should be trapped for 8 hours a day doing something just to pay rent and bills. as that will be a life where only rent and bills matter and no happiness.”
since my dad is a man who saves his advice for key moments and a person who really enjoys life. i took this advice very seriously, as my goal.
years later i switched courses in college because i realize that wasn’t the field that would make me have a hobby as a career. i switch to computer science and started contributing in free software, that is what i enjoyed doing in my spare time.
enough time afterwards doing something for fun, you become an expert, and there is always somebody who needs to hire an expert in whatever field. i’m at my third open source job so far, gaining experience, motivated, raising up the ladder, and knowing more specifically which corner of this free world i enjoy the most.
i am one happy dude.
it is only fair i pass the advice along, find your true interest, that hobby that keeps you up at night, and make it your career.
Thanks for sharing. Your leadership in the Ubuntu arena is greatly appreciated.
I agree totally. I’m an architect, but I’m one of the very few who is still glad that I became an architect… As you know, the jobs situation isn’t good… The difference between me and many others is that I didn’t take the 9 to 5 route. I work for myself- a successful renegade.
I also love teaching other architects and students all the great stuff I have learned over the years- Like SketchUp and using open source software, Cloud computing etc.
We need successful dreamers. Many who don’t dare to dream don’t realise just how much they need “us” to drive “their” economy.
@laura: thanks for sharing!!
@luisbg: You are indeed a happy dude and i’m happy for you.
@Paul Lee: “We need successful dreamers. Many who don’t dare to dream don’t realise just how much they need “usâ€? to drive “theirâ€? economy.” you are so true ^-^
I may be the perfect example for this article, and what i want to say it’s that…it depends on the circumstances and the choices you make.
I have a degree in engineering but never work as an engineer although i’m very because i learn how to think and learned that it is very important not to know things but it’s important to know where to search for answers.
I was introduced in 3D by a very good friend of mine and My first job was a 2D 3D graphic designer and animator for a company that made e-learning products…and i was very happy.
The financial part was very low but i was happy.
But the need for money (devil’s eye ^-^) because of some circumstances, made me to take a very rough turn to financial services and booooooy the financial part was very good and i was happy about this part.
5 years later, wife loses job, i lose job, mortgage on the house(“Say no to drugs!” should become “Should no to banks!” ^-^) and 2 other credits…and we were not so happy ^-^. After months we both managed to get jobs but almost all the money go to banks.
So what should i do, baby on the way ^-^, everybody is scared with this crazy crysis, i start to compile what i know and learned into a second job at first and hopefuly in a day to day job
In 3D, if you want big money you go to America and then lower the sums in Canada, Europe, Asia.
So…the opportunities and freedom of choice of an american are very different from an european, and even a western european to a eastern european.
I hope i made my point…you manage to piss me off today:))))), and i’m on my shitty day job right, thinking of how to break free and waiting to go home to my wife and “little swimmer”.
fock’em! life is a miracle! ^-^