Q: Dear 100 Hour Board,
Since it's alumni week, I assume there's a pretty diverse set of skills and knowledge around. What's the best piece of professional advice from your industry you would give to the average reader? (Standard disclaimers about unofficial legal or medical advice apply.)
-Foreman
A:
Dear Me-
I've said before that most of my job at a cybersecurity company could be done by a robot that endlessly repeats "keep your software updated, don't open strange emails or click on their links, use complex and unique passwords on each site." I genuinely believe that everyone doing those things would solve about 90% of security problems right off the bat.
The password thing is the hardest, so I recommend getting a password manager and using its generator feature to create 20 character random passwords for all of your accounts. I use KeePass because it's free, open source, and has a mobile app, but there are many alternatives: LastPass, 1Password, Roboform, Dashlane, etc. The transition will take you a few hours, but then you only have to remember one (strong, complex, unique) password forever! Hooray!
-Foreman
A:
Dear Foreman,
My job as a teacher has helped me understand how to refine the process of doing my job (made easier by the fact that I get to try to do the same thing again year after year and try to perfect it). Reflection is critical. At least once a month, conduct a thorough audit of the work you've done, the way you've done it, and what your plans are until the next audit. During this time, identify improvements to your process or methods that will allow you to do the same work better, faster, cheaper, or more efficiently. Put these changes into effect immediately.
-The Man with a Mustache
A:
Dear Foreman,
Part of my job in the Army is just like yours. A lot of people bring me their computer problems and I either look at their computer and feel like I have to type through a kleenex while wearing a gas mask, or it's a matter of turning it off, then on again.
One piece of professional advice I have is to take care of your body. If you pay attention to physical fitness, you will be healthier, more confident, and be able to perform better in the workplace.
Dr. Smeed
A:
Dear Foreman,
Gasoline from any reputable company/brand (e.g. Exxon/Mobil, Chevron, Shell, Valero, Conoco, Phillips 66, BP, Texaco, etc.) is going to be all but exactly the same. Many of these companies actually sell gasoline to each others' stations, and when you ship gasoline by pipeline—for example, most gasoline sold on the east coast—they don't make any effort to separate gasoline made by different manufacturers. Also, I believe none of the companies I just listed actually own any gas stations whatsoever; the brands are just used under franchise. I wouldn't recommend buying unbranded gasoline from "Happy Joe's Gas and Go" or the like, but once you get into the realm of brands that have reputations to protect, there's not much point in paying for one over another. (Different brands do have different additive packages, but that's more a marketing stunt than anything else.)
In the area where I live, the refinery that used to belong to company A (after company X and Y merged to form A) was sold to company B, which became company C after divesting all its service stations, which was then bought by company D (which had in the more distant past bought company Z). At this point, the nearby stations with brands A, D, X, or Z probably all get their gas from the company D refinery. (I don't know of brand B, C, or Y stations at this point, but the principle would hold for them too.) That said, if company D is selling gasoline for export at any given time it's very possible that the ADXZ stations are actually selling gas from E, or a combination of D, E, F, and/or G. Which is part of why when a company A station has the right price/location, I'll buy from them even though I work for the company D refinery. Gasoline is pretty darn fungible.
On a related note, only buy the minimum octane your car was built for. "Premium" is really no better unless your car specifically requires it.
~Professor Kirke
A:
Dear Foreman,
I work in a technical field, but this can be applied to most jobs. What you know is not nearly as important to your career growth as who you know, and how other people perceive you.
This sounds like I'm saying being popular is more important than being competent at your job. That's close, but not quite the same thing. Of course it's important to be competent at what you do. I'm saying that people like working with people they get along with and can establish a rapport with, even if they don't have a lot in common. Be willing to "invest" time and effort into socializing with coworkers. When it comes to opportunities like new jobs and promotions, at a certain point it almost always comes down to whether the people involved actually want to be around you. You can be the most brilliant person in the building, but if no one knows who you are or likes being around you, your opportunities are going to be limited.
Also, and this is more specific for tech jobs: Don't stay at one place longer than 2-3 years, especially early in your career. Contrary to older wisdom that companies screen job-hoppers, this is the new normal. There's no such thing as company loyalty anymore–it died in the 2000s along with reasonable pensions and trust in banking institutions. Your first priority in your job should be to developing your own skills and selling them to the highest bidder.
Finally, 100% everything that -=Optimus Prime=- said.
-Cognoscente
A:
Dear friend,
In most cases, musical talent is not inborn. Virtually everybody starts out with some degree of innate musicality, which can then be either nurtured or ignored. If kids grow up hearing, singing, and playing music, they will likely continue to develop those talents. If they don't, they won't.
If you got kicked out of your middle school choir for sounding bad, or were told that you couldn't sing, it doesn't mean you have no musical potential. It means that your choir teacher was a jerk. If you want to learn how to sing in tune, you can (unless you have a rare neurological condition that prevents it).
If you are teaching songs to a child or group of children, learn to use your head register (the higher part of your range). Children sing and hear best in the octave immediately above middle C (from D to D). When they are forced to sing lower than this, their ability to hear and match pitch will suffer. Kids singing in a low range are also more likely to shout-sing, which can damage their voices and cause bad habits, in addition to being really painful for the audience.
Peace,
-Stego Lily
A:
Dear Foreman,
If you're doing research, don't assume you can find all the information you need from a Google search. There's still a lot of information in the world that's either behind a paywall or isn't available in digital format at all.
Along those lines, Google and Wikipedia are simply tools and they can be used poorly or they can be used well. Learn to use them well.
- Katya
A:
Dear 4man,
Write maintainable code. Write readable code. Use meaningful variable names. Use some form of agile. Always have an updated, prioritized feature/bug backlog. Don't skimp on tests. Make sure you test the boundary cases. Use source control. Run your tests after every check-in. Always be release-ready. It's better to have fewer well-designed features than many poorly-designed features. Make sure your coding team has a designer. Focus on user experience. Have a tight user-feedback loop. Don't write sloppy code. Take the time to do it right the first time. The time to refactor is now. Seriously though, don't skimp on tests. You'll thank me later.
-=Optimus Prime=-
A:
Dear Foreman,
Spend practice time on the hard parts, broken up into small pieces of hard parts. Practicing the hard parts without breaking it up is overwhelming and ineffective and will only make you want to quit. Practicing the easy parts won't get you anywhere and, while nice in the moment, will eventually just frustrate you because you haven't made any progress.
-Olympus
A:
Dear Foreman,
Don't send online strangers pictures of yourself naked. If you absolutely must, don't include your face.
-Petra
A:
Dear Foreman,
It is ok to disagree with your boss. It is even ok to disagree with your boss and tell him/her in private. It is not ok to disagree with your boss when you're in a meeting with his/her superiors and his/her superior's superiors.
Good luck!
-branflakes
A:
Dear Nutmeg,
If you decide to try to be a seminary teacher, don't write an autobiography that includes the phrase, "I, like Nephi, have been born of goodly parents." I can promise you, it has already been used. A lot. (Disclaimer: This is former job advice. I no longer do this particular job.)
Also, if you work, be sure to report your time. Don't act surprised weeks later when you didn't get paid because you never reported your hours.
-Marguerite St. Just
A:
Dear Foreman,
Call 811 before you do any digging, even if you won't be digging deep or just over a small area. Many different utilities (cable, gas, electric, etc.) have things buried in your yard. Calling 811 is a free service and all utilities are required to come out and mark anywhere they may have something buried. More information about this important service can be found here.
I sure hope this helps. Please don't hate me.
- Brutus
A:
Dear Foreman,
Don't put twinkies on your pizza.
(It's true for Heavyweights, and it's true for avoiding diabeetus.)
- Commander Keen
A:
Dear Foreman,
Budget your time, don't hire stupid people, and for heaven's sake get it proofread.
Sincerely,
The Cleaning Lady
A:
Dear Foreman,
If the police are conducting an investigation and they want to speak with you, never meet with them without an attorney present, ever.
No Dice
A:
Dear Foreman,
My best general health advice: Don't do drugs. Don't smoke. Don't get too fat. Of the things in life you can control, this is what will make the difference between being a vigorous 75-year-old puttering around in your garden and being a 75-year-old bedbound in a nursing home (or in a coffin).
My best general dermatology advice: Wear sunscreen every day. Use moisturizer (this goes for men too!). Don't smoke. And if you ever do get a weird skin bump or rash, make sure you get an actual diagnosis (it's shockingly common for PCPs to prescribe random creams if they're unsure of the diagnosis. This is bad because it delays diagnosis and can sometimes make the skin condition worse. If your PCP isn't sure of the diagnosis, tell him or her you want to see a dermatologist!).
- Eirene
A:
Dear buddy,
Successful products are built on problems in search of solutions and not solutions in search of a problem. The best products you likely use in your life (especially in software) are ones that fill what would otherwise be frustrating voids. Be extremely methodical about your market and consumer analysis before you invest in development to avoid needless and expensive product failures.
--Gimgimno
A:
Dear Foreman,
Get a primary care physician who will take time to make sure you understand what you are doing to improve your health and why. Know why you are taking xyz medication, and make for darn sure your physician is counseling you on things you need to do, not just pills you need to take.
Wear a seat belt every time you are in a moving vehicle, and insist on everyone else being properly secured as well. An unsecured passenger can kill everyone else in the vehicle just as easily as themselves being flung out the window in a moderate speed collision or rollover. Children hate being in car seats, but are more likely to be ejected and die in rollover or moderate to high speed collisions.
Take care of your mental health early, and check in with your loved ones often about theirs. Mental health issues when coupled with chronic health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease or similar set someone up for an unimaginably hard life.
The US healthcare system is (generally) not set up in a way that helps you get better, it is set up to treat symptoms and move on to the next patient. The practicioners in the system have good intentions but the structure of the system and the preferences of patients are such that there is more interest in medications and procedures than the longer and harder process of behavior change. You need to take responsibility for your health and develop your own health literacy and policy.
Have an open and honest conversation about what you want at the end of your life. Do you want to be resuscitated? If you are in a persistent state of not being able to communicate, what care measures do you want? Who do you want to make your healthcare decisions if you are incapacitated? Revisit this conversation every time you have a change in health, a change in relationship status (marriage, divorce, more kids, empty nest), or every few years at a minimum. The more you learn about dying and prepare for it (even as a 20 something college student) the less scary it will be and if the unthinkable happens your family will be better off for it.
Have Fun Storming the Castle,
-Il Guanaco
A:
Dear Foreman:
Learn how to write.
Make your boss look good, and he/she will make your life much happier.
Learn when to be blunt. More importantly, learn when not to be blunt.
When a salesperson is involved, blunt is usually best. Don't let them lead you down their primrose path.
Don't take any wooden nickels.
Practice safe eating, use condiments.
Doing business in the State of California is an awful slog because it is governed (officially and unofficially) by a bunch of self-absorbed chimpanzees. The weather totally isn't worth the headache.
In Headphones, 90% of consumers can't tell the difference between a cheap pair and an expensive pair. Buy what you want. That's why Skullcandy is successful. The 5% who both can tell the difference AND have the money to spend on high end audio... are crazy.
People buy celebrity. That is why Beats is successful.
The RIVA Turbo X is a really mind blowing good Bluetooth speaker (just saying).
Finally...
The most lasting and important thing many people can contribute to this world are good, well-mannered, smart, educated children. If you have them, make sure to invest your time wisely.
That is all.
Horatio
A:
Dear Foreman,
Drug addiction is a disease. Keep releases of information up to date. Learn how to hold boundaries.
Oh, and consider therapy.
- The Black Sheep
A:
Dear Foreman ~
If you want to understand the Bible, do more than just read it. Learn the language, read student manuals, study along with guides that explain the history, culture, etc. Don't try to judge them based on our modern-day standards; you will leave the Old Testament especially feeling anything but uplifted.
~ Dragon Lady
A:
Dear Foreman,
The best, one-line of advice I'd have is encapsulated in this: Try to become science-literate.
But I have a few (read: a lot of) specific examples:
Vaccinate your kids. Vaccinations have never been safer (using fewer immune-stimulating components or had safer ingredients). Recognize that it is good and right to be concerned for your kids, want what is best for them, and desire only for them to be safe and happy and healthy. But failing to vaccinate because of fears of the exceptionally rare side effects, or worse, because of fears of completely invented vaccine outcomes, is not a justifiable reason to risk your children's health and the health of others from a vaccine-preventable disease.
Recognize the difference between anecdotal evidence (e.g. the testimonial from the woman on the plane next to me who insisted that my headache would be cured by pinching the pressure point on my hand because it "connects to the brain") and clinical studies (e.g. the studies that validated the use and dosage of ibuprofen the woman on the plane next to me gave me after squeezing the skin between my thumb and fore-finger did not cure my headache).
Understand that when scientists or doctors admit that there are aspects of a particular therapy, treatment or (yes) vaccine that are not entirely understood, this does not mean that none of these people know what they are talking about. The terms "theory" and "hypothesis" are not admissions that scientists are guessing. They are the best interpretation of the shape made when you connect the many dots we have already identified. The blind are not leading the blind: the dim-seeing are pressing forward into the dark and the clear-seeing are looking back at the path and making sure it's continually safer for everyone to follow.
Encourage politicians on every level to support legislation that increases science funding. There are few places the federal government puts its money that gets a better return on investment than biomedical research. Do not fall for ridiculous campaign ads that cherry-pick or mock scientific studies that they (politicians) think are stupid, pointless or wasteful. The fact that bad studies exist doesn't mean that the system is inherently broken. There is a reason the United States is where graduate students from the world over come to do post-graduate fellowships and research positions in the U.S. - we do good work.
Encourage science education on every level beginning in your home and in every formal education setting (pre-K up to college) that you can. Encouraging curiosity in your kids and helping them understand simple things like how you go about doing an experiment is a life-long skill that will help them in every aspect of life.
Understand the inherent limitations of science-reporting. Meaning, when you read about a cancer therapy or breakthrough in a newspaper, that information has been filtered away from the original source and diluted for a larger audience. That's a good thing (generally) - people should be excited about progress and new approaches. But recognize that magazines, blogs and newspapers often omit important caveats, clarifications and specific details that might be boring to the public at large, but elaborate on why this exciting new finding actually isn't a magic bullet that will cure any and all disease.
Understand that mice and rats are not people. They are an important resource and a first step but . . . yeah, not people.
Even if you aren't part of a university, with their access to the wide range of scientific journals, there is a growing body of open-access science journals you read whoever and wherever you are. I particularly like the various Public Library of Science (PLoS) journals and Faculty of 1000.
- Rating Pending (who . . . got a little carried away. This is the trimmed down version of this list. It was only after noticing that the original question said, "the BEST" advice that he decided to wrap this up. But, yeah, go science.)
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