What was my first full time job?
oIntroduced to database systems
oWorked long hours
oLearned many computer languages and systems
oLearned about billing rates
oGiven choice one night of moving to Baton Rouge, Saudia Arabia, or get laid off.  Went to BR.  Almost died. Twice.
• My first assignments were to build a project tracking and estimation system and a program to predict the physical properties of polymer blends.
• I always kept to deadlines in school.  I didn’t think I should stop at work.  I learned that on-time, high quality work doesn’t always put you at the head of the class.
• One of the best pieces of advice that I received from a boss was to not get trapped into a company’s proprietary technology.  Learning different systems might come in handy and make a better consultant.
• Central engineering billed me to other parts of the organization at $70/hour.  I was paid about $15.00/hour.  I began to wonder where the other $55/hour went.
• I tried to get a job in computing but companies said I didn’t have enough experience and no degree in computing.  I started to plan my masters.