Our CEO, Andy Frank, met with our 2018 interns to talk about technology, careers and UDig. Read below to learn the tips he shared with them.

Be Interesting 
Read books, news, have opinions and be willing to share. Have interests outside of work and follow your passions. You’ll be more successful if you are an interesting human first and then a technologist.

Engage
Even for introverts, it’s important to put yourself out there, network and meet new people. Richmond is full of great communities and user groups. Find where you get your energy from and look for places to connect, learn and engage.

Be T-Shaped
As technologists, it’s important to have a broad understanding of technology and the broad landscape we operate in. But it’s equally important to have depth and develop expertise in an area. Be broad and deep, t-shaped.

Understand how Businesses Work
In order to compete and provide broader value as a technologist, you need to understand how businesses work, from enterprise organizations to start-ups. Enterprise organizations have complex systems, approval processes and silos. Understanding how those companies work gives you the ability to make better recommendations and write better code that solves their problems.

Always be Thinking about What’s Next
We always have to be thinking about and planning for what’s next, everything is evolving from technologies, clients, people and processes. It’s critical for us as an organization to write blogs, test new technologies and develop content that demonstrates we are forward thinking. Similar in your career, be thinking about what you want to learn, how you want to develop and own it.

Have the Tough Conversations
Avoidance will kill you. If projects are off-track, or there is a lack of clarity about what needs to be built, it’s critical to communicate early and often. Bring the right people together, create shared understanding and don’t assume you know the answer.

Get to know our 2018 interns here.