Arash Saffarnia
Senior Vice President of Engineering
4INFO
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I didn't go to an especially prestigious school, so landing an internship was a very big deal.
I was the first person in my class to get a good internship.
I definitely got that internship because I always went after opportunities when they arose.
A few years after I entered the workforce, I decided to start a tech business with my friend.
Developing that company taught me everything about programming and business from the ground up.
I tell everyone that 10 years after you graduate college is a great time to take chances like that.
Shortly afterwards, the dot-com bubble burst; it felt like I'd never find a job again.
That taught me a great lesson: even with the degree and experience, I still wasn't "all that."
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Senior Vice President of Engineering
I set the technology goals for my company, and I help motivate my team to meet / exceed those goals.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Engineering
Technology
Accomplishing Goals
Day to Day
My day starts off with me going through two sets of emails: the first set is system emails, such as warning messages or any kind of automatic message generated by our systems; the other is made up of internal / external requests. Then I set up a prioritized list of things that will need my attention over the course of the day. We have a standup meeting at 10:30 a.m. where I get to hear what everyone's working on and what needs my attention. The rest of the day is me checking items off of my list.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Computer engineering is a very broad field, so try to find an internship in an area that you like so that you can start narrowing it down. It's always good to get out there and get your hands dirty, and even if you don't like the field you initially enter, then at least you've learned a good lesson.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"You didn't go to a prestigious school; your business won't get funded."
