NIKITA: Alexey, I have always wondered what would you do, if you hadn't joined Information Security (IS).
ALEXEY: I have been working in this field for almost 20 years and now, of course, it's hard for me to imagine a different career path. If we go back to my school years, and remember how they used to distinguish between the two "camps": tech vs humanities, I was in the tech camp. Though now I realize that the division is not quite correct and there is a need for versatile development. I suppose I would still choose to develop in the IT, but the area of economic management was also of interest. Then straight away, Nikita, a counter question for you: what is your incentive for development in this area? Why have you chosen and continue to stay with IS?
NIKITA: Ever since I was a kid, I was interested in how to hack someone else's computer. As I got a little older, I became concerned how I could protect my PC from hacking. I decided to look into this matter in detail, so I entered the institute for a bachelor's degree in this area.
This profession holds a number of benefits for me. It is because of these benefits I have chosen and continue to stay with the IS:
First, the demand in the labour market (there is a great demand for such specialists - the profession is at the top of the most demanded), and second, decent pay (even throughout the country and without work experience my kind gets paid much higher than average). It would be foolish to deny the importance of these two factors, both of which provide tremendous opportunities for development. And that's always interesting.
Alexey, please name the top 5 mistakes throughout your career that played a key role for you.
ALEXEY: This question correlates with Nelson Mandela's saying: "Don't judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again". Coming back to me...Over 15 years ago, my manager said that when your decision affects people's lives, it's a tough decision. Once such decisions are made, all others are easy. I apply this phrase to myself from time to time. With this approach decisions are made more easily, I have not made any fatal mistakes, and I perceive everything else as opportunities.
Examples of such mistakes/opportunities:
- upgrading the network firewall to a new version that shut down regional offices temporarily;
- moving to a new certification centre in the Bank for the remote banking system, when the connection of new legal entities to the system was temporarily impossible. There are, of course, a few others, but we should not discuss them in public.
Nikita, a counter question for you: what are you most proud of in your career?
NIKITA: Professionally, I am proud of the fact that for about a year I worked, in my spare time, with a Czech firm that developed mobile games. I joined them with no experience in game development, but I picked up quickly and wrote three games that are still on Google Play. Alexey, I would like to continue the topic of your path. This is a very interesting experience. What was the strongest challenge you faced as a simple specialist and how did you overcome it?
ALEXEY: It's hard to identify the strongest one, but the first thing that came to mind...When I worked in the central office of one of the federal executive bodies at the beginning of my career, everyone sent directives in their area to the subdivisions in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The level of perception in each constituent entity, of course, was different. For equal perception and performance it was necessary to learn to put myself in the shoes of others. In general, the entire career path is built on human lessons, without which no professional heights can be achieved.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
NIKITA: I don't have a concrete plan for what I will do in 5 years. But I would like to move forward. My long term plans include growing with the company, learning, expanding my responsibilities, thus adding as much value as possible to the company's business. Tell me, Alexey, if you could now talk to yourself in the past, what advice would you give yourself?
ALEXEY: That's a philosophical question. There are certain events on our life path that happen due to certain factors. Who we are at this moment is a consequence of the events that have happened to us. Every event that happens in our lives is a consequence of factors. Factors are the sum total of our actions, the actions of others, and the state of our environment in which it all happens. So the slightest change in the past can make a big difference today, while everyone should live their life through.
Let's talk about teamwork, if it’s ok. What are the 3 main qualities you think a cool boss should have?
NIKITA: This is a trick question. * Laughs*. But, seriously. I believe a good leader should have the following qualities:
Ability to take responsibility (a leader should be held accountable for the team's results, no matter how good or bad they are). Ability to give feedback (if an employee has made a mistake, it is necessary to talk to him/her about it and address this mistake so that it does not happen in the future). Honesty (a manager must be able to assess any situation objectively and without emotion).
Then I also have a question about teamwork. What qualities are you looking for in a potential team member? Also, what qualities are a "red flag" for you? I mean the ones that are sure to prevent a person from getting on your team.
ALEXEY: During the first contact with a person an image is formed, a certain set of characteristics/ qualities, but I think it is wrong to assign a "red flag" right away. So, the "red flag" at the first meeting would be due to incompetence. However, if I see such qualities as dishonesty, aggressiveness, lack of teamwork skills - it's a signal! Positive qualities include, but are not limited to: skills and qualification, honesty, ability to work in a team. We're nearing the end of our blitz interview, so one last question from me: Nikita, could you name your top books/movies that motivate you and may have played an important role in your life?
NIKITA: I like Theodore Dreiser's "Trilogy of Desire" series. Despite everything, the main character moves towards his goal and achieves it. The book motivates to fight for your dreams and never give up. So, my last question is also about motivation. What is your credo as an IS manager?
ALEXEY: Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn a lesson. You never lose.
Thank you for an interesting Coffee Break!