One of the most revered learning in my 17-year career, which I deem essential for success, is getting into the depth of any subject. Since college days it’s been the beacon throughout my career. But I’m afraid younger generations today are void of profound knowledge. The future, that youngsters tend to forget, lies in the in-depth knowledge of their specialized area.

A techie’s competency is empowered with his domain knowledge. For example, if you want to start learning C, and then programming, you will have to get to the depth of C, like pointers and structures. Understanding the underlying concepts is the right way of getting into the depth of the matter and it is bound to make you a better programmer.

When I entered the field with an electronic engineering background, it was imperative for me to understand the details of my subject. I took the initiative of taking a step further by delving into the nuances of C programming language and UNIX operating systems. Nowadays, you come across employees of two distinct types—the first type does not get into the depth of the matter to analyze the applied details. The second type of employees are not spending enough time in a single organization. Like how wine gets better with age, the techies should understand that a good investment of time in a particular organization is necessary for progression in your career.

Only if you invest a good amount of time in a particular organization, can you go beyond testing the surface of any project and make a career impression. My quest for knowledge resulted in my appointment as a trainer for the new batches at the very start of my career. ‘Achievement,’ I said to myself then, ‘comes alongside understanding the applied details and validating them appropriately.’

Remember, the time spent in getting the subjective-focus right will be your forte for the rest of your life. There is no con to focusing on depth as it is bound to get you the strength. The sudden boom in the market amidst opportunities galore is targeting techies with the “switch jobs at the drop of a hat” syndrome. But what if 2003 were to repeat itself? That will separate the real paddy from the chaff. Your in-depth knowledge and strength will let you stand the test of time.