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When I was in telecommunications, there was nothing more fascinating than being part of cutting edge technology.  Part of the enjoyment while in the industry is being able to watch your industry to not only evolve, but to also be a major influence in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.  But that psychological theory was never a prominent thought in my own mind as I watched the progression of technology in the wireless industry slowly choke out the workforce that supported it. While working in a switching office between late '98 and early 2000, I recall the size of the switch rooms and the many rows of equipment required to provide communications to mobile subscribers.  Jump ahead 10 years and you'll find that technology has either eliminated that switching office or reduced the equipment down to a single box.  Less equipment, less headcount. I recently sat down with a very good friend of mine who was with me in the industry from the beginning of our careers in telecommunicatio

What I love the most about any given topic is the idea that there are two sides of the coin.  Those of you who know me well can always expect me to present another perspective on a topic, no matter how obvious (or logical) something may be and even if I agree with your position. Today, I ran across a post from Gigaom.com that describes Verizon's "Connected Home" and how it will be leading the company into the realm of smart energy management in 2011.  In essence, Connected Home will allow users to do all the things the Jetsons did in their home, such as controlling appliances and environmental elements like thermostats and lights remotely through a phone app.  I've done several interviews here in Sacramento that supports the important role that telecommunication companies, both cable and wireless, will play in energy efficiency.  Please keep them on your list of targets if you want to expand your search for internships. Let me continue with the other side of the c

Take it as a marketing tactic or a terrific sign of the company's commitment to energy, but Siemens is in the news again, but this time for the wind industry. (Found in PR Newswire) Siemens Receives its Largest Onshore Wind Turbine Order to Date and Further Solidifies its Position in the U.S. Wind Power Market No matter what your school of thought is towards the feasibility of wind power, as long as companies continue to receive orders for their renewable energy products, I will remain confident in the future of innovation to support environmental preservation.   I am not here to prove the reliability of nature to produce wind.  If we can hook up a power cord to a hamster wheel and the little fur ball generates power, I'm content.  What I want to instill is that the opportunity for a career in wind has enough "gust" to propel you far enough to learn where you will fit in. Take a look at the Siemens website here .  If you're unfamiliar with the interconnectio

There's something beautiful about a green internship. At the start of my Photovoltaics class, an assessment of the class was made to determine who is serious about "going solar".   For me, any time I'm enrolled in a class, there's some degree of seriousness otherwise, why go?  From the initial assessment, I was fortunate to be given the chance to take a position as a solar installation intern prior to completing my campus training.  Tip: Any of you who have done the same now have a bullet item for your resume to highlight adaptability .   When I was interning for the solar company (one which will be covered soon), I had come to realize just how important the opportunity was. While on the roof, my coworkers and I came up with many ideas for green companies to not only support solar, but ideas for other focuses such as electricity. Here are several things to take away from this: 1.  We are solution-driven .  Being part of an internship program within a green

Every so often, I will share some of my dialogue between my classmates. It’s better to get a third perspective from my audience than to rely on who typed the last period. A classmate had asked, “Do you think society takes environmental matters seriously?” So, here is the argument behind their question. If society actually cared enough about the environment, there wouldn’t be so many challenges to get all the players to agree on at least moving towards the use of renewables and the application of sustainability. My response: “I would say that society and the current generations may not take the environmental matters seriously (or at least at levels necessary to make a drastic difference). Fortunately, as long as education exists, we have the opportunity to pass down knowledge to generations that may have no choice but to make a difference.” I compared this thought to the baby boomer’s adoption of the Internet. When the concept first became mainstream, many of the boomers rem

Many of you may have already been pressured with the challenge to keep networking throughout the holidays, especially when you’re at family gatherings or holiday events.  Although this is definitely the tried-and-true approach to achieve success in your pursuit for a fulfilling career, I believe that there additional ways to channel your focus. The traditional preaching indicates that we continue to create accountability by delivering to the audience the dynamics of our goals at every opportunity.  However, if you're not reflecting on the methods that you have used during the year, you could be using that same incorrectly packaged delivery used during the last holiday gathering.  Odds are that you'll be back with the same family, who by all expectations should already be aware of your agenda. So take advantage of the opportunity to reflect on the following: What family member do you believe has a bigger net to cast in the networking world?  Can you spend more energy o