In this #KeysightLife interview, we look at what it means to be a Principal Software Engineer at Keysight by talking to Mihai, who holds this title in Keysight Romania. Getting to know smart people is part of the fun, guarantees Mihai. His passion for programming made him choose a path that he’ll always follow, a path built on perpetual learning.

How did you decide on a career as a programmer?

I learned to program in high school, and then I realized it’s more fun than work.

What projects are you proud to have been a part of?

All the projects I worked on because I get to work with amazing people.

How does a typical day in your life at work look like?

Study. Programming. Read. Sleep. Repeat (and in between having a beer with friends, watching funny pet videos – all that stuff). 

What do you think should be a programmer’s top priority to perform in his/her field?

Learning.

If there was one thing you would change regarding the open-source community, what would that be?

The open-source community has probably proved so valuable because it evolved organically, and no person/entity could arbitrarily change it.

If you could choose to work on a project to make the world a better place, what would that be?

Probably something related to climate change.

What are some of your hobbies?

Hiking, history, and programming.

If you were to start over your career as a programmer tomorrow, what path would you choose?

Pretty much the same, but this time I’d know where the shortcuts or dead-ends are, and I’d learn the easy way what I’ve learned the hard way.

What should a programmer expect from this career?

Fun and getting to know smart people, which is somehow part of the fun.

If you were stranded on an island and asked to do your job with only three things, what would you choose?

A laptop, a generator, some portable satellite Internet solution.

What attributes/skills make a programmer successful?

Perpetual learning, adaptability, and resilience.

How do you get “in the zone”? Hyperfocused, not to be disturbed, only you and the code.

Headphones + Music.

 

Keysight Life is a series of interviews where we put a spotlight on different projects, with the help of the people who made those projects possible.