Michael Lewis –The Director of Technology At Cox Communication Holds An Interview With Innov8tiv Magazine
Michael attended Campbell High School (1991 – 1994), joined Kennesaw State University (1994 – 2000 BS, Computer Science). Previously employed by Kennesaw State University, Hewlett-Packard, Bellsouth (now AT&T) and currently works for Cox Communications Company, the following is an exclusive interview by Innov8tiv Magazine with the man himself:
Tell us about yourself:
My name is Michael Lewis and I’ve been working at Cox Communication for 8 years. I started as a Linux Systems Administrator and now I am the Director of Access Provisioning services for cable modems and CPEs.
Tell us about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career:
I built my first “packaged” application (written in Perl and MySQL) when I was a student/employee in college. This tool optimized a problem we were having with campus printing by automating new printer installs and replacements. This saved a significant amount of time and reduced my workload.
Who is your role model, and why?
My role model at this point in my career is an Executive at Cox Communications who I had the pleasure of mentoring with in late 2013. He not only provided me valuable career advice, but more importantly he shared personal experiences that can positively impact life decisions.
What’s your superpower, or what’s your spirit animal?
A Bear, Fighting ability – strength and speed – along with powers of strategic thinking.
What was the most difficult period in your Career life, and how did you deal with it?
The most difficult period in my career was working at an Internet Security Company where I was out of position. Specifically I was required to take front line escalation calls while being responsible for managing a ticket queue. I felt that I had regressed in my career.
What is your career advice to college students entering the Technology Industry?
I would recommend the following advice for college students entering the work force full-time:
- Internships and Co-Ops are the best way to gain experience in the area of Technology. I have had interns that have made significant contribution and they are often highly sought after when they are ready for full-time work.
- Look for opportunities to work in the school as an assistant or lab administrator.
- Stay in touch with classmates through professional networks such as LinkedIn and alumni associations. I have learned throughout my career that it is more often who you know than what you know. This may seem discouraging at times, but I can tell you as a hiring manager that people who are recommended generally move to the front of the resume pile.
- Take opportunities to mentor with professionals in Technology. One place to start might be studentmentor.org. I would highly recommend attending conferences and Tech-shows to introduce yourself to perspective employers.
- Target your resume to the specific of your choice. I cannot tell you how many resumes I have seen where 60% or more of the resume referenced skills and experience that were unrelated to the job. If you don’t have a lot of experience in the particular area, then be sure to go into more depth about relevant classes and workgroups that you have worked with in the subject.