Famous words uttered by tech godfather Steve Jobs still reverberate in the mind of Mike Cannon-Brookes today.
And it’s these words from the American co-founder of Apple which the Australian co-founder of Atlassian gives as advice to young people interested in forging a career in tech like they both did.
It might seem unconventional but as is often the case with glass ceiling breakers, it all comes down to looking at things a little differently.
Mike’s advice?
Speaking with us at our Year13 Expo this year he said people needed to stop thinking about a career in tech as being all about science and data, and to learn how to find balance with art.
“Steve Jobs said the best products are created at the intersection of arts and technology and I’d say it’s all about mixing arts and science,” Cannon-Brookes said.
“Everything we do at Atlassian is about mixing art and science. When we’ve been too scientific, we make wonderfully engineered products that nobody wants to use.
“When we’re too artistic, it looks fantastic and it works well but falls apart. So you know, our genius is in putting art and science together to make products.”
And as for considering a career in tech?
“I would say you don’t need to put yourself in one camp or the other,” he said.
“It’s about understanding and being aware of your own strengths – what you enjoy doing and what you’re really good at doing – and trying to find a job, an industry, or profession that’s at the nexus of those things.
“And knowing that there’s a bit of magic in both.”
