In 2003/2004, during my undergrad, I observed a recurring trend in the university's IT department. They struggled to retain Unix/Linux engineers for more than three months, primarily due to two reasons: the university's remote location (apparently engineers loved the city life) and the local telecom companies' at the time hired anyone who could type "ls" on a Linux shell. Recognizing an opportunity, I began self-studying FreeBSD and Linux, the operating systems used by the university for their internet services like DNS, email, and proxy servers. Before completing my degree, I applied for the sysadmin position at the uni. In the interviews, I was able to explain and answer even the hardest of questions. I was hired. I eventually went to "ls" elsewhere as well but this role, which I held for eight years, provided me with a foundational knowledge that I believe influences my career even to date!