MISA Alumni Spotlight — Nhat Trinh

Alumni Spotlight

Nhat Trinh

Did you know that working as a software engineer falls under the Management Information Systems field? MIS is a very broad field that ranges from the non-technical side, such as project management, to the technical side, such as software engineering. That was the case for Nhat Trinh, who graduated from SJSU in 2019 with a Bachelors in Software Engineering. He is working full-time as a Software Engineer at Cisco. Although Nhat did not major in Business Management Information Systems, he shares many similarities in the soft and hard skills MIS professionals need for a successful career.

When Nhat transferred from Mission College to SJSU, he was always fascinated by what it was like working at a tech company in the Bay Area. Nhat continues to build his experience working as an intern for a startup company called Stealth Mode and Affine Finance while being a club officer for Hoplite SJSU. His professional experience allows him to secure a position at the company he enjoys working on a daily basis.

Alan: Can you tell us what it is like working at Cisco?

Nhat: “I have to say, working at Cisco is an amazing place to work for, especially within Silicon Valley. The people there are accommodating, and they’re always ready for feedback to make improvements to help serve customers better. I usually work with a team of eight to nine people, and everything is fast-paced, but my projects do not have harsh deadlines. We cater to various customers, ranging from small, medium, and large companies. Cisco is also very generous in offering time off or holiday breaks for their employees because they understand the importance of our mental health and well-being. At Cisco, I explored different kinds of business activities, work culture, and. Accepting this position allowed me to explore my career options and work with different clients. Overall, I really enjoy working for the company, and I have high expectations for Cisco to have a bright future!”

“People are very helpful and they’re always ready for feedback to make improvements”

Sagar: What is your opinion on the hybrid/online or in-person workspace? Do you think companies should place more emphasis on that work environment or the traditional in-person work setting?

Nhat: “I prefer the online workspace instead of going in person for work. This is simply because working from home helps reduce the spread of COVID in the company offices, which ensures every employee’s safety. Working from home can save the time spent on commuting. The time spent on commuting can now be used to focus on work or doing outside activities to destress from stressful conditions. A hybrid workspace is also a good option because there’s a lot of flexibility to go to the office. Working in person a few days throughout the week can help boost productivity and remove any feeling of laziness because of the online workspace. For some topics, it’s important to have in-person meetings. Companies should aim to create more possibilities for long term online or hybrid workspaces because a lot of the work, especially for engineers, can be done online, and communication is not a problem.”

“Working from home helps reduce the spread of COVID in the company offices”

Alan: What was the hardest part of working as a software engineer?

Nhat: “The hardest part of working as a software engineer was being able to think quickly on your feet to optimize a solution. You are always working in a very fast-paced environment, so it is no surprise everything you do is on a set deadline and tight work schedule.

“Easy solutions can turn into hard ones depending on your projects”

Easy solutions can turn into hard ones depending on your projects. Your work will affect customer users or your very own team. An example is working for a small app development for your team versus implementing an app with thousands of users, fellow employees, or customers. One little mistake can be costly for our stakeholders, so it is essential to consider our decisions when taking on a project assignment. You would need to have a strong background in hard skills with programming languages and the necessary soft skills.”

Sagar: What is it about Cisco that stands out to you from other companies in the same field?

Nhat: “Cisco stands out to me because it cares more about their employees than other companies in the same field do. Working at Cisco has shown me that this company is very engaging towards its employees. The culture is extremely positive, making employees feel proud to work and work harder. One of the best reasons why Cisco stands out to me is because it emphasizes work-life balance and how to manage this concept. For example, there will always be a calming sight on tasks, and there will be no panic if there are any issues. Cisco works towards giving their employees a reminder of the importance of work-life balance, which ultimately strengthens the employee & company relationship. Lastly, Cisco also gives many more days off work than other companies do. In general, there’s a lot more flexibility in Cisco than in other companies. ”

“Cisco emphasizes the importance of work-life balance for an employee”

Summary:

The beauty of working in MIS is a field full of opportunities for anyone to choose from, whether you want to pursue the field’s technical or non-technical side. Nhat was able to take full advantage of developing a solid background experience when working as a club officer at Hoplite SJSU and as an intern for a startup, which ultimately allowed him to land the job at Cisco.

This article was brought to you by Alan Nguyen and Sagar Kumar, members of the SJSU Alumni Committee.

Alumni Committee