A conversation with Ricardo Jimenez

Mr. Ricardo Jimenez has been with Microsoft in Latin America for 12 years. In his role as Software Development Solution Specialist he covers the following markets: Caribbean, Central America, Bolivia, Paraguay and, Ecuador. Ricardo has being awarded with Microsoft's most prestigious top performance recognition for an employee: the Platinum Club Circle of Excellence Award for outstanding achievements, leadership, passion and determination. Ricardo and his team in Costa Rica played a major role in getting us started with the tCHF IT Program in October 2010. Earlier this year; Ricardo met with the tCHF IT students remotely from Costa Rica and provided great insight into the technological advances taking place at Microsoft.

Why is a technology education is important?
Scientific consensus point out that the use of tools was an important step in the evolution of mankind. Initially they consisted in nothing more than sticks and stones, but they became increasingly complex with time. By inventing tools we were able to accomplish tasks that our bodies alone could not, such as using a spear to kill prey, since our teeth were not sharp enough to pierce many animals' skins. This was the beginning of our technology, and ever since we have continue to expand, build upon it, innovate and improve it at what seems like an exponential rate.

In recent times, technological developments like the telephone, computers and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allow us to interact in a global scale like never before. More importantly, technology has helped develop more advanced economies, and consistently provides a leading edge to those that master it. Plain and simple, technology turns barriers into opportunities, and technology education is not only important but it is key in the development of our intellect, our society and the planet in which we live.

What made you successful at Microsoft?
There are many ways to measure success. Confucius said that if you found a job you love, you would never work a single day of your live. Because of that, I personally believe that you are a successful person if you allowed yourself the opportunity to find a passion and develop it, so that you could further in your life blossom doing it for a living. In my case that passion were computers, and ever since I was a kid I tried to be as close to one as possible. I remember the pleasure it gave me learning things I could do with them. I learned by myself to program them just by reading some public books, and from then on I was entirely hooked. I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, and in retrospective I can assure you that when you love what you do, you will thrive at it. To be successful, you have to follow your bliss, and the reward will be a smile in your face every time you go to work.

Thank you again for addressing our students last year. What words of encouragement would you give to these IT Program students in Haiti?
Life is a journey full of opportunities. To take full advantage of them we need to be courageous, to be determined to succeed and achieve our dreams. We owe it to ourselves, to bring forward the best in us and to live the satisfactions of self-improvement and self-realization that we deserve. Picture in your mind how would like your life to be in 5 and 10 years from now, and devote yourself to that vision. When doing so, remember that action is important, but most important is to let go the self-restricting beliefs we have in our mind. Everything is possible, and everything is well.

Thank you Ricardo for your time and, for your ongoing support of tCHF.