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Ask HN: What skill gave you the most ROI?

14 points by adamfaliq ↗ HN
Hi there HNers!

Summer break is around the corner in the UK. This year, I will have six months of holidays and I want to put the energy to learn specific skill. What skill did you learn that gave you the most ROI over the years and how did you learn it?

Thank you and have a good day!

22 comments

[ 8.8 ms ] story [ 58.7 ms ] thread
high_derivative
Reading about systems theory. I read Niklas Luhmann (e.g. Trust and Power) in undergrad and it made strong impressions on me. Throughout my PhD (sciences), I tried to view every problem I tackled, every collaboration from the lens of understanding the social system of the research scene, the problems tackled, the conversation happening within that community etc.

I believe systems theory can provide a real edge when competing with people who few most things at work as intellectual d*ck measurement contests, including career advancement based on naive notions of being just more clever, or just working harder to advance. Especially in academic settings, focusing on the social dynamics of your research community is key.

N.b.: This is under the consideration that you are already good/constantly improving your main professional skill, be it coding, writing, selling.

adamfaliq
This is something I have never heard of. I study Politics and Economics in university, minoring in Data Analaysis. I will dig deeper into systems theory and see how it can be applied to Politics. Thank you for sharing!
cheerlessbog
Being able to write succinctly and effectively.
adamfaliq
Could you tell more avout writing? How did you learn it and how did the skill help you?
cheerlessbog
Good general education. Identifying it as a valuable skill. Consciously working at it.

If I send an email to my team (30 people) I spend time crafting it. Making it shorter and clearer. The combined time they spend reading it costs money. Plus they will actually do what I'm asking.

Most people just write the email and hit send.

daly
accurate touch tpying :-)
keiferski
Not really a skill per se but sticking to an intense, daily workout/running routine. Nothing has increased my productivity more than being active for 60 minutes every morning.
tuananh
negotiation :D
adamfaliq
I have read Chris Voss's book, Never Split the Difference and it has really changed the way I see human interactions. The worst negotiation is one where you do not realize about it.
tuananh
that's one of my favorite books too
avichalp
Meta learning. Follow Barbara Oakley and other's work to understand the process of learning. Try practising these on some new concepts you are tackling at the moment.
adamfaliq
I have finished her course two years ago and it's the best course I've ever taken!
avichalp
Yes, it is a great course. I also keep myself updated with her newsletters and book recommendations.
billconan
c++,

it allows me to learn any other language quickly.

I learned it by writing 3D graphics apps/games.

palidanx
Going to go slightly tangential and say cooking. It is a skill which will save you money, help you be in control of your health, and is useful on a daily basis.
toomuchtodo
Saying no. You have limited amounts of time and must be judicious as to what you spend it on.
codingslave
get really good at leetcode, unfortunately, the highest paying software engineering jobs go to whoever has studied it the most.
adamfaliq
If I have to choose between being really good in Leetcode and doing more projects, which one should I prioritize?

I agree with your point that the highest paying works go to people who has studied the most.

ScottFree
The soft skills: sales, marketing, persuasion, public speaking and/or charisma in general.

Get a sales job. Shadow a CEO. Become a bartender. Learn about people and what makes them tick.

adamfaliq
How did you learn about marketing?

Also, how did you get the opportunities to shadow a CEO? I am not sure how can I provide value to the CEO as a student.

Chunklight
I think he is saying he shadowed a CEO by working as her personal bartender.
ScottFree
> How did you learn about marketing?

I only learned the bare minimum, which is to do cool things and tell people about them. Even that tiny bit of marketing knowledge made a huge difference to my career.

> how did you get the opportunities to shadow a CEO?

Not all CEOs run fortune 500 companies. My step-father is the sole IT guy at a small manufacturing company. I asked the CEO if I could shadow him one summer and he said yes. The guy knew absolutely nothing about computers, so whenever he had to do anything with a computer, he had me do it. I was always able to get it done in a fraction of the time it took him. He considered that a worthwhile value trade.

If you google around, you'll find stories about how ambitious people have gone about getting their opportunity to shadow CEOs at much, much bigger companies.