According to Don Frischmann, you have to love what you do in order to truly be successful in your career. You also have to be successful at accepting a job that is challenging.”You have to be willing to do just about anything,” Frischmann said. “Most people want to help you. Knowing what you want to do is the difficult part. Work is just work.”Frischmann, who worked for technical corporation IBM for more than 30 years, and is presently Senior Vice President of virus software giant Symantec, offered career advice to Skyline students from an industry insider’s perspective on March 8. He also expounded on what it takes to be a CEO.”Managing is common sense and caring,” he said. “You must have a sense of humor-if you can laugh at yourself, you can learn and relate to people.”Frischmann wasn’t always a VP, or even involved with technology his whole life. His first job found him as a garbage man in Long Island, NY. Despite the stigma attached to the job, he loved it.”I really enjoyed it-it was a blast,” he said. “You would complete your route then go to the beach.”Frischmann also played in a “three chord” band at the time, and found himself getting along with people he never thought he would. Then came Vietnam. He was then faced with a choice-Army, Navy, or Air Force. After he was through with the Air Force, Frischmann found himself with three career opportunities: intelligence, “picking up junk,” or public relations. He subsequently chose public relations and found himself running a TV station in Vietnam. While there producers and directors of the station taught him all about such media.”If you want to get into communications, learn how to write,” he said. “Learn how to present, persuade and convince people of your point. Writing should also be logical, so people follow you; emotional, so it’s personal; symbolic, so it can go a long way.”Over all, Frischmann stressed the importance of working hard, no matter what job you’re in.”If you’re not sweating, you’re working below your ability,” he said. “Share your experience and teach others. Excel at what you’re doing.”Brian Babcock of The Skyline View contributed to this article.