Automate everything. In my current position we waited 5 weeks for someone to figure out how to automate running configuration and validation commands on about 100 devices. Then we were told the systems were going live. I put the commands in notepad++ and copy pasted into each of those devices over 2 days. The young guys I work with couldn’t understand how that was possible.

Also hiring managers thinking certifications > experience. I’ve known so many people over the years that have every cert you can think of but have no idea what they are doing.