The Professional Career Curve

1
The Professional Career Curve

• For Engineering Management
• Steve Jenkin
• 16 October 2003

2
Agenda

• The Curve
• So What?
• Milestones
• Phase I
• Phase 2
• Phase III - Journeyman
• Phase III - Master Craftsman
• Phase IV

3
Agenda - II

• First Job
• Apprenticeship
• Other Milestones
• Retirement
• Phase III Options
• Concerns Challenges
• Needs
• Being a Professional
• The Meaning of Life
• Conclusion

4
The Curve
5
So What?

• Went looking for a model, couldn't find one...
• This is a novel idea.
• It's not a new process

6
Milestones

• Phase I ends with getting your first job in the
  profession
• Phase II ends with gaining a 'Professional
  Plateau' position
• Phase III ends with you leaving the profession
• Many people don't transition from 'Journeyman' to
  'Master Craftsman'

7
Phase I

• Training study
• 'Getting in, Getting On'

8
Phase 2

• Learning the job
• Trying out different employers/workplaces
• Finding your niche
• Serving an apprenticeship
• Settling on a Career Path
• 'Going Up'

9
Phase III - Journeyman

• A qualified, competent Professional
• 'Performing'

10
Phase III - Master Craftsman

• 'The Expert' in your workplace
• Training mentoring others
• 'High Performance'

11
Phase IV

• 'Moving On'
• Change Direction, Exploring New Challenges
• Burn Out
• 'Let go', redundancy
• Retirement, Incapacity, ...
• Under-employment

12
First Job

• Select your Employer Supervisor
• Something is better than nothing
• Just Anything is not a good idea
• It's OK to move around and experiment early on
• Manage your CV 'serial short-stay' is not good
• When to leave?
• Move to, not away fromYou take your problems
  with you
• You're stagnating, being used/abused, need more
  variety, exhausted learning opportunities, Money

13
Apprenticeship

• Avoid Career Limiting Moves
• Manage your CV Portfolio
• We are known by what we do
• Select your bosses carefully
• Find a Mentor
• Treat your career planning seriously
• If you want to get into management, you have to
  know early work towards it.

14
Other Milestones

• 1st Promotion or Job Change
• 1st Supervisory position
• 1st Team Leader role
• 1st Budgetary Responsibility
• 1st 'All mine' project
• ...

15
Retirement

• You'll want to pull-back at some stage
• Even if it's to work part-time have time to
  'smell the roses'
• Most people don't prepare or save for it
• 'Retiring at 40/45' is a great goal but you
  have to plan it and work on it!
• It is possible if your start by 25. 39 is too
  late!
• Money Management is necessary
• There are 'ASO 2 Millionaires', you just have to
  want it and do it
• Current received wisdom is '4-5 Careers and 20
  jobs'

16
Phase III Options

• Technical Expert employee
• Freelance Contractor or Casual
• Pre Sales Support / Technical Sales Rep
• Technical Manager
• Consultant/Writer/Trainer
• Academia
• Researcher
• Business Operator/Owner
• Employer
• ...

17
Concerns Challenges

• Phase I Get the qualification
• Very short sighted view. Miss lots
• 'Driving flat-out at a brick wall'
• Phase II Get promoted, 'good prospects'
• Trade satisfaction enjoyment for
• Terrible job with lots of promises, no action
• Getting used abused. Being Too good to promote
• Need to love the work to stay. Won't get better.
• Phase III Now What?
• Need to plan past just the next step
• Need to have hobbies and passions outside work
• Marriage Kids - Don't forget them!

18
Needs

• Phase I - Good teachers maybe a Mentor
• Phase II - Mentor great bosses
• Phase III - Network of great contacts
• Access to the next generation - 'best
  brightest'
• Peers
• Employers, Consultants, Contractors, Vendors, ...
• All Phases - Keeping Current
• Need to implement a strategy to avoid
  obsolescence
• Invest in your own career development - this is
  your responsibility, no-one else's
• Update your CV every 6 months

19
Being a Professional

• A DefinitionProviding increasingly better or
  perfect outcomes to all stakeholders.
• It's not just about the money toys
• Screw the client they'll screw you
• Clients have rights, but not total control
• Ethics
• Environment
• Real Professionals Listen Learn. They make
  Quality Stuff.

20
The Meaning of Life

• Work/Life Balance is necessary with increasing
  work-load performance demands
• What matters to you?
• Some things have a 'use by date' - don't let them
  expire because 'the firm needs you'
• Work this out early and you'll have a much
  happier and better rideHint It is hard will
  evolve
• You give your life its Meaning.

21
Conclusion

• Don't forget to-'Have Fun and Do Good Things'