The Professional Career Curve For Engineering Management Steve Jenkin 16 October 2003

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

Agenda - II ● First Job ● Apprenticeship ● Other Milestones ● Retirement ● Phase III Options ● Concerns & Challenges ● Needs ● Being a Professional ● The Meaning of Life ● Conclusion

The Curve

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

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'

Phase I ● Training & study ● 'Getting in, Getting On'

Phase 2 ● Learning the job ● Trying out different employers/workplaces ● Finding your niche ● Serving an apprenticeship ● Settling on a Career Path ● 'Going Up'

Phase III - Journeyman ● A qualified, competent Professional ● 'Performing'

Phase III - Master Craftsman ● 'The Expert' in your workplace ● Training & mentoring others ● 'High Performance'

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

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 from: You take your problems with you – You're stagnating, being used/abused, need more variety, exhausted learning opportunities, Money

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.

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

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 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'

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 ●...

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!

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

Being a Professional ● A Definition: Providing 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.

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 ride [Hint: It is hard & will evolve] ● You give your life its Meaning.

Conclusion ● Don't forget to:- 'Have Fun and Do Good Things'