6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Taking the Next Step in Your Engineering Career
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Engineering career trajectories rarely follow a narrow, linear path. Not only do today’s engineers face a shifting professional landscape that changes with every new innovation, but they also face their own internal uncertainties about the future of their careers.
When balancing factors like salary, continued education, or professional specialty to determine the next phase in your career, ask yourself a few questions to determine the best next step for your professional future.
1. Do I enjoy my career?
While promotions and raises are often considered the hallmarks of career advancement and success, they don't always present a solution to professional unhappiness. How you feel about your chosen engineering path can have a great impact on whether or not you succeed. If you’re unhappy in your day to day role, you won't feel - or be - successful.
2. Am I developing both professionally and personally from this chapter in my career?
Ideally, every phase of your career should contribute to your professional and personal growth. You should be learning both new technical skills and new soft skills as you advance professionally.
3. What other skills should I be learning that would both complement my existing skill set and give me a competitive edge in the job market?
Throughout your career, you should push to consistently expand your skillset. When choosing a new skill set to pursue, you should focus on two factors – the current trends that are emerging in the economy and your existing skills - to balance becoming a dynamic professional while keeping future job market requirements in mind.
4. If I am still doing this job a year from now, will I be happy?
While contentment does imply a certain degree of joy, it can also be born from feeling comfortable, familiar, and safe. For some, contentment is good enough while others may wrestle with it and yearn for change and further advancement. To determine your level of satisfaction, imagine that you’re doing the same exact thing you’re doing now a year into the future. In this future vision, are you happy, fulfilled, and satisfied?
5. What can I do to improve my career?
If you discover that you’re unhappy with your current career path, determine what specifically is making you so unhappy. Is it truly your career, or is it your company, boss, commute, or position that’s causing frustration?
Once you’ve identified exactly what is frustrating you, you can begin addressing the issue. In some cases, the best solution will be external, such as going back to school to develop new skills, talk to your manager about taking on new responsibilities in your day to day role, or applying to another job. In other cases, the solution will be about internal changes, such as learning how to calmly handle interacting with a boss you dislike or trying a new podcast or book to engage your attention during your long commute.
6. Do I have a healthy work-life balance?
In some cases, your frustration may not be focused on your career but rather the time and energy you're investing into your work over your personal life. If your job has become a strong force that distracts you even when outside of the office, it may be time to reevaluate your availability or accessibility outside of working hours, discuss your work-life balance stress with your manager, or consider a different role that allows you more time to step away from your desk and focus on your life outside of the office.
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