Career Advancement: How to Get Ahead
25 July 2008
Topics: career advancement, professional development, engineering
As a technical professional, how do you get ahead? How do you get noticed? What skills do you need to open closed doors?
Script
Many people just coming out of college struggle to find the right job or grapple to figure out how to impress employers and land the position they want. “How do you get ahead? How do you get noticed? What skills do you need to open closed doors?
Experience has taught that those that thoroughly engage in their work and those who develop towering competencies get noticed. If you want to receive attention, be recruited, and get promoted, then develop the knowledge and experience that others want.
Employers typically recruit and hire people with very specialized skills. They want a mechanical engineer who has designed wheel-well hydraulic tubing systems used on a particular class of Boeing 737 commercial jets. They want a chemical engineer who possesses experience using Aspen PIMS software to model Orinoco extra-heavy crude cat cracking.
You gain such experience by:
- Fully engaging in your work
- Connecting with people
- Studying technology and business practices
First, engagement requires putting more time and energy into your work. Go to the job an hour early. Stay an hour late. Take on another assignment. Consider a few more options in your analysis. Polish your presentation. Rewrite your report one more time. Take that extra step. Go the second mile. Even if the work is not interesting or unrewarding, you have to engage.
Second, connect with people. Foremost, you must hear, feel, and understand your boss’ needs. What causes him pain? What can you do to make his life easier?
As you connect with your supervisor, you need to relate to your peers. Listen to your co-worker and to other people in your organization. Engage with those on other assignments. And network with those outside your sphere.
Third, study. Read up on what you are doing. Use the internet, trade magazines, business newspapers to thoroughly understand your technology and learn how business works. Track down books on your subject. Read them. Take notes. Develop deep knowledge.
Write and send emails on the topic, start a blog, or write articles for publication. Perhaps even set your sights on researching and producing a book.
And finally, seek out the training—live and on-line—that can hasten your acquisition of knowledge and skills.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you want to accelerate your career, then engage your work, engage other people, and engage the extensive body of knowledge behind your field. As you do, doors will open.