Episode Transcript
The way to get ahead in your engineering career is to maintain forward motion.
To move in the direction that motivates you.
To build on your experiences. And take on more challenging roles.
Knowing your next step isn’t easy.
You want to figure out which opportunities resonate with you. And how to prepare for them.
The available opportunities, though, seem so far beyond you.
You don’t feel ready.
And it’s clear you’re not fully qualified.
But here’s the thing:
- You want to take opportunities that are beyond you.
- You won’t feel ready.
- And it’s not a requirement that you be fully qualified.
In fact, no one expects you to know how to do every aspect of the job you apply for.
You should apply even if you don’t meet all the requirements.
You should apply especially if you don’t meet all the requirements.
Your Potential and Capacity to Learn Get You to Your Next Career Challenge
You’ve heard me say: it’s not what you know how to do, it’s what you can learn.
And you have the capacity to learn – you’ve proven that.
You have potential. And you have skills that will help you be successful.
You can step up.
You don’t know how to do everything you need to for your next job.
And that’s as it should be.
If you’re doubting yourself, just look at your last engineering project.
Look where you started and where you are now. See what you didn’t know then and what you learned in the process.
What It Means to Step Up in Your Engineering Career
I know what you’re thinking:
It seems like a giant step from here to there.
It feels more much more comfortable to take a baby step instead of a giant one.
But you need that room to grow. You need to stretch yourself.
You need to get comfortable with taking risk. And to get used to trying something different.
You’re worried about living up to the standard set by your predecessor.
But no one’s asking you to do that. You’ll do this job your own way.
No one expects you to do things exactly how others do them.
Instead, they want you for your skills and strengths. The way you communicate. The way you solve problems.
To reach farther than you think you can go…
To move into a bigger space that requires you to expand yourself…
To take on a meaningful role that enables you to showcase your talent…
In a nutshell this is what I mean by stepping up.
How Stepping Up Benefits You and Your Engineering Career
There are benefits for you and your engineering career when you step up. And they accumulate each time you do it.
Let me give you 5 examples:
- Stepping up helps you confirm the kind of work you like to do.
It reaffirms your energy and your vision. And enables more alignment of your work with yourself.
- Stepping up moves you farther down your career path faster.
Which prevents you from getting stuck. And sets you up to reach your desired level of achievement.
- Stepping up opens doors for you. Doors to broader and more opportunities.
Enabling you to make your unique contribution. And thrive overall in a more rewarding engineering career.
- Stepping up increases your visibility. It showcases your initiative.
People see your talent. And notice you’re willing to take on bigger and more complex projects.
- Stepping up strengthens your risk-taking muscle. And builds your credibility.
It increases your resilience and gives you confidence to continue stepping up.
Tips for Stepping Up in Your Engineering Career
Taking that step up can be daunting – if you let it.
So let me give you some tips to put you in the right mindset.
If you’re thinking of stepping up in your career and you’d like some guidance and motivation to do so, I’d love to work through it with you.
You can sign up for a strategy session with me here.
Or we can directly discuss a more in-depth coaching approach. Contact me through my website or LinkedIn, or email me at mary@nullherengineeringcareer.com.
Here are my tips for a successful approach to stepping up in your engineering career:
Be Open
Be open to the opportunity. Be open to learning something new. And to getting feedback.
Be open to taking a risk. To the possibility of failure. And to keep going.
Be Willing
Be willing to apply for that opportunity that seems beyond your reach.
Consult with your mentors.
Bring your best self to the interview. And let the hiring managers decide.
Be Transparent
Be transparent about what you know and don’t know.
About what your skills and strengths are and what they aren’t.
Be Collaborative
Listen to and learn from others. Explore their perspectives.
Find the people who’ll help you rock.
Be Confident
Recognize that you have confidence and resilience.
And that you’re building more by taking advantage of new opportunities.
Be bold. Step up. And do your best.
I challenge you to find an opportunity to be your next career adventure.
Lean into your brilliance.
And enjoy the benefits of stepping up in your engineering career.
Next time on Her Engineering Career Podcast we’ll explore leading with vision and alignment.
Be sure to tune in for Episode 157.
