Episode Transcript

Some engineers seem to know exactly where they’re going in their careers.

You know some of these people. They have pretty specific goals. 

A clearly defined direction. And a solid strategy for getting there.

It worries you because you don’t really have a career strategy. 

Your mentors and bosses keep asking you questions like: What do you want to do? 

Or where do you want to be in 5 years? 

Questions you just aren’t sure how to answer right now. 

So how can you build a solid career strategy?

Well here’s the thing: You can still build a career strategy even if you don’t know the answers to these questions.

Perfection not Required for Your Engineering Career Plan

It’s great to have a definitive plan for your engineering career. 

It helps you get where you want to go. And at a good pace. 

It’s an ideal situation to be in.

But let me tell you a secret: 

Most people don’t know exactly what they want in their careers. 

Most people don’t have a clear career pathway and a well-defined strategy.

It helps to have some sort of vision or idea for what your dream career might be. 

It helps to know what you want to contribute to the world. 

Because that can be your starting point. And you can build a strategy from there.

But even if these are not clear to you, you can still strategize a way forward.

Your Engineering Career Strategy Can Take Many Forms

The ideal strategy is the one you think of when anyone mentions career plans. 

This is for people who know what they want. 

They know what they want to accomplish in their careers. So building a strategy is more straightforward. 

It’s easier for them to figure out next steps. And set up a long-range plan.

I was never in this category in my career. So I can feel your anxiety at this point.

It seems like everyone has a plan except you. 

But that’s only because no one likes to admit they don’t know what they want to be when they grow up.

You’re in the majority if you’re not sure what you want your career to look like. 

And it turns out you don’t have to figure that out before you make a plan.

You can create a career strategy simply by following some rules. 

Your own rules.

Two Types of Strategies for Your Engineering Career

There are 2 types of strategies that you can choose from.

First is the ideal long-range strategy that we’ve already talked about.  

This type is relatively rare.

Second is the short-range type of strategy. 

For this one you don’t need a clear idea of your overall career. 

You look at things with a shorter-range lens. 

Just how short varies.

You can define your near-term future as the next year or the next 6 months or the next quarter. 

Or you can even define it in terms of milestones or events. And avoid timescales altogether.

The emphasis is less on direction and sequence. 

And more on a near-term outlook, boundaries and what is most important to you right now.

The key to this approach is to

  1. Keep your Energetic Center (values, skills, strengths, and passion) in mind
  2. Set boundaries on things such as how you like to work, who you like to work with, your life balance preferences, etc. These are your “rules.”
  3. Set goals that align with you.
  4. And revisit them frequently so you can make adjustments as you go.

What a Short-Term Engineering Career Strategy Looks Like

Here are 5 examples of short-term strategy goals: 

And here are 5 examples of short-term strategy boundaries or rules:

A short-term strategy breaks things down into more manageable chunks.

It’s makes it easier to set goals. Because you’re looking nearer term rather than far future.

And it gives you the benefit of planning and intentionality without locking you in for too long.

The No-Strategy Strategy for Engineering Careers

I’ve had people tell me they have no strategy for their engineering career.

Because they don’t want to be tied to a rigid plan.

And they want maximum flexibility to make career decisions.

This makes sense. A strategy can be too rigid. And that’s something to take into account.

But I often find that these people typically still have rules and boundaries that they follow. 

Principles that guide them on their career paths.

It’s true they don’t have an ideal long-term strategy. 

And maybe their approach doesn’t quite fit the short-term strategy either. 

But there’s still a strategy there. Perhaps heavier on rules and boundaries and lighter on actual goals.

I call it a no-strategy strategy.

A no-strategy strategy is a very flexible and fluid approach. 

It allows you to take on beneficial roles you never planned on. Or couldn’t foresee.

There’s No Right or Wrong in Strategizing Your Engineering Career

There’s no right or wrong when it comes to strategizing your engineering career. 

Only what works best for you. 

I’d love to help you put a plan together that meets your unique needs. Sign up for a strategy session with me and let’s talk more.  

How would you like to strategize your engineering career?

If the ideal long-range approach doesn’t work, try a shorter-range one.

Maybe you like the no-strategy strategy approach, with its minimal structure and maximum flexibility.

Choose the approach that best gives you direction, intentionality and freedom as you progress in your engineering career.

With the right strategy, you’ll reach your goals faster and move farther along your path.

No matter what form it takes, having a career strategy is important for engineering career fulfillment and success.

Next time on Her Engineering Career Podcast we’ll explore how career opportunities might deceive you.

I hope you’ll join me for Episode 170.

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