Episode Transcript
We’re gonna do a little self-investigation today.
I have a question for you. And the answer will tell you something about yourself. Something revealing and valuable.
First, I want you to think about how devoted you are to the organization you work for.
And then I want you to think about how devoted you are to your engineering career.
My question is this: which one is a stronger pull for you? The organization you work for, or your engineering career?
The answer will help you know yourself better. And it’ll make you wonder if this is what you want your answer to be. Do I lean more one way or the other? And do I need to change that balance?
If you’ve been listening this podcast, you’re committed to your career and you know that’s important. At the same time, there’s nothing wrong with being committed to your employer.
But the catch is not to be committed to your employer at the expense of your career.
Commitment to Your Employer Vs. Devotion to Your Career
Let’s take a look at what it means to be devoted to your organization or your career. Then we’ll look at the signs that your commitment may not be balanced well between your employer and your career.
Being devoted to the organization means one or more of the following:
- You really resonate with the organization’s mission.
- You’re a strong believer in the product or service your company provides.
- You get great satisfaction from contributing to the organization’s operations or processes.
- You have a strong connection to the people you work with or customers you serve.
- You feel a stronger need to serve others than yourself.
- The great pay and benefits the organization offers are especially important to you.
Being devoted to your career means:
- You have a strong sense of self and your potential.
- Your career opportunities are vitally important to you.
- You’re targeting your goals and vision and who you want to become.
- You emphasize your development and career trajectory.
- You want to make a difference and ensure you’re having influence and impact.
One list is not necessarily better than the other. A balance between the 2 means you’re leveraging commitment to your employer to progress and be successful in your career. And you’re focused on your career to serve your employer better.
A great way to look at it is to see your current job as a stepping stone along your career path.
When Commitment to Your Employer Inhibits Your Engineering Career
What did you think of when I asked the question at the beginning of this episode? Are you concerned that you lean too far toward your commitment to your organization?
Here are 6 signs that this might be true:
- The care and feeding of your career never gets priority.
- You bend over backwards for your employer, even if it means disregarding your personal boundaries.
- All your goals are tied to the organization’s goals and don’t go beyond your current job.
- The mission of the organization is more important than your career vision.
- Your individual success is solely based on the success of the organization.
- You don’t have a contingency plan in case you lose your job or your organization restructures.
If a few of these signs ring true for you, then our little self-investigation was worth it. The whole idea was to bring you to this realization. Now you can work on balancing your commitment. You can work on putting more emphasis on you and your career.
Taking Back Control of Your Engineering Career
Remember that you need to look out for #1. You need to be the one who takes charge of your career. And while a commitment to your employer is important, it’s not healthy if it inhibits you.
Being mindful of your commitment balance is another way to ensure you’re in control of your career trajectory and it’s leading you in the direction of your choice.
You might want to go back to prior episodes of this podcast for many more insights. Just a few examples are:
- Career Care for Women Engineers (Episodes 1 and 2)
- Tips for Creating Your Engineering Career Vision
- The 3 Aspects of Your Engineering Career That You Should Own
- Your Career is More Important Than Your Job
- Your Career Power Lies in Your Own Unique Strengths.
Be cautious of your balance of commitment. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your devotion to your employer at the expense of your career. Be careful of neglecting yourself or losing sight of your career vision.
As always, I’m here to help you get on track. Whether it’s balancing that commitment, moving up in the organization, or reaching your goals sooner. I invite you to sign up for a strategy session with me.
These are great for getting unstuck, focusing on your potential, and putting some new ideas into play. This is your career. I’ll help you get the most out of it and make a difference in your engineering community.
Next time on Her Engineering Career Podcast we’ll discuss how you can take forward leaps in your engineering career. You won’t want to miss Episode 72.