Duck Alumni Career Blog

February 19, 2016

~ A "Letters from Silicon Valley" Series ~
 

In Silicon Valley, and elsewhere, there are a wide variety of opportunities to pursue over the course of a career. These potential choices sometimes make it hard for people to know how to get ahead. Often people just slowly float around, accepting whatever opportunities drift by. They struggle to find direction in their careers, which works fine, for a while. These people are often busy and they trust that their boss, or the universe, will tell them what to do next. Eventually some get frustrated at their slow progression at work, while their colleagues get ahead.

An example of this is from a bright, young, hardworking engineer, I once knew. She expressed her disappointment that her manager had not groomed her for a promotion in a different department but when I asked if she had ever discussed her career aspirations and development, she indicated that she felt it was her manager’s responsibility to bring those topics up. I explained that it would have been nice if they had. However, I’ve learned, the hard way, that if I wait for my manager to discuss my career, and a promotion, I would be left waiting a very long time. After getting over her initial irritation, she began having regular discussions with her manager about how she was doing, where she wanted to go with her career, and how she could get there. Shortly thereafter, she was temporarily put on a project team that helped her hone particular skills she wanted to be known for, all while challenging her. Within a year she applied for, and received a promotion in the department where she had been on the project team. This never would have happened had she not taken control of her career development and enlisted the help of her manager.

In my years coaching and managing people, I've picked up a few tips you can consider, as you take control of your development and career path:

1) Think long-term, act short-term. Think epitaph, then resume. What do you want to be known for? What's your mission? What drives you? When you have a good idea of your dreams, you'll find plans and decisions easier to make and you'll be more persistent in building the life and resume that you want.

2) Know what you're good at… and not so good at. Go with your strengths and finesse your weaknesses. 

3) Schedule regular one on one meetings with your manager. Ask for feedback, discuss your career aspirations, and plan your development. Ask your manager for advice and assistance. 

4) Remember that often times a promotion is the recognition of a higher level job that you're already doing. Often, you have to prove you’re qualified to do the higher level work, and then you get the title, not the other way around. Take the initiative to do more than is expected of you.

5) Network inside and outside of your current organization. Be intentional about some of the people you choose to seek out and actually cultivate relationships with them. You might be able to help them and they could help you with other connections, informational or job interviews, and other opportunities.
 

May you have much success creating the career you want.
 

Go Ducks!

~ Humberto 


Contact:
humberto@chacon.us