originally posted on one of my several now defunct blogs, called On Engineering, on the 12th of February 2013
Blogging about considering new jobs (and doing something about it) seems like a risky idea. Posts are by their nature open to the world, so conceivably my boss could read this.
(Well, it’s inconceivable, really, but let’s go with it for now)
What will he think?
In my case, there’s nothing that he can’t have been inferred from previous discussions, so there’s nothing that could surprise my boss unduly were he to read this. For you, dear reader, there are hopefully some worthwhile thoughts in here - so read on, whilst I write on.
It’s safe to say that I had a frustrating time at work in 2012, mostly for non-engineering reasons (resources, too many inputs and outputs, etc). I decided that a change of scenery would be a good way of clearing the decks and starting afresh, so I applied for a couple of new jobs.
A seemingly attractive way of making the switch to a new company or even to a new industry was, I thought, to glide along the plane of least resistance, taking a training- and background-agnostic route. In my thinking, this route would take me towards Project Management.
It’s not perhaps strictly true to say background-agnostic. Project Managers are often handed the role from within another, and that’s what happened to me at various stages in my career - so I can show a Project Management history: nominally, I am in any case a project manager right now. It forms part of my job title (the other words being “Development Engineer and-"). Whilst I officially combine the roles I also tend to fulfil both roles simultaneously (Project Manager, manage thyself!), which has added to the frustrations I have felt of late.
We were also given project management training a while back. It was in itself quite inspirational and I came top of the class in the tests at the end of it. So, in essence, Project Management is something I can do, more or less without really thinking about it - in fact, what else do I do other than manage projects? Every single task I have, be it “engineering” or “not”, is part of a project, big or small. I do have to force myself to do things like pick up the phone (I’m much more of an emailer or short messenger than a caller), but overall I can work with others and others seem to be able to accept working with (sometimes for) me.
I got invited to some interviews.
Both were within the automotive sector, so I wasn’t going to be changing industry, but I would be changing technologies - glass and engine products were the general themes.
And therein lay the rub with me wanting to switch via the PM route: I thought the technologies would be cool, not the job. You see, what happened in both interviews was something like this:
Interviewer, after some preamble: “Imagine the scenario that a task within one of your projects is delayed. What do you do?”
Me (brain whirring, thinking…): Um, what can I say to this that could possibly be interesting? I’d have to talk to the guy whose task it is, see if I can chivvy him up a bit. Talk to his manager, talk to the customer, see if we can delay - oh, this is all so dull!
Me (aloud): Well, we could, umm, talk to the person responsible for the task (etc)
Me (body language): help! I’m floundering here and both I and my interviewer have lost interest in what I’m saying. He’s staring out of the window, I’m staring at him for some kind of positive reaction…
And so on. Yet within the same interview I had to field some engineering-type questions:
Interviewer: What do you think could be the potential technical difficulties involved in developing this kind of product?
Me (internally): Yes! Easy score here
Me (aloud): Well, there’s the material selection, the coatings, how to apply them within undoubtedly very tight tolerances, how to withstand heat without distortion that would…
Me (body language): Hands waving, leaning forward, engaging the interviewer - more, please!
In the end, I have to realise that I am by nature an engineer, with everything that that entails: all the coolest development work, all the dullest admin stuff and everything in between. Anything else (commercial, purchasing, quality) would mean going against my own grain.
The only question remaining, then, is: can I become an engineering manager? From the aspect of organisation and team working, data access and transfer, deciding on what’s right for the product and for the company - yes. From the aspect of dealing with stroppy employees, an ever-increasing email and travel load, and becoming ever more involved in company politics (whichever company that may be) - who knows. But that discovery is for another day.
Have you transitioned away from pure engineering? Have you made the step up to management - either successfully or stressfully? Let us know in your comments!
