I regularly hear from and read aboutĀ technologists in a career rut. Unless one is bothĀ lucky andĀ adept at predicting the future, experiencing some temporaryĀ stall canĀ happen to professionals at any career stage. It may be the feeling ofĀ being stuck in an unchallenging role, feelingĀ burdenedĀ by an undesirableĀ skill set,Ā or trappedĀ in a company that seemsĀ difficult toĀ escape.
Career stagnation in technology could be defined as aĀ prolonged period characterized byĀ limited project variety, no advancement or even lateral movement, few tangible accomplishments, and little exposure to any emerging trends. Some managersĀ are aware that workers in these situations generally leave, so the managers may proactively try to satisfy staff by shuffling teams andĀ providingĀ more interesting tasks. ManyĀ managers have toĀ focus on deliverables and may giveĀ little thought to the career development of their charges, perhaps throwing money at retentionĀ problems instead of providing challenges.
To ālevel upā couldĀ mean a promotion intoĀ management or technical leadership, a new start at a firm with increased opportunity, a role with autonomy and decision-making responsibility, or the ability to make significantĀ improvements to skills and marketability. People that think about theĀ leveling up conceptĀ oftenĀ know what they want (or sometimes what they donāt want), but donāt necessarily seeĀ the best paths to get there.
Leverage the skills you have to get the skillsĀ you want
MostĀ professionals viewĀ their current skills as a means to getting newĀ jobs, but itās useful to also think about skills as the key to acquiring other new skills. This tactic is most relevant when aĀ skill set is dated and a previouslyĀ strong marketability level isĀ now questionable. Some willĀ attemptĀ to make a clean and immediate break from their old technologies or responsibilities into the new, usually withĀ mixed results.
As an example, many COBOL programmers tried to enterĀ the stronger Java job market followingĀ Y2K. Some applied to jobs with no Java experience hoping their COBOL yearsĀ would be deemedĀ transferrable, while others pursued certifications andĀ self-study to ideallyĀ be viewedĀ as a somewhat āexperiencedā hire. One overlooked strategy was to approach companies that were using both COBOL and Java in some capacity, with the understanding that the candidateĀ was willing to writeĀ COBOL ifĀ providedĀ the ability to also work with Java.
Most job seeking technologistsĀ have at least oneĀ abilityĀ that will help them contribute immediately toĀ any other teamĀ or organization. It could be an obscure technical skill, leadership experience, or domain knowledge. Even if the skillĀ is not something the person wants to useĀ forever, it could be a key component to getting hired. Try to identifyĀ companies that may be looking for some specific expertise you can provide, even if it isnāt the most attractive tool in your bag, and be transparent about your willingness to do that less desirable work in exchange for exposure to skillsĀ that are in demand.
DIY
For those in the most stagnant of technical environments, taking on independent projects or open source may be the bestĀ way to gain experienceĀ and increase marketability. Itās usually preferableĀ to learn new things on the job (because money), but being proactive about your career and keepingĀ abreast ofĀ current marketable technologies will also show initiative to potential employers. The level up from personal projects almost always comes from an employment change.
Sometimes to level up you need to take a step back ā or sideways
Careers arenāt alwaysĀ linear, and the expectation that trajectory needs toĀ follow a strictĀ continuous and incremental level of responsibilities is perhaps naive and potentially dangerous.Ā Job seekers are often prone to placing too much weight on a positionās salaryĀ or (gasp)Ā titleĀ without fullyĀ considering the positionās potentialĀ opportunity asĀ it relates to future marketability and career development. Somewhat frequent movement between jobs is acceptedĀ in our industry, so positions canĀ be viewed as stepping stones to future opportunities.
When evaluating new roles, whether withĀ a current employer or another firm, imagineĀ what a three or fourĀ year tenure in that role at that company will look like on future rĆ©sumĆ©s. Will the skills likely to be acquired or improved in that role be marketable and transferrable to other firms? Accepting positionsĀ that come withĀ lateral responsibility and compensation is usually a wise long-term decision whenĀ providedĀ a more favorable learning and growth environment.
| Reference: | How to Level Up from our JCG partner Dave Fecak at the Job Tips For Geeks blog. |
