Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

LostOldAccountTimmay t1_j63mg3o wrote

This is great advice, so I'll add on to it. Finding your interests includes what it is about the work that you like. You really like reading up about a topic, finding articles and learning on a topicand researching how stuff works? really like tinkering around with physical circuits to build complex ones and working with your hands? maybe it's organizing things and tracking your progress throughout your project? those things may influence the type of company and which team within the organization you target. Innovation teams and start-up companies will require more research and may be less organized or regimented. Whereas bigger organizations, and especially defense contractors, will provide more formality and allow you to concentrate your efforts more precisely.

I like to build new stuff and solve new problems, whereas I'll get bored working on an older product making incremental updates or fixes. So i stick with innovation. But some people don't appreciate the unknowns and the anxiety that comes with that, so they'd rather be confident in the context in which they're operating.

Some people like product support, and solve problems as they arise. Working closely with customers to build relationships and collaboratively solve problems. These guys are great at staying calm under pressure.

Others like to speak and be the face of the team in product marketing or sales engineering.

You don't have to choose any of those up front, but pay attention to the types of work you're drawn to, what you're good at, just as importantly what you tend to avoid or put off. How you operate and like to operate can mean a lot in how successful you are in a given role, and what to look for when changing roles.

3

spud_monkey312 t1_j64461q wrote

"pay attention" is the operative directive. When you align with your interests, nothing is out of reach. Only you can "know" the right answer for yourself. Trust your gut... when you feel drawn to a career path - GO FOR IT!

Above all else, have fun. Making the journey fun will be a dynamo of personal power for you!

2