Career Advice (this is weird I get it)

[Acadia18]

2 clicks & 3 seconds is all I need. Their mind will be blown.

 

[nomunic]

You don't even need all of them. Out of that list, I have outstanding Excel skills. Very minimal SQL and Tableau/PowerBI, and I drive an R. Get very proficient in even one of those skills, and you can parlay it into a new job/career. We hire kids all day long who are fresh out of college and barely above the drinking age who can develop Tableau dashboards.

And in general, I find the crossover of skills interesting. For example, I had a Tableau developer on our team come to me last week for help to simplify a process she had in Excel. Her mind was blown, like completely in awe, when I added a drop down list to her sheet. Something most people who know any bit of Excel knowledge consider basic af. And here we have a Tableau developer, someone in general I'd call way smarter and more skilled than myself (definitely getting paid more than myself ), and I rocked her world with 2 clicks and 3 seconds.

If I’m being honest to myself, I believe I do have intermediate SQL skills (I’ve been enrolled and active in a course since May). I also hold an IBM data science certificate which took about 2 months to get and gave me a basic grasp of Python. Excel is excel, I think that may be an area I need to focus more on. Any idea on courses/certificates I can grab to get started ?

 

[uglybastard]

If I’m being honest to myself, I believe I do have intermediate SQL skills (I’ve been enrolled and active in a course since May). I also hold an IBM data science certificate which took about 2 months to get and gave me a basic grasp of Python. Excel is excel, I think that may be an area I need to focus more on. Any idea on courses/certificates I can grab to get started ?

If managerial things on in your radar, getting certs in something like LEAN or 6 sigma would reflect well on your applications

 

[MeltedSolid]

I'm actually in a bit of a similar situation to you, except at my previous job I did do all of those things I feel like I'm being held back from doing here (higher pay here, but what's the point if I'm not doing shit), so I know for a fact I'm capable of it and more. Sometimes there's no winning, people just don't believe you are capable because you don't have 10+ years of experience regardless of what reality is. I'm getting other offers, and I'll leave it up to my boss to decide if he wants to keep me or not, but most likely I'm just going to leave because I'm not sure I trust him to utilize me.

I'm in engineering, so it's a bit of a different world. Business analysts positions are difficult to get and extremely competitive, my brother is doing the same and he's been looking for other offers for the last 4-5 months with no luck. I don't have any direct advice, but I think you're on the right track with applying to other jobs, because when you get an offer, then you have some leverage to get what you actually want.

Part of the issue you might be facing is that you don't have any specific focus. You feel like you can do anything, and you have done a bunch of different things, which kind of makes you a jack of all trades but master of none (at least to people looking at your resume). Look back at what you've done and figure out what you've consistently been good at, and frame your applications, resume, linkedin, etc... around that and sell it.

 

[nomunic]

If managerial things on in your radar, getting certs in something like LEAN or 6 sigma would reflect well on your applications

I'm actually in a bit of a similar situation to you, except at my previous job I did do all of those things I feel like I'm being held back from doing here (higher pay here, but what's the point if I'm not doing shit), so I know for a fact I'm capable of it and more. Sometimes there's no winning, people just don't believe you are capable because you don't have 10+ years of experience regardless of what reality is. I'm getting other offers, and I'll leave it up to my boss to decide if he wants to keep me or not, but most likely I'm just going to leave because I'm not sure I trust him to utilize me.

I'm in engineering, so it's a bit of a different world. Business analysts positions are difficult to get and extremely competitive, my brother is doing the same and he's been looking for other offers for the last 4-5 months with no luck. I don't have any direct advice, but I think you're on the right track with applying to other jobs, because when you get an offer, then you have some leverage to get what you actually want.

I’ve noticed that it pretty difficult to move within my field and I thought the competition was fairly low, but I was wrong. This is why I think moving to a similar area, but maybe more on the managerial side of it would be good for me. I’ll def look into 6 Sigma and LEAN certs. @uglybastard any idea if the PMP cert is worth pursuing?


Also @MeltedSolid, my friends are all in mechanical engineering and tell me how easy it is to get a job. Sometimes it’s a little demeaning, but I know they just want to give me some hope.

thanks again guys!

 

[uglybastard]

I’ve noticed that it pretty difficult to move within my field and I thought the competition was fairly low, but I was wrong. This is why I think moving to a similar area, but maybe more on the managerial side of it would be good for me. I’ll def look into 6 Sigma and LEAN certs. @uglybastard any idea if the PMP cert is worth pursuing?


Also @MeltedSolid, my friends are all in mechanical engineering and tell me how easy it is to get a job. Sometimes it’s a little demeaning, but I know they just want to give me some hope.

thanks again guys!

PMP is the latest fad in some sectors, not a bad thing to have.

 

[Acadia18]

If managerial things on in your radar, getting certs in something like LEAN or 6 sigma would reflect well on your applications

Just get some kind of Jira shit on there. Companies will be like

 

[nomunic]

Really appreciate the help guys, I think I have got enough written down here to keep me busy until 2023 hits. Maybe I will update this post, but not sure anyone is gonna come to a Golf forum for career advice lol

 

[MeltedSolid]

Also @MeltedSolid, my friends are all in mechanical engineering and tell me how easy it is to get a job. Sometimes it’s a little demeaning, but I know they just want to give me some hope.

Yea, the unfortunate reality is that it's all just supply and demand. In engineering there happens to be a LOT of demand and not as much supply, so it's disproportionally easy for us. My brother is undeniably better at putting himself to do something and getting it done, and yet he's having way more difficulty than me finding something else just because of the field he's in. Persistence should pay off in the end though.

 

[cb1111]

I’ve noticed that it pretty difficult to move within my field and I thought the competition was fairly low, but I was wrong. This is why I think moving to a similar area, but maybe more on the managerial side of it would be good for me. I’ll def look into 6 Sigma and LEAN certs. @uglybastard any idea if the PMP cert is worth pursuing?


Also @MeltedSolid, my friends are all in mechanical engineering and tell me how easy it is to get a job. Sometimes it’s a little demeaning, but I know they just want to give me some hope.

thanks again guys!

Define worth.....

PMP is the latest fad in some sectors, not a bad thing to have.

and Bingo..
Any degree that you can buy in a month is relatively worthless, but it is the "in thing" and it brings weight on your resume.

Funny story - a handful of years back I developed a certificate program that has since become the standard that everybody needs to have in my sector.

I taught each of the segments but obviously never took the certificate exam (in part because I wrote it). About two years ago, I start working on a project that requires that certificate and the manager (a wet behind the ears kid that thinks only in certificates) says "I see you didn't the umpty-umpth certificate on your resume". He was a bit taken aback when I said "that's correct, I don't have it...... but I did design, create and teach the certificate program. Is that good enough?"

I'm also often perplexed by the education and "time in grade" requirements in some jobs.

Bachelors and at least 18 years or a Masters and 16 years substantial demonstrated experience in the field….

I’m not sure if management (or HR) has run the numbers. The average person graduates high school at 18. Add 6 years for a Masters and you’re at 24. Add two years for trying to figure out what you are going to do, applying for and getting a job that gives you that required “basic work experience” prior to getting that “demonstrated experience” of those 16 years and you’re at 42.

Accordingly, nobody under 42 need apply. And that doesn’t even answer the question if the company really wants somebody that may intend to do the job like they did in the last century?

I’m a great believer in experience and one needs to look at each candidate and decide if that candidate has the required experience and the other qualifications to do the job. Time in grade means very little. Perhaps "significant demonstrated ability"

 

[uglybastard]

PMP will evolve over the next few years before the rename what that person does. Getting on board now and having time doing PM work will make a nice foundation.

 

[nomunic]

PMP will evolve over the next few years before the rename what that person does. Getting on board now and having time doing PM work will make a nice foundation.

Let’s say I can’t partake in any PM roles or work. I’m pretty much confined to the little tasks I do. Should I simply look for a new employer that is willing to let me reach out into that area, or should I do as @cb1111 stated and grab certs because a lot of people only care about those anyways?

I realize experience is key, I think that’s really where I’m having an issue. Certainly continuing to do what I’m doing will keep me stagnant and I don’t see much potential where I am.

Management has always been of interest to me, I watch my father manage multiple business’/employees and even my old manager who explained to me his experiences. They really speak well about their jobs.

 

[uglybastard]

Let’s say I can’t partake in any PM roles or work. I’m pretty much confined to the little tasks I do. Should I simply look for a new employer that is willing to let me reach out into that area, or should I do as @cb1111 stated and grab certs because a lot of people only care about those anyways?

I realize experience is key, I think that’s really where I’m having an issue. Certainly continuing to do what I’m doing will keep me stagnant and I don’t see much potential where I am.

Management has always been of interest to me, I watch my father manage multiple business’/employees and even my old manager who explained to me his experiences. They really speak well about their jobs.

Get the cert to leverage qualification for and pay grade of next job.

 

[messrock]

PMP program is actually pretty involved, the people I know that have gone through it were already successful in the PM space and went with the program to reach that next level.

If you’re looking for a way to get an opportunity that isn’t clearly defined by your current experience - look for a smaller org/startup - you may have some work/life balance issues to start, but you’ll be able to get the experience you’re looking for and more.

There’s always contracting too. You can try new things and make a top of market wage. Highly dependent on where you’re at, but CT should provide that.

The days of job hopping being looked down upon are in the past. When I interview people that have a slew of 6-15 month jobs, we talk about what their exp was and what they fee they gained, etc. Some people didn’t gain anything and were a burden on their employer and were let go.

 

[cb1111]

Let’s say I can’t partake in any PM roles or work. I’m pretty much confined to the little tasks I do. Should I simply look for a new employer that is willing to let me reach out into that area, or should I do as @cb1111 stated and grab certs because a lot of people only care about those anyways?

I realize experience is key, I think that’s really where I’m having an issue. Certainly continuing to do what I’m doing will keep me stagnant and I don’t see much potential where I am.

Management has always been of interest to me, I watch my father manage multiple business’/employees and even my old manager who explained to me his experiences. They really speak well about their jobs.

Ahhh, the optimism of youth. While you can become a manager in your local Mcdonalds, I doubt that is what you'd want.

While I said, that one shouldn't just look at certs and "years of experience", experience is important and you have to be able to demonstrate that you can effectively manage before you apply for a managerial position.

To be an effective manager, to need to have some subject matter expertise of your employees, be able to ask intelligent questions, explain what your team does to senior management and be able to support your employees - and be able to help them if they aren't working up to expectations.