In a frequently leaking boat, energy dedicated to changing vessels is more productive than energy dedicated to repairing leaks.
Pinoy Engineer
One of the questions I often hear from my fellow Pinoy Engineers is, “Am I ready to make an engineering career change?”
You might have asked yourself this same thing. Tama ba? Or maybe you are asking yourself if you are even good enough to make your dream happen. There is a lot of fear associated with launching your dream life or career.
Ano ang iisipin ng ibang tao?
Will this even work?
So in this article, I have three questions to ask yourself before you make a career change.
These questions will help you know what action steps you need to take and how to know if you are indeed heading for in the correct direction.
For those who personally knew me. They are aware of these three questions.
Aside from asking myself, I also repeatedly asked them these queries before I finally decided to leave my position as a Mill Planning Department Manager in Philex Mining Corporation in Philippines.
I then transferred to a Gold mine in Central Asia and work as a Mill Reliability & Planner Trainer with a Fly-in Fly-out roster. So since year 2020, isa na po akong OFW or Overseas Filipino Worker.
Anyway, are you ready?
Here are 3 questions to ask yourself before making a career change:
Question 1. Do I know my vision?
Before you jump ship, you have to recognize where you want to be in the future. If you do not do this step, you will be spinning your wheels getting new jobs that will not necessarily lead you to where you want to be in 5-10 years.
And you will get stuck… again.
And you will be overwhelmed and drained.
Instead, when you know your vision, you will know what engagements you need to take to get there. It will clarify your direction and make all your steps and decisions so much easier!
How do you see yourself in the next 20 years after this career change? This very question will answer your own potential for growth as an engineer.
What are the long-term opportunities, which are associated with this new career? There are certain engineering fields, which are great for experience, but not as a long-term career.
Another tip. You need to write your personal vision statement or mission statement. The purpose of this is to provide a clear and inspiring direction for your future engineering work. Here are examples to provide you a little direction.
Sample #1: I will become a well-known and respected engineering leader in the Mining Industry, revitalizing the ways minerals are extracted and processed to produce metal products for the use of our society.
Sample #2: I will provide the best technical engineering support and customer service to clients, helping improve businesses and lives, and strive to solve problems with a positive attitude that spreads to my co-workers.
Always remember this; the key to an inspiring career vision statement is to have it short and unforgettable.
I repeat, do not jump ship or change career until you have a crystal clear vision. I did this and it worked wonders for me.
Question 2. What is my ideal lifestyle?
Some of you are reading this article because you want growth in your engineering career or you want to escape a stressful and toxic work environment or you want both. Therefore, you are looking to change either your engineering career or just the company you work with.
However, most of young Pinoy engineers, including me, would dream of a work-life balance.
Moreover, if I say work-life balance, I mean you are satisfied with your career and simultaneously
…you are well paid,
…you can have your ideal lifestyle with your family or loved ones.
Is the pay good enough?
Do your research, Kabayan.
I do not mean to sound overly materialistic, but this aspect is very important to consider in your engineering careers. You need to consider the salary expectation when you plan a career change in your respective engineering field.
Will you be able to make a decent living with the average income for career you are planning to pursue? Will it be enough to support your family or future family?
Work so you can have a good life.
You cannot live your life to work. Your future engineering career should have option NOT to put aside your personal life to attend to the demanding needs of engineering projects, maintenance or obligations at work.
How will you know that? As I have said, do your research, kapatid. Do interviews to current engineers in that field. Use your network.
Before I jumped to being an OFW, I repeatedly asked my former colleagues working in that company regarding the lifestyle and work-life balance of having a FIFO roster. I need to understand all pros and cons.
Right now, I am enjoying a whole month with my family without thinking about work. Then I go back to work for another whole month but due to technology, I can still have one or two hours to have video chat with my kids and wife after work before eventually going to sleep every single day when I am at the mine site.
Not to mention the incredibly lucrative salaries that FIFO roster offers.
Question 3: Do I know what my ideal career is?
You will have more success when you know the right career you should be searching for.
If you know what the ideal career is for you, you will not waste time trying to apply to wrong companies and creating an engineering career model that does not work for you. Just because someone else is doing it, does not mean it is the right career for you.
You have to put the blinders on and create a career that YOU were born to do. It will feel so natural; it will feel just like breathing.
You will have passion, purpose and more success doing work that fits you.
So make sure you know what your ideal career is BEFORE you start networking, applying online, working on your resume or taking a million courses.
I want you to know exactly what you need to do to make your goals happen so you are not burnt out and overwhelmed.
I worked my way up to the corporate ladder of success and became Mill Planning and Engineering Manager. At first, I enjoyed the luxury of being the head of a Department and manage all activities from routine works to improvements, troubleshooting, development.
Then, uncontrollable stress and toxic work culture has gotten into my system. Still, I continually adapted to the situations and adjusted my lifestyle to it. I also had sleepless nights thinking about work.
I then finally decided that I want to get out. Therefore, I asked myself this third question. To cut the story short, I found my ideal career. I am now happily performing at my peak level as a Planning Engineer.
A Chronically Leaking Boat
It is not easy to make an engineering career change; otherwise, every young Pinoy engineers would be doing it.
Nevertheless, it is possible.
Your engineering career is indeed a part of your life.
As you read this article, you will say that some hit the exact mark you are looking for right now. If you are in a chronically leaking boat in your current career or work, start with these three questions before you finally wear your swimsuit and dive.
God has a Plan
Each career change journey of young Pinoy engineers is unique. There are indeed challenges but the great news is that you are in the driver’s seat. You decide when to act and how to act.
Dear engineer, whatever you decide.. You either stay at your current career or change it. Our good Lord has plan for you.
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
The Holy Bible
This promise from God is not to immediately rescue us from the hardships of our current careers, but rather He can work though our current situation and prosper our beloved engineering careers.
Author: The Pinoy Engineer
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