I've written before about the lightbulb moment that many engineers get when they realise they want to be an engineer, or later in their career when they realise that they want to be professionally registered, but this is only the start of the journey...
As a member of the professional development team, it's part of my role to support those having their lightbulb moments and to help them to find their goals - but it's also part of the role to help those that have not had that moment yet (some might say I'm here to help them find the light), and also to help those that have lost thier way.
So, if you're feeling a little lost, or it's been a while since that lightbulb moment and you feel the initial light of that enthuasiasm fading, then maybe it's time to change your lightbulb and re-ignite the passion that you had in the first place.
From a mentoring perspective, we would try to ask the big questions, taking it back to basics and finding out the root of the issue.
So, ask yourself:
- Why or how did you get into engineering?
- What in your job do you love?
- Where does the passion for work come from, and perhaps more importantly, if it's not there now then when did you last have it?
Maybe it's time to broaden your scope, take a sideways move of think outside the box for other options. Careers education and indeed early career planning tends to focus on linear progression with promotions as we climb some invisible ladder without ever really understanding where this ladder is leading, or how we would know when we reached to the top - but I've tended to find reality is less clear.
I prefer to think of career development as an Escher sketch or Penrose staircase where you will move between levels but can't quite reach a perfect destination, you might rest along the way and many will find a level that works for them and stay there. I think accepting this is often a key to staying motivated, as your career might not be stalling at some stage on the ladder but rather you have reached the destination that is right for you - if after reviewing this it doesn't sound like you then maybe it's time to reinvent yourself, to undertake new development or to think about where you want to go next.
If it's your profesisonal registration journey that has stalled, then think about using Career Manager or seeking a mentor to help. If it is your wider career goals, then think about a course or online learning or look at new job opportunities that may be available to you, or it could be as simple as widening your own pool of opportunities by volunteering.
Wherever your path takes you, know that as your professional home for life the IET is here to support you and also to help you see the light or change your lightbulbs whenever you are ready to do so.
