Managing One’s Career GrowthAakash Tyagi

Professor, CSE Department,

Texas A&M University

Our Lives and Careers are Governed by Random Events

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DIRECTED RANDOMOur careers are impacted by external eventsRandom events are truly NOT under our controlSome events truly CANNOT be influenced

But some events CAN be controlledAnd certainly many events CAN be influenced

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IDENTIFY, SELECT, and NUDGE variables and outcomes towards the desired direction

Priorities & Variables in our Environment

health

social

family

finances

advice

teachers

spiritual

awareness

aspirations

competition

friends

charity

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network

exams

Circa: early 00’sCirca: mid 80’s Circa: ‘14

At different stages in our lives, different things take precedence. These can occur in the most natural (accidental) way or can be

consciously planned or “nudged” (Directed Random)

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What is Career?

An Assortment of Career Trajectories 6

GROWTH

TIME

BAR KEEPS RISING!

[A]

[B]

[C]

[D]

[E]

[A] Reasonable (but perhaps feeble) effort to keep up. Falls behind the bar quickly and needs verbal and written perf reviews to keep moving forward

Normal career outcome: Perennially in the list for layoff candidates, not relied on for any mission critical work, gets saddled with busy work or stuff others don’t want to doRemedy: Recognize when you are in this situation and get out (change company, change job, change manager, etc) to seek a better fit asap

BAR KEEPS RISING!

[A]

[B]

[C]

[D]

[E]

[B] More often than not, this is largely determined by an employee daring employer to fire him/her. Such employees typically don’t last anywhere long. Avoid such tendencies!

[C] Methodical, thought out, and optimistic growth. Typically the path most CEOs or Executive Staff take. They have a fairly strong understanding of their environment and tools and capabilities for which gear(s) to push and when.

[D] Sometimes may be fool-hardy or determined or a bit un-natural growth path. Still successful but may come at the cost of something dear (health, family, strong foundation, friends, etc).

[E] Similar to B but at a higher risk of burnout. Key is to recognize the trends of flattening of the curve and act in preparation (change company, change job, change manager, etc)

Quantification of SuccessCOMPENSATION

HIGH LOW

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EQUITY CHART

EQUITY LINE

Diamonds are Individuals

Be mindful of where you may be on the equity chart and rectify aberrations!!

RANK

BAR KEEPS RISING!

[A]

[B]

[C]

[D]

[E]

So What does “Managing Career Growth” Mean?

Form an idea of what trajectory you wish to pursue

Ask what it takes to achieve the trajectory (talent, knowledge, effort, strategy, network, transitions, etc.)

Decide priorities, and what is in your control and influence

Put a blueprint of how you would achieve the trajectory

Keep Faith, Be Patient, and Execute

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Growth paths of an Intel Engineer employed in Product

DesignTypical Progression of Roles in Design Engineering

Progress Measurement Indicators

Expectations Spectrum

Grade Entry(E) E+1 E+2 E+3 E+4 E+5 E+6 E+7

Independent Execution Low Medium High Expert Expert Expert Expert Expert

Scope - Technical Low Medium High Expert Expert Expert Expert Expert

Scope - Ambiguity Low Medium High High Expert Expert Expert Expert

Leadership NA Low Medium High Expert Expert Expert Expert

Influence: Group-Wide NA Low Medium Medium High Expert Expert Expert

Influence: Company WideNA NA NA Low Medium High

Expert Expert

Typical Title and Roles in Technical Track

ComponentOwner

ComponentOwner

Component Owner Section Owner Tech Lead Principal Engineer Senior

Principal Engineer

Fellow

Member of a Project

Horizontal Activity

Driver of a moderate scope

Project Horizontal

Activity

Driver of a high scope Project

Horizontal Activity

Driver of multiple high scope project

horizontal activities

Solution Owner of Toughest

Problems in the area of expertise

at Group Level

Creator/Driver of Technical Initiatives at Corporate Level

Creator/Driver of Multiple Technical Initiatives at Corporate Level

Typical Title and Roles in Management Track

Component Owner

Component Owner

Component Owner Section Owner Section

ManagerProject

Manager Director Vice President

Member of

a Project Horizontal

Activity

Driver of a moderate scope

Project Horizontal

Activity

Driver of a high scope Project

Horizontal Activity

Manager of People and

Cluster/Functional Teams

Manager of Project or Multiple

Cluster/Functional Teams

Manager of Project or

Organizatio

Manager of Large

Business or Engineering Organizatio

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Some Career DilemmasTechnical Path or Management Path?Jump Ship or Stay Course?More Responsibilities or Better Work-Life Balance?

Take Risk or Play it Safe?Start Family or Wait?Live Life for Me or for my Kids?Etc.

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Bottom-Line

Know Thyself and Thy Environment,EXECUTE and OWN your Happiness

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