Philosoplurk #1 What You Wish You Knew About Careers

AmberCadabra asks What do you know now in your career that you wish you’d known when you started?

As of this posting, 21 responses to this plurk. (reply to this plurk)

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June 27, 2008 at 01:31 Strdncr5 doesn’t really have a “career” yet, but wishes I’d known what I do about life in general when I was younger.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:33 Avasiare says I was right all along, just had to take the long road to get there.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:33 KDFrawg says that I didn’t want a career in mgmt. Did tech for a bunch, got shoved into top tech mgmt, hated it, went back to just running projects.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:35 AmberCadabra KDFrawg that’s a pretty profound ability: to know what you like and stay there
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June 27, 2008 at 01:36 KDFrawg says I don’t know about profound, but it kept me from going completely nutso.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:37 AmberCadabra lots of people chase the promotion and title, and lose touch with what they’re really good at or love to do
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June 27, 2008 at 01:39 KDFrawg says I totaslly agree. I was uneasy until I hit exec vp / program mgr. That put me over the top. Back to consulting went I.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:39 thoughtwrong says Be Agressive, its the only way to get anything accomplished
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June 27, 2008 at 01:40 AmberCadabra so where’s the line between ambitious and obnoxious?
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June 27, 2008 at 01:41 DebInDenver says always be true to yourself- I know it is a cliche, but the times I got in trouble were times when I didn’t listen to that little voice
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June 27, 2008 at 01:41 DebInDenver says inside
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June 27, 2008 at 01:41 KDFrawg says That is a line that too many people cross early in their careers, and pay for for a while.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:42 AmberCadabra Deb, I think that’s great advice. When you’re starting out, it can be tempting to compromise
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June 27, 2008 at 01:43 KDFrawg says DebInDenver is right. I knew I should not take the upper mgmt job, but I did. And I regretted it.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:44 AmberCadabra I turned down an opportunity last year that seemed too “risky” at the time, and now I really regret it.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:45 AmberCadabra I knew I should have just taken a leap of faith.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:45 DebInDenver says there is always something to counter that voice. “They’re not as crazy as they seem…” “Well, they were a little unclear, but the $$$”
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June 27, 2008 at 01:45 DebInDenver says you get the idea.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:47 KDFrawg says I love to work with people. I love to lead people. But I missed the hands on. I should have known that.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:47 KDFrawg says For me, the counter was something like a normal workday. But yes, there’s always something.
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June 27, 2008 at 01:48 AmberCadabra My dad went through the same thing. Was in IT, got to an SVP level, missed getting his hands into the tech stuff and interacting w/the team
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June 27, 2008 at 03:25 janechin has learned that I may actually enjoy the periods in between careers (transitions) than the actual careers themselves.