Advice: Moving from Engineering to Management

From The Director's mail bag:

I'm looking for a job again. I'm really trying to get away from technical stuff and into management, but all my real professional qualifications are for engineering type things. Got any pointers?

This is a tough one. Traditional employers are hesitant to put anyone in a management position who doesn't already have management experience. It's the Catch 22 of employment: you can't get a management position without experience, and you can't get management experience if you don't get the position (actually this is true of just about any position).

For this reason, I think your chances of walking in and getting a managerial position from a random organization is, unfortunately, very small. So my advice is as follows:

1. Move your Goal Out - Accept a job in an engineering position that fits with your resume, but make it clear during the interview and, more critically, once you are in your new role, that your long-term plans are to move into management. Unfortunately, this will probably add three or more years to your career goal of management, but many hiring managers look for engineers they can hire now for an immediate project, but that they can groom for management positions later. The bottom line is that without experience, it is easier to move into a management position in an organization you are already in than to get one coming off the street.

2. Leverage a Contact - One way to get a managerial position without experience is to leverage a contact who knows of your abilities. Friends, former co-workers, fellow students, or even family members know of your ability to manage even if you don't have it on your resume. There may be a chance someone you know is a higher level manager in an organization and can put in a good word in for you.

3. Start Your Own Business - The obvious solution since you don't have to worry about things like hiring managers and resumes. If not on your own, then maybe with a group of like-minded people. In my experience, however, this does not guarantee a "management" role since when there are only six people in a company, no one really "manages" the others.

Any other advice from others out there?

Drive-Thru Starbucks

Running around Chicago's western suburbs today I came across my first drive-thru Starbucks. It's about the size of a large photo-mat and has absolutely no tables inside or out.



This makes a lot of sense to me for heavy traffic areas, and is a better idea than some of the stupid marketing tricks the company is trying, but this type of store does goes against the "experience thing" that Starbucks is trying to achieve.

This is the first and only one I have seen. Is this place unique or has anyone seen any more out there?

Female-Male Translation: Getting Ready

As I enter the second half of my forth decade, I am finding that I am finally starting to understand female speech. It has taken years of hard work, and I have yet to find a "Rosetta Stone", but I am making slow and steady progress.

Here is what I have so far for "Getting Ready":

I'll be ready in an hour - Start a movie, preferably an epic like "Ben Hur" or "Gladiator". You got two hours, minimum, my friend.

I only have to do my hair and make-up - You have time for a major task. I prefer to take my car to a local Jiffy Lube for an oil change and brake check. I get back before she finishes her mascara.

I'm putting on my clothes now - This one is variable, depending on her closet size and number of accessories, as she will be trying on every piece of clothing she owns. Unfortunately you won't be able to do anything else since you will have to sit around dispensing advice (hint: answer "no" when asked "does this make me look fat?")

I'm ready! - You got 15 more minutes. I have yet to figure this one out. I will see a fully coiffed, made-up and clothed female and will go out and get the car started, and sit there 15 minutes before she exits the front door. This is one mystery I don't think I will figure out.

Merry Christmas to All...

Job, family and personal demands are all taking an enormous amount of my time, so I am signing off until probably New Years or so. So everyone have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

C2: Half the Carbs, None of the Taste

After my belt exam today, I grabbed a C2 Coke - the low-carb version - as a refreshment. It came out half a year ago, but I am just getting around to trying it.

It's terrible. Diet Coke tastes better and has fewer calories, although I am not a fan of it either. Looks like I will just stick to the fully leaded stuff.