Where my carrer going...............???????????CONFUSED

By ajs_bedi ajs_bedi Points: 10 | Level: Starter | Status: [Member]
Posted on: 8/7/2010 5:54:38 AM | Views: 7614
Hi this is Amanjeet, I'm having total of around 9 yrs of IT experince mainly in Microsoft technologies like C#,ASP.NET,VB and Oracle and Mysql as backend. I've done BE (Electroncis) and PG diploma from C-DAC and currently pursuing MBA from IMT-CDL.
In my carrer path till date i got expericne to work as coder,module leader,team leader and now as project manager also.
With this back ground currenlty i'm getting around 12 lacks from my current employer and its being more than 5 yrs i,m working with this employer.
For last 2 yeras i've not invloved myself in technical side except the code review i,m only involved in proj management activites or team leading or managing stuffs...but now i,m worried about my carrer and i don't know where it is heading...i,m not happy and always feels frustated and confused about my carrer...well any body can guess till now that i need a change ....

I've found some below solutions for my probelm and in bracket are the questions or queries i've in mind for which i need your expert advice.:

1. Leave my Job and prepare for GMAT and do 1 yr of executive MBA from some good univ in UK. --- (Is it worth to Invest 30 lacs + tiring preparation of GMAT or IELTS and still there's NO gurrentte you will get a JOB in UK based on ur MBA )
2. Prepare for PMP and start searching JOB in INDIA as a Proj manager.--(How much hike i will get from my current position and is it WORTH..and after Proj manager what Next after 2-3 yrs...? )
3. Choose a country of my choice and just go there and start searching for a job from scrach.----( Is there any way i can apply for JOBs and still sitting in INDIA ..i heard denmerk is in short of IT ppl and they r offering green card for skilled workers...or canada..do you have more information or which way i should choose ).....

The problem is that i don't know clearly where i want to see my self in next 5 yrs....the only thing i wanted is i want to be a successfull and rich in next 5 yrs ....so i need your expert advice and suggestiosn on this................. :)

Sainath's Advice on Sunday, August 08, 2010 :
Hi,

To summarize, your objectives are listed below:

Goal : To be successful & rich
Time line : Within the next 5 years
Current state of mind : Very unhappy

Your problem is one of lack of clarity more than anything else.Once you become a Project Manager, the typical role in many organizations is more managerial and less technical, which can lead to a situation where you find yourself in no-man's land in a couple of years and subsequently feel insecure, particularly if your long-term career direction is not clear. Staying technically good would require that your self-study habits are very strong.

Your situation can be summarized as :

HIGH INCOME (12 lakhs)  +  HIGH POST (Project Manager) + LOW JOB SATISFACTION = HIGH FRUSTRATION, LACK OF CLARITY, ANXIETY, WORRY

The problem is not just about identifying the next logical career goal - it is also about identifying and being absolutely clear whether the next goal is taking you in the right direction.

You are not an isolated case, I am sure many professionals in middle management roles are in the same position and frankly speaking, do not know what to do. While money and status can be end goals in themselves, once you are reasonably self-sufficient in both areas frustration can set in as you do not know what to target next. If not addressed quickly, this becomes the starting point or beginning of a decline for the person.

The career paths available to a person in IT are two-fold, pure technical or managerial. We have already discussed this in detail, please check the below link

www.dotnetfunda.com/advices/a54-which-is-best-either-technical-or-management--side-for-career-growth-in-it-.aspx

While you may logically aim for the next level - it could be the job of a Program Manager, Senior Manager, Delivery Head and finally CIO you need to carefully evaluate your decision. Imagine for a moment that you are already a CIO of an organization.

What are the payoffs?

  • High income
  • High status / position
  • High powers
  • Part of the top management
What are the costs?

  • High pressure, stress
  • Potentially high health costs
  • Lesser family time
Would this be acceptable to you - if yes, plan and aim for it and take total responsibility for the choice. If no,identify a career path and your next goal very carefully, don't start climbing up a ladder only to discover later that it is leaning against the wrong wall. Be absolutely clear about what you are trying to achieve in the long term, doesn't matter if you end up spending some time trying to figure out the same. Once finalized, take total responsibility for achieving the same. Plans and potential solutions should emerge as a means to achieve your long-term goal.

You need to take some time off work, cut yourself off from the daily routine and ask yourself the below questions:

  • What is it that you really like about this field?
  • What is it that you really enjoy doing and which makes you happy at the end of the day?
  • What is it that while doing you lose track of time?
Identify this. Sometimes the answer can be radical as well - there are cases of people who left their careers to pursue a totally different path where they experienced satisfaction and went on to excel in the new field which also meant that they became successful and rich as well.Only you can identify your true values i.e. what is that you really value - and then set your goals accordingly.

Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
    - Henry David Thoreau

One thing is for sure, no matter what amount of money you earn or how successful you are to the outside world, if you are not experiencing enough joy or job satisfaction in your job, you are bound to get increasingly frustrated. Which is why it is extremely important that you make up your mind about what you truly enjoy doing so that you can decide upon an end goal and work backwards to build a plan to achieve the same.If you do not have an end point or an identified purpose of life then this sense of frustration will bother you again and again.

To specifically respond to your questions:

(1) Leave the job and pursue MBA

I would recommend pursuing MBA part time - I have stated in detail the reasons for the same on the below link:

www.dotnetfunda.com/advices/a19-confused-about-career-path-.aspx

(2) Pursue PMP

Both MBA and PMP are very good add-on qualifications but do not ensure getting a job in themselves. But yes, it does add a filter criteria to your profile particularly in larger companies where these qualifications are part of the base requirement. It helps raise your chances.

(3) Starting from fresh in Denmark / Canada

My information is limited in this area. However, I believe Canada does not directly recognize Indian degrees. Please find out what kind of IT skills are they targeting - is it hard technical skills or middle management skills are also needed?

Regards,

Sainath Sherigar,
www.ugain.info


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