Articles
In Issue 1, 2020, Tim Mitchell asked: "What was the biggest career decision that you made, that you would make differently in hindsight?"
"Leaving an industry in which I was comfortable, and whose services I regarded as valuable, to join a consultancy for a higher salary but for much less rewarding work. When you are not the client, but the adviser, you never really get the satisfaction from the developments that transpire as they are not really your decisions."
Nigel Ayton
"Setting up a consultancy. I would realise sooner that the key to success in consultancy is to change the question from 'who can I get to use my services?' to 'who can I help the most by doing what I do best?'."
Michael Reid
"Putting off my final MPDS report as I was ‘not ready,’ according to my IMechE mentor. 15 years on I am still not chartered. Do it now!"
Simon Cotton
"I transferred from a technology role to manufacturing via an MSc. In the end, manufacturing did not suit me but it was a good match for design roles that I eventually took on. It’s better to have a lot of different experiences rather than a lot of the same experience."
Stuart Kirby
"Staying on my employer’s technical ladder, rather than moving across to their management roles. For a technology-focused business, they did not do too well at recognising and developing tech roles into management."
Neil Henderson
"Allowing some domestic issues to take my mind off making a thoroughly developed application for full membership of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. (I was successful the second time a couple of years later!)"
Paul Russenberger
"Having worked all my life for one company until 50 when I took early retirement/redundancy, I decided to start on my own with an MBA. I regret not capitalising on the valuable experience I had gained with a supplier’s software application by offering my services to the supplier as I wanted to get away from hierarchies. The MBA was not appropriate at my age!"
Gib FitzGibbon
"Going it alone in R&D instead of staying in conventional employment."
Dr Ian Weslake-Hill
"Leaving a specialist route for development and so effectively becoming a generalist manager."
Rachel McMaster
"I was offered an attractive role in technical marketing very early in my career, but elected to follow a design engineering path instead. With hindsight I made the right decision. I’ve enjoyed a satisfying career in design and technical management that I think would have quickly become closed to me if I had branched off into marketing."
Keith Thomas
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.