Jump to content

I have to fill out my 'career goals' today


Dottleshead

Recommended Posts

58 minutes ago, Dottie said:

...My goal is to continue to get paid and retire. Beyond that, I don't care. I think that's reasonable, don't you?...

I agree - though I encourage everyone working to not retire, if possible, until you know you'll have a reasonably comfortable retirement.

When I was a kid from a poor family in college, I was envious of the rich kids who could pursue their passions without worrying if it would pay the mortgage. I wanted that financial surety and my goal was to retire in good enough financial shape to be comfortable and pursue, within reason, whatever hobbies and other goals I wanted.  I was able to do that.

So many of my childhood friends and relatives are stressed out a lot in retirement because of finances or worries their health insurance - even Medicare - won't cover things they need or they can't afford their copays.  I pick up the check when they're at a restaurant with me and have sent money to some so they could get dental or other uninsured needs taken care of.  I feel extremely lucky I have a comfortable, non-stressful retirement and try to share my good fortune by helping those close to me who, despite a lifetime of hard work, ended up in with not-so-good retirements.

  • Heart 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

So many of my childhood friends and relatives are stressed out a lot in retirement because of finances or worries their health insurance - even Medicare - won't cover things they need or they can't afford their copays.  I pick up the check when they're at a restaurant with me and have sent money to some so they could get dental or other uninsured needs taken care of.  I feel extremely lucky I have a comfortable, non-stressful retirement and try to share my good fortune by helping those close to me who, despite a lifetime of hard work, ended up in with not-so-good retirements.

It's good on ya, Mick.  I like the person you are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what my goal is any more. I was totally happy in my position until I got a new boss 2.5 years ago. He's a prick. A petty, vindictive micromanager. I've had many colleagues quit as a result, and I've try to isolate myself away from him, but the strain is starting to cause some cracks. So I've spent all morning sending personal documents from my work PC to home, and have been moving personal belongings out of my office for weeks. I'd like to work here three more years until my sons are in college, but I'm getting ready to jump ship at any point. And with the knowledge that with a large company reorg currently happening, I might not get to make that decision for myself, ultimately.

  • Heart 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Dottie said:

I will come up with some whoppers because it's complete bullshit. My goal is to continue to get paid and retire. Beyond that, I don't care. I think that's reasonable, don't you? I hate the corporate game. That future trippin' stuff is crap. You know it and I know it 

You are sounding already retired in the head.. ?

I didn't mind this question 10 yrs. ago.  I was asked about this about 4 months.  My meetings with supervisor keep on getting postponed..due to different dept. fight firefighting situations, other meetings and vacations/sudden absences due to aging/then dying parent and now my waterflooded place. 

However......I was suddenly asked by manager when I plan to retire.  This threw a loop ..and I answered vaguely.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, shootingstar said:

You are sounding already retired in the head.. ?

I didn't mind this question 10 yrs. ago.  I was asked about this about 4 months.  My meetings with supervisor keep on getting postponed..due to different dept. fight firefighting situations, other meetings and vacations/sudden absences due to aging/then dying parent and now my waterflooded place. 

However......I was suddenly asked by manager when I plan to retire.  This threw a loop ..and I answered vaguely.  

I think a lot of this has to do with the condition my old man is in.  He's the last paternal figure I have left and it's either going to be ok for awhile or it's not.  I feel confident in saying it's not going to be good.  His mortality has had a bigger impact than I thought.  It might be because I'm starting on a new team within my company and I've been around the block a few times.  It's all sorta BS in my view -- but I understand why the do it.  It's better than the hindsight view IMHO. I probably should be out moving through the tech market and staying fresh, keeping that resume sharp, getting my bitchin' interview skills back to my A game... but whatever it is -- I don't have it right now.  I dunno.  I'm just having trouble with some motivation. I hope it passes. I just feel like maybe it's time for a change? I sorta feel like doing something else besides this techno crap -- but it pays the bills and does afford me some freedoms that I probably would go bonkers over if I had to be like normal folks.  Like hard start times and punch clocks, and yada yada yada.

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Dottie said:

 It's all sorta BS in my view -- but I understand why the do it.  It's better than the hindsight view IMHO. I probably should be out moving through the tech market and staying fresh, keeping that resume sharp, getting my bitchin' interview skills back to my A game... but whatever it is -- I don't have it right now.  I dunno.  I'm just having trouble with some motivation. I hope it passes. I just feel like maybe it's time for a change? I sorta feel like doing something else besides this techno crap -- but it pays the bills and does afford me some freedoms that I probably would go bonkers over if I had to be like normal folks.  Like hard start times and punch clocks, and yada yada yada.

I'm in the process of turning down an interview after making the lst cut/testing process...…….. Part of me is slightly tired of even thinking a restart in another different corporate culture, jeporadizing my (tiny) pension build-up....  I've worked for over 9 different organizations in private and public (which is probably minor when I've never worked in foreign countries. And don't plan to.)  I personally feel I've learned so much from being in different corporate cultures, and working with such diverse range of clients.  I do tell interviewers this...it's been an incredible journey.  So I'm not sure what other exciting things career wise except doing something totally different from my paid jobs.

You sound as if you might be better off with a different job that isn't strictly techno-focused.  You might be under-estimating other skill strengths.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

You sound as if you might be better off with a different job that isn't strictly techno-focused.  You might be under-estimating other skill strengths.

Good luck to you.  I too enjoyed being out in the contracting market.  I got a real good look into big cultures and a bunch of smaller guys. Rewarding indeed.  But when I took this job (FTE) I told myself I was going to be my last.  Storage and networking are pretty good 'bad economy' insulators.  And I too hate the idea of mustering up the energy to prep, interview, restart.  Egad.  Of course you do it when you don't have options -- but why do it when you do have options?  I better know for sure before I jump.

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

58 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I'm not sure what my goal is any more. I was totally happy in my position until I got a new boss 2.5 years ago. He's a prick. A petty, vindictive micromanager. I've had many colleagues quit as a result, and I've try to isolate myself away from him, but the strain is starting to cause some cracks. So I've spent all morning sending personal documents from my work PC to home, and have been moving personal belongings out of my office for weeks. I'd like to work here three more years until my sons are in college, but I'm getting ready to jump ship at any point. And with the knowledge that with a large company reorg currently happening, I might not get to make that decision for myself, ultimately.

Best of luck either way. Change isn't always the enemy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Dottie said:

Good luck to you.  I too enjoyed being out in the contracting market.  I got a real good look into big cultures and a bunch of smaller guys. Rewarding indeed.  

I've only had 3 contract jobs out of the 9 employers. I've actually worked for 11 employers because first 3 years after university, were 2 part - time jobs.

So I guess I took risks, leaving FTE permanent jobs.  Will receive 2 tiny pensions from 2 employers where for each I've been with, for the longest.  So for sure, I don't fit the boomer stereotype of being a lifer with 1-2 employers.  I dislike the millennials/youngsters thinking that older folks are incapable of change in jobs.  I began my career before the Internet broke into our lives, and will end my career where a large chunk of my job is on the 'Net (well the intranet, etc.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Dottie said:

Best of luck either way. Change is always the enemy.

I've tried not to be too reactive to emotions. I've tried to weather it out for going on three years. If there is a way through the storm, I am still open to finding it, there are some real tax benefits and potentially other benefits to staying where I am, at least in a modified manner. But knowing when that other shoe is dropping, before it hits the floor is an experience of hypervigilance.

 

Anyone use a head hunter before? If so, what was your experience?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

I have never done that!?!?  I have set performance goals for my departments through our budgets but not personal goals.   

My new manager wants me to basically sell myself.  In my last group, I was a dominant force in the group and people just accepted me more.  In this group, I am working on a new team with new people and he wants a write up so he can justify paying us the big bucks, I guess, to his immediate managers.  My manager has had 7 new managers in the last 5 years.  So in that argument, I guess it makes sense.

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I've tried not to be too reactive to emotions. I've tried to weather it out for going on three years. If there is a way through the storm, I am still open to finding it, there are some real tax benefits and potentially other benefits to staying where I am, at least in a modified manner. But knowing when that other shoe is dropping, before it hits the floor is an experience of hypervigilance.

 

Anyone use a head hunter before? If so, what was your experience?

I did when I first graduated from college.  It wasn't pretty and they want you to pay a big ass fee.  But now that I'm a senior guy in the market, I get recruiters 'contacting me in secrecy' all the time.  Problem is I'm on the backside of my career and I would need to find a company that hires older guys.  Most tech companies -- the innovated ones -- hire the young kids out of school because they'll work their ass off trying to establish a career for smaller bucks.  So I may be in the same boat Prophet.  You may have to hire one and tell me about it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Dottie said:

You may have to hire one and tell me about it!

No, in my field the recruiter gets paid by the hiring company, not the employee. I get calls and emails all the time from firms asking what I am looking for. I haven't yet made the call, but I am contemplating doing so. I've been with the same company for 18 years. When I last looked around about 15 years ago, I didn't like the alternatives. My view may have changed by now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

What I found the first time was that I came to appreciate my current job a lot more. I guess that could still be true, but I tend to think if I take that step again I will close the door behind me.

Right.  Life is short.  Try new things.  Garner new experiences.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Dottie said:

That future trippin' stuff is crap. You know it and I know it

I don't know about that.  Most of my career was owning a small business (relative term...had 125-150 employees) and I didn't engage in many of the typical big corporate things like career goals.  But as I think about it, if I were an employee in a large organization, I'd appreciate things like that.  After all, you spend at least half of your awake time in your job.  Having goals, something to strive for, would help with the satisfaction...which given how much of your life the job is taking, should be important.  Don't be cynical...that's easy...and not good for you.  

  • Heart 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the biggest problem with this type of exercise, is folks shoot for the moon, not realizing that there are many intermediate goals that can be very satisfying and helpful to one's career.  I made this mistake more than once in the early days of my career, and then I got smart.:whistle:

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Goat Geddah said:

I don't about that.  Most of my career was owning a small business (relative term...had 125-150 employees) and I didn't engage in many of the typical big corporate things like career goals.  But as I think about it, if I were an employee in a large organization, I'd appreciate things like that.  After all, you spend at least half of your awake time in your job.  Having goals, something to strive for, would help with the satisfaction...which given how much of your life the job is taking, should be important.  Don't be cynical...that's easy...and not good for you.  

You know what?  I am cynical about politics (partly) and that's about it.  I think I'm just tired and am going through a phase of being rudderless.  I have no desire to manage people and not so sure the sales and marketing thing is for me.  I'm good but not rockstarish enough to go out on my own in this industry without getting squashed like a bug -- and that would require I knew what the heck I wanted to do.  Right now the only thing that seems really relevant to me is building this dumb firewood shed and splitting and loading it with a bunch of new firewood.  Something about getting back to the survival basics that's ringing true.  I get to build stuff that I can see AND FEEL and measure it's progress at a glance -- simple things that do not exist in the software industry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Goat Geddah said:

I don't know about that.  Most of my career was owning a small business (relative term...had 125-150 employees) and I didn't engage in many of the typical big corporate things like career goals.  But as I think about it, if I were an employee in a large organization, I'd appreciate things like that.  After all, you spend at least half of your awake time in your job.  Having goals, something to strive for, would help with the satisfaction...which given how much of your life the job is taking, should be important.  Don't be cynical...that's easy...and not good for you.  

Sorry, I worked for almost 20 years for a very large company in a salary position.  They had specialists come in with every new theory and program on the block from the Deming principals to something called Activity value analysis.  After a few years we began to realize that setting our annual goals was always destined to become the reason for giving us a smaller pay raise for not reaching them.  That's because the company would give a department head a budget for raises and he would have to short many people to get a big enough slice for a favorite. 

Cynicism became a valuable defense.  Pratt and Whitney ruined a lot of serious and valuable workers.  The CEO and board of directors got stinking rich meantime patting each other on the back 

  • Awesome 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, maddmaxx said:

Sorry, I worked for almost 20 years for a very large company in a salary position.  They had specialists come in with every new theory and program on the block from the Deming principals to something called Activity value analysis.  After a few years we began to realize that setting our annual goals was always destined to become the reason for giving us a smaller pay raise for not reaching them.  That's because the company would give a department head a budget for raises and he would have to short many people to get a big enough slice for a favorite. 

Cynicism became a valuable defense.  Pratt and Whitney ruined a lot of serious and valuable workers.  The CEO and board of directors got stinking rich meantime patting each other on the back 

Yep. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the grocery store today

I used a hand basket, set it on the cashiers belt while I dug out my loyalty card.

The cashier, a young male, told me "be sure to pick up that basket, some people just walk away and leave it on the belt."

I can only begin to imagine his career goals.

Never thought of Wally as an overachiever before.... 

  • Heart 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, maddmaxx said:

I worked for almost 20 years

 Am at the 18 year mark. I wonder if part of it is psychological to that time period. As a new employee, you tend to be more flexible. As an employee close to retirement, you just ride it out. But that middle ground is more intolerant of bullshit, and unable to just ignore it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

 Am at the 18 year mark. I wonder if part of it is psychological to that time period. As a new employee, you tend to be more flexible. As an employee close to retirement, you just ride it out. But that middle ground is more intolerant of bullshit, and unable to just ignore it.

It depends what "close to retirement" means to a person.  12 months vs. 5 yrs.  etc.

So far my current job, requires that I learn/tackle something new...and "new" does mean adding something relevant to current knowledge/skill set. I get paid for that and so I'm happy with it. If I don't learn something new for myself, for sure, I am always learning something new about client's dept. needs.  This is why for myself, to think of career development goals is abit of misnomer for me at this stage. I did ask for a course...which she considered too expensive given budget tightening right now. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, wilbur said:

One career goal:

# of landings = # of takeoffs.  

Yes, I did use that in a review when I worked for a pharma company. 

 

 

If you really want to stand out, have more landings than take-offs.  That will really get their attention.

It is like everyone project their goal to walk on water, so I had to do better! In an effort yo one up my co-workers, I told my boss that my goal was to fuse the hydrogen and oxygen molecules with my bare hands and create the water to walk on.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Dottie said:

I still have to do this. Didn't finish it and it's ruining my weekend... like a battery draining its charge.

You're making this harder than it needs to be.

How about:  Enjoy making a contribution with visible outcomes for the company by : xxxxxxxx (give your reasons).  You probably could give strong future support/opinion on AI and cloud services as it pertains to your company.  I'm just choosing something that senior execs. think / read about ….  not what techie people think are cool.  

Just choose some ongoing/long-term/complicated business problem that has enough complexity which you already have been hired to deal with and one that you know you're good at.

  • Awesome 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...