Stuck in My Career, Seeking a Career Mentor

LAmorPax on 10/11/2023 - 22:57
Last edited 11/11/2023 - 10:43 by 1 other user

Hi All,

This is my first time posting here, so please be gentle with me :)

Allow me to provide a bit of background. I've been in the IT industry for over 25 years, with a career spanning from a software engineer to a tech lead, team lead, and now a solution architect turned Enterprise Architecture Lead overseeing a team of architects.

I believe I am currently at the peak of my career, particularly if I choose to remain on the technical side, focusing on architecture and design and a bit of management.
Prior to my current role, I was presented with an opportunity to become a Practice Lead in a sizable organization. However, I declined the position as it would have taken me away from architecture technical work, involving more management of consultants. At that time, I wasn't prepared to make that transition.

Now, I find myself at a crossroads where I want to bring my career next. I am contemplating two paths:

Stay as is: Continuing in my current role as an Enterprise Architecture Lead. While this allows me to remain deeply involved in architecture and design, the drawback is that the pay increase may not be as significant as it may be at its peak.

Or

Move to the next logical career path: Progressing to a role such as a Head of. However, this position predominantly involves management responsibilities and no technical work. I am uncertain about when I will be ready for such a shift.

As I consider this decision-making process, I am mindful that I am getting older, and the longer I wait, it will become more challenging. I am keen to gather insights and perspectives from those who may have faced similar decisions or have valuable experiences to share.

In addition to seeking advice, I am considering the prospect of finding a career mentor who has experience in the Head of position, particularly in the areas of Cloud and Integration. I would appreciate any suggestions on the best way to connect with someone willing to mentor me.

I consistently update myself in both technical areas (e.g., certifications) and non-technical areas (e.g., public speaking, management skills, etc.).

Thank you in advance for any guidance or advice you can provide.

Looking forward to the collective wisdom of this community. All comments are welcome.

Regards,

Education & Work

Comments

  • Pcosmic on 10/11/2023 - 23:02
    +4

    Be a tradie

  • altomic on 10/11/2023 - 23:04
    +4

    Spell check your title

    • ihbh on 10/11/2023 - 23:25
      +2

      And grammar check.

  • Stopback on 10/11/2023 - 23:06

    YouTube videos

  • JIMB0 on 10/11/2023 - 23:20
    +3

    What do you know about lead?

  • ddilrat on 10/11/2023 - 23:44
    +5

    Do you enjoy the management or not? Not all about money

    • AmorPax on 10/11/2023 - 23:48

      Management is fine, but I still want to engage in architecture and design simultaneously. However, I'm unsure whether I want to remain purely technical until I retire :)

  • p1 ama on 10/11/2023 - 23:54
    +2

    Great you're thinking about this, however, your entire story is missing they key point, which is why you want to "move up" in your career.

    Sure, higher pay is theoretically nice, however, will it make any meaningful impact on your day-to-day life? What are the things you'll have to potentially give up? Are those things worth it?

    • AmorPax on 11/11/2023 - 00:03

      That is a really great question, indeed. Wherever I work, I want to have a meaningful impact and contribute not only to the company but also to my own learning and growth. I always seek opportunities for progression. For instance, if I were to move up to a Head of position, it's likely that I would need to give up technical work. However, as you mentioned, the question arises of whether those aspects are worth sacrificing for.
      Thus, I find myself in a situation contemplating what I want to do next. Perhaps seeking advice from a Career Mentor in my field is worth pursuing.
      Then comes the question of how to get one :)

      • p1 ama on 11/11/2023 - 00:48
        +3

        Wherever I work, I want to have a meaningful impact and contribute not only to the company but also to my own learning and growth.

        Sure, but moving up does not necessarily mean that you will have more meaningful impact and contribution. For example, if you are a great solution architect, perhaps that is where you are making the most meaningful impact.

        I always seek opportunities for progression.

        Again, progression in what sense? Progression could mean becoming a real technical expert in a very niche field, it could mean becoming more efficient at your job so you have more time to spend on your hobbies / family…etc. Progression does not necessarily mean a "higher" title.

        Thus, I find myself in a situation contemplating what I want to do next. Perhaps seeking advice from a Career Mentor in my field is worth pursuing.

        It feels like you want someone to tell you what to do, but that's very much impossible. You need to reflect on what is most important to you - is it doing things you find interesting for work, is it optimising the effort/reward curve to have more time for things outside of work, is it money, is it having great colleagues, is it pursuing a niche technical area you like, is it the opportunity to lead and mentor others, is it getting a higher title, is it becoming famous…etc.?

        You need to be honest with yourself about what you are seeking, and you'll be able to make a better decision - everyone says they love "contributing" and "impact", but those are buzzwords that don't give any insight into what you really want.

  • jv on 11/11/2023 - 02:26
    +1

    Maccas is hiring

    • ssfps on 11/11/2023 - 02:41
      +1

      He did say all comments are welcome.

      You're welcome, OP.

  • mskeggs on 11/11/2023 - 04:46
    +4

    I work for a software company in a non-technical role.
    The things that stick out to me from your post are:
    - you mention pay
    - you are concerned about getting “off the tools”
    - you are old enough to be thinking about meaning
    - you seem quite capable

    Assuming you are earning $150k+, can I ask you to forget about pay? It is largely irrelevant if you are well paid whether you earn $185k or $190k, so I would take it out of the equation. If it is an important score to you, forget the other aspects and pursue it, as you won’;t impress anybody with half hearted pursuit of money.

    Thinking about whether you stay actively coding for a large percentage of your time? If you have the communication skills and vision to guide a team, you can have a much bigger impact doing so, even though spending a few hours everyday with the headphones on poring over an editor might be comfortable and reassuring. So think about this - do you need that quiet time as a personal need, or are you happy being a “people person” with lots of meetings, regular interruptions, dealing with many non-tech people?

    And for meaning, this is the most interesting to me. You talk about these roles as if they are morally neutral, when obviously working for a humanitarian charity might offer much greater meaning than working on the billing system for a tobacco company. I’d urge you to think more about this area, and even make a plan that might take a few years to execute - decide you are seeking a role in an industry that offers that type of meaning and regularly seek out those roles.

    You seem capable in your current role, so this then becomes do you need more to step up - an MBA if you want to be a CIO etc.

    I’m going to suggest two other ideas. One, consider a smaller company. You might find the type of senior tech role at a smaller company ticks all your boxes, as you need to spend some time pitching in, but also contributing to direction, strategy, management etc. Second, reflect on what areas outside your work are contributing to meaning in your life. At your age, you should reasonably be in a position to help in your community, coaching kids soccer, volunteering with bushcare, the SES, a charity, whatever is interesting to you - but don’t neglect this or you will find yourself retired and lonely with nothing giving your life meaning all too soon!

    Good luck.

    • AmorPax on 11/11/2023 - 10:34

      Thanks for the advice; much appreciated.

      Regarding pay, yes, the salary is at the maximum level achievable in my current position. It is in the next tier of the salary range, particularly when factoring in bonuses.

      I haven't been hands-on for quite some time but have been more involved in architecture and high-level design.

      I am contemplating enrolling in an MBA course. However, I acknowledge that the commitment required will be substantial, especially when work occupies a significant portion of my time. Nevertheless, it is a consideration worth exploring.

      Lastly, the reminder to engage in meaningful activities outside of work is well-received. I will actively seek opportunities to contribute to my community, fostering a sense of purpose beyond my professional endeavors.

      Do you have any suggestions or advice on the best way to find a good career mentor?

      • mskeggs on 11/11/2023 - 14:34

        Maybe it's time to skip the mentor/mentee relationship and approach some people as equals.
        In your situation I'd probably look out for people retiring from roles you aspire to. Ask to meet them for a coffee and a chat about what they liked and didn't, what they would have done differently etc.
        I think a lot of people stepping out of full time work would be pleased to offer advice and keep in touch with up and coming executives.

        After all, their peers are seeking people to fill that kind of role.

  • holdenmg on 11/11/2023 - 07:55
    +3

    Vacancy:
    Head of Optus

    • Protractor on 11/11/2023 - 10:34
      +1

      You need to have a non stick surface, to get the job

  • holdenmg on 11/11/2023 - 08:43

    Are you in https://www.acs.org.au

    I would have thought you could tap them via their Plan your Career offering or look at the ACS Career Platform or may get professional mentoring through them.

    • AmorPax on 11/11/2023 - 10:41

      I am contemplating not seeking a paid mentor in the traditional sense. It's not because I am opposed to paying for such a service; rather, I find that the mentorship landscape can sometimes be overly commercialised.

      My preference is to find someone who has a genuine passion for mentoring and promoting a mutual exchange of knowledge and experience. In return for their guidance, I am more than willing to offer my assistance in any way I can. This approach, rooted in a shared passion for personal and professional development, feels more authentic and meaningful to me. at least that is what I feel.

      If you have any suggestions on how to identify individuals with a true passion for mentorship, or if you know of potential mentors in the field, I would greatly appreciate your insights.

  • Protractor on 11/11/2023 - 09:45
    -2

    Clearly spelling is no IT requirement. Be happy it aint.You may be unemployed & homeless by now,if it was

    • Mechz on 11/11/2023 - 10:31

      Nice grammar there.

      • Protractor on 11/11/2023 - 10:33

        all ways leed bye eggzample, eye sae

  • AndyC1 on 11/11/2023 - 11:29

    Tile is wrong as OP wants advise and not a mentor.

  • Sinnerator on 12/11/2023 - 09:45

    Be aware if/when you go to a salary management contract 'reasonable overtime' becomes a thing which eats into your life

  • decadent1 on 15/11/2023 - 11:13

    Have a look at cyber security roles.
    Lots of opportunities and well compensated and your current background will give you a huge advantage in understanding the various roles that are out there.

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