IT Career Advice Urgently Needed...
Discussion
Mods - please leave this in here for a bit for increased traction.
Folks,
My wife urgently needs some career advice. Long story short, she is ITIL Manager and Six Sigma Black Belt qualified, has been in her company for 12+ years and, despite being recognised as Top Talent, just isn't progressing. In fact, having spent years setting strategy / driving outsourcing projects etc, she finds herself now in a "holding role" until a director position comes up. Sounds great, but is driving her nuts and she has been signed off for stress as she feels undervalued and that all her skills have gone and she is worth nothing in the external market.
Are there any career specialists here who can give her some pointers, or have a chat with her, as she is desperately low at the moment and she just won't listen to anything I say to try and help her.
Any advice / help would be most appreciated and I'm quite happy to pay for (genuine) consultation, as it breaks my heart seeing her like this.
Folks,
My wife urgently needs some career advice. Long story short, she is ITIL Manager and Six Sigma Black Belt qualified, has been in her company for 12+ years and, despite being recognised as Top Talent, just isn't progressing. In fact, having spent years setting strategy / driving outsourcing projects etc, she finds herself now in a "holding role" until a director position comes up. Sounds great, but is driving her nuts and she has been signed off for stress as she feels undervalued and that all her skills have gone and she is worth nothing in the external market.
Are there any career specialists here who can give her some pointers, or have a chat with her, as she is desperately low at the moment and she just won't listen to anything I say to try and help her.
Any advice / help would be most appreciated and I'm quite happy to pay for (genuine) consultation, as it breaks my heart seeing her like this.
Here's my experience. Certain sectors of the IT industry - banking technology being the one I am familiar with - are moving towards a model where programming teams are based offshore (with some mix of company employees and vendor/outsource staff) and an onshore presence is needed to interface to the business, define requirements/direction etc. and generally get things done. I have just completed an exercise of this type on a large scale and I am personally having a very hard time finding people that can do the onshore bit well.
This trend would appear to fit well with your wife's skills and experience, and I am sure that I cannot be unique in having this requirement (in fact I know that I am not).
The six sigma black belt qualification is less sought after in my industry but it's a recognised qualification that is difficult to get and carries market value; it is not just a piece of paper. Bank of America runs the six sigma process internally on many of their large projects (not always appropriately).
Happy to discuss more if it helps, maybe you can get her to give more details on here?
This trend would appear to fit well with your wife's skills and experience, and I am sure that I cannot be unique in having this requirement (in fact I know that I am not).
The six sigma black belt qualification is less sought after in my industry but it's a recognised qualification that is difficult to get and carries market value; it is not just a piece of paper. Bank of America runs the six sigma process internally on many of their large projects (not always appropriately).
Happy to discuss more if it helps, maybe you can get her to give more details on here?
Hi OP,
By no stretch am I a career specialist but it seems she and I have some parallels.
The best advice I can offer is possibly anecdotal and I can only advise patience and seriously aim to overachieve. I spent a decade and a half or more (as a freelance consultant I should add) in varying degrees moving around of hands on technical roles, interim management & senior management as well as technical architect and programme management roles, I am also SixC BB as well as PRINCE2 etc etc. My specialisation was large scale technology change programmes usually as part of mergers or de-mergers.
After what seemed like a very long time I got a very big and flattering shot at a very coveted board level FTSE100 CTO role... I lasted 3 years, I bloody hated it, every goddam last minute of it. I stuck it out as I had a 1 year old at home etc.
When I eventually made the leap my pedigree from that role has seriously helped me to move on and work in the area I am now, which is part owner operator as well as non-exec and business angel, VC investor area.
So I would say, keep plugging away take the rough with the smooth, get the role you think you want but be prepared for it not to be what you expected... Then IF it does, be prepared to take those two decades of experience and do something new, scary and exciting with them, she will not regret it!
What makes you the person you are is not where you want to be, but where you have been!
By no stretch am I a career specialist but it seems she and I have some parallels.
The best advice I can offer is possibly anecdotal and I can only advise patience and seriously aim to overachieve. I spent a decade and a half or more (as a freelance consultant I should add) in varying degrees moving around of hands on technical roles, interim management & senior management as well as technical architect and programme management roles, I am also SixC BB as well as PRINCE2 etc etc. My specialisation was large scale technology change programmes usually as part of mergers or de-mergers.
After what seemed like a very long time I got a very big and flattering shot at a very coveted board level FTSE100 CTO role... I lasted 3 years, I bloody hated it, every goddam last minute of it. I stuck it out as I had a 1 year old at home etc.
When I eventually made the leap my pedigree from that role has seriously helped me to move on and work in the area I am now, which is part owner operator as well as non-exec and business angel, VC investor area.
So I would say, keep plugging away take the rough with the smooth, get the role you think you want but be prepared for it not to be what you expected... Then IF it does, be prepared to take those two decades of experience and do something new, scary and exciting with them, she will not regret it!
What makes you the person you are is not where you want to be, but where you have been!
Edited by heppers75 on Friday 11th October 21:50
That's exactly where she excels. Working with the business to define business focused strategy; be it mobility / off shoring / real world evidence (she's with a Pharma currently) etc, etc. She's kind of got her head into a position where she doesn't believe these softer skill are necessary or valued by the (any) business.
It's crazy, as about 3 years ago, she led the largest outsource project globally within the Pharma sector and absolutely blew it away, as well as defining a sensible, visionary, actionable mobility strategy for her employer.
It's crazy, as about 3 years ago, she led the largest outsource project globally within the Pharma sector and absolutely blew it away, as well as defining a sensible, visionary, actionable mobility strategy for her employer.
She needs to get her nose stuck into Jobserve, there are a mountain of jobs out there for her skill set. Reading heppers post was a bit spooky as it almost echoes my own career in this game. Have been contracting for years, never been out of work and on the whole enjoy it (bit of a crap one at present though).
She just needs to escape the rut and move on, hanging about in the same company for many many years hoping to progress through the ranks must be sole destroying, she will get far further up the ladder by moving around taking on more senior roles as she goes. She will also find out what roles she actually likes doing and may surprise herself with where she ends up.
Get on observe, throw out CV's and take on new challenges
She just needs to escape the rut and move on, hanging about in the same company for many many years hoping to progress through the ranks must be sole destroying, she will get far further up the ladder by moving around taking on more senior roles as she goes. She will also find out what roles she actually likes doing and may surprise herself with where she ends up.
Get on observe, throw out CV's and take on new challenges
ITIL and Six Sigma would suggest she's on the service management side of IT. That's big business at the moment and so there should be lots of opportunities around. You should find there are options within the big IT consultancies (although beware the time / travel commitments) and their clients - large corporates and public sector bodies. Any large organisation seriously considering doing anything more than dipping their toe into the Cloud should also be biting the arms off of any decent people in that field. That's a pretty broad spectrum there.
Feel free to get in touch by email. I'm in Enterprise Architecture so tend to work closely with service management folk and may be able to provide some pointers. I'll also have a root around in my organisation to see if there's any material or opportunities I can share.
Feel free to get in touch by email. I'm in Enterprise Architecture so tend to work closely with service management folk and may be able to provide some pointers. I'll also have a root around in my organisation to see if there's any material or opportunities I can share.
Chim said:
She needs to get her nose stuck into Jobserve, there are a mountain of jobs out there for her skill set. Reading heppers post was a bit spooky as it almost echoes my own career in this game. Have been contracting for years, never been out of work and on the whole enjoy it (bit of a crap one at present though).
She just needs to escape the rut and move on, hanging about in the same company for many many years hoping to progress through the ranks must be sole destroying, she will get far further up the ladder by moving around taking on more senior roles as she goes. She will also find out what roles she actually likes doing and may surprise herself with where she ends up.
Get on observe, throw out CV's and take on new challenges
I can only say it is about plugging away... I guess it does not and cannot happen for everyone and it is why I always gave it my all. I truly believe if you give it that extra mile you will get your just rewards. Or to go back to my Mansfield roots!!! I learned to eat sShe just needs to escape the rut and move on, hanging about in the same company for many many years hoping to progress through the ranks must be sole destroying, she will get far further up the ladder by moving around taking on more senior roles as she goes. She will also find out what roles she actually likes doing and may surprise herself with where she ends up.
Get on observe, throw out CV's and take on new challenges
t many years before I learned to appreciate sipping vintage claret! Jobserve is good as it goes, today I have built a great relationship with a local agency and one girl in particular who is mad as a box of frogs but bloody awesome at finding good people and charges 5%!!
Just keep trying, there is zero, none, nada and f
k all reason why you should not expect hard work to pay off. Just don't give up!
Dumb question, but is Jobserve the best place to look for IT roles? I'm in comms sales & have quite an extensive network, so generally just put feelers out to a couple of headhunters I know when I want to change.
I think her biggest challenge is that she has no real technical discipline, having moved away from the interfacing element of IT many years ago. No matter how much I try to explain to her that corporates are desperately seeking people who can sit in IT and interface at a business level with the business to deliver real value, she's just lost her self belief
I think her biggest challenge is that she has no real technical discipline, having moved away from the interfacing element of IT many years ago. No matter how much I try to explain to her that corporates are desperately seeking people who can sit in IT and interface at a business level with the business to deliver real value, she's just lost her self belief
heppers75 said:
Chim said:
She needs to get her nose stuck into Jobserve, there are a mountain of jobs out there for her skill set. Reading heppers post was a bit spooky as it almost echoes my own career in this game. Have been contracting for years, never been out of work and on the whole enjoy it (bit of a crap one at present though).
She just needs to escape the rut and move on, hanging about in the same company for many many years hoping to progress through the ranks must be sole destroying, she will get far further up the ladder by moving around taking on more senior roles as she goes. She will also find out what roles she actually likes doing and may surprise herself with where she ends up.
Get on observe, throw out CV's and take on new challenges
I can only say it is about plugging away... I guess it does not and cannot happen for everyone and it is why I always gave it my all. I truly believe if you give it that extra mile you will get your just rewards. Or to go back to my Mansfield roots!!! I learned to eat sShe just needs to escape the rut and move on, hanging about in the same company for many many years hoping to progress through the ranks must be sole destroying, she will get far further up the ladder by moving around taking on more senior roles as she goes. She will also find out what roles she actually likes doing and may surprise herself with where she ends up.
Get on observe, throw out CV's and take on new challenges
t many years before I learned to appreciate sipping vintage claret! Jobserve is good as it goes, today I have built a great relationship with a local agency and one girl in particular who is mad as a box of frogs but bloody awesome at finding good people and charges 5%!!
Just keep trying, there is zero, none, nada and f
k all reason why you should not expect hard work to pay off. 5% is bloody good though heppers, need to have a word
ps, are you me. This is all very spooky
schmalex said:
Dumb question, but is Jobserve the best place to look for IT roles? I'm in comms sales & have quite an extensive network, so generally just put feelers out to a couple of headhunters I know when I want to change.
I think her biggest challenge is that she has no real technical discipline, having moved away from the interfacing element of IT many years ago. No matter how much I try to explain to her that corporates are desperately seeking people who can sit in IT and interface at a business level with the business to deliver real value, she's just lost her self belief
Yip, jobserve is as good as it gets. The market is sI think her biggest challenge is that she has no real technical discipline, having moved away from the interfacing element of IT many years ago. No matter how much I try to explain to her that corporates are desperately seeking people who can sit in IT and interface at a business level with the business to deliver real value, she's just lost her self belief
t keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
Chim said:
heppers75 said:
Chim said:
She needs to get her nose stuck into Jobserve, there are a mountain of jobs out there for her skill set. Reading heppers post was a bit spooky as it almost echoes my own career in this game. Have been contracting for years, never been out of work and on the whole enjoy it (bit of a crap one at present though).
She just needs to escape the rut and move on, hanging about in the same company for many many years hoping to progress through the ranks must be sole destroying, she will get far further up the ladder by moving around taking on more senior roles as she goes. She will also find out what roles she actually likes doing and may surprise herself with where she ends up.
Get on observe, throw out CV's and take on new challenges
I can only say it is about plugging away... I guess it does not and cannot happen for everyone and it is why I always gave it my all. I truly believe if you give it that extra mile you will get your just rewards. Or to go back to my Mansfield roots!!! I learned to eat sShe just needs to escape the rut and move on, hanging about in the same company for many many years hoping to progress through the ranks must be sole destroying, she will get far further up the ladder by moving around taking on more senior roles as she goes. She will also find out what roles she actually likes doing and may surprise herself with where she ends up.
Get on observe, throw out CV's and take on new challenges
t many years before I learned to appreciate sipping vintage claret! Jobserve is good as it goes, today I have built a great relationship with a local agency and one girl in particular who is mad as a box of frogs but bloody awesome at finding good people and charges 5%!!
Just keep trying, there is zero, none, nada and f
k all reason why you should not expect hard work to pay off. 5% is bloody good though heppers, need to have a word
ps, are you me. This is all very spooky
ETA - Not many as I tend to be an objectionable SOB!!
Chim said:
Yip, jobserve is as good as it gets. The market is st keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.
Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
Thanks fella. I'll ping it over when I'm back in front of a PC. Any suggestions you could make from a brief would be most gratefully receivedt keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
schmalex said:
Chim said:
Yip, jobserve is as good as it gets. The market is st keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.
Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
Thanks fella. I'll ping it over when I'm back in front of a PC. Any suggestions you could make from a brief would be most gratefully receivedt keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
Chim said:
schmalex said:
Chim said:
Yip, jobserve is as good as it gets. The market is st keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.
Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
Thanks fella. I'll ping it over when I'm back in front of a PC. Any suggestions you could make from a brief would be most gratefully receivedt keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
heppers75 said:
Chim said:
schmalex said:
Chim said:
Yip, jobserve is as good as it gets. The market is st keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.
Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
Thanks fella. I'll ping it over when I'm back in front of a PC. Any suggestions you could make from a brief would be most gratefully receivedt keen on people that know the business and have soft IT skills, in fact many of the adds you will see specifically ask for applicants with business experience only as the skill sets for pure IT pm's do not suit.Might be worth pinging me her CV and I can have a look and perhaps give some pointers, suggest heppers would be good for a once over as well if he is willing.
if she has such valuable skills that she 'could' be a director if it weren't for dead man's shoes, then why wouldn't she have just moved on anyway? Most people that say they are PMs are not. The term IT 'business partner' winds me up, because to me this refers to a company rather than a person. I don't know what it means when it refers to a person. Really good service managers can earn a very good wage anyway, so why would she not move on in that discipline?
Blown2CV said:
if she has such valuable skills that she 'could' be a director if it weren't for dead man's shoes, then why wouldn't she have just moved on anyway? Most people that say they are PMs are not. The term IT 'business partner' winds me up, because to me this refers to a company rather than a person. I don't know what it means when it refers to a person. Really good service managers can earn a very good wage anyway, so why would she not move on in that discipline?
Perhaps not moved on because of current package being above market rate, or (rightly or wrongly) a view that her knowledge will not be of value elsewhere (lack of confidence perhaps?), because she wants the role at that company, not another? Lots of reasons.As for the second part of your post, do you work in IT? For an organisation with more than a few hundred employees? How do IT and the business teams engage with each other? Business Analyst/Portfolio Manager/Project Manager/Interface Manager/Account Manager... I've seen lots of titles against the role...
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