2 answers
Sriman
Student
Edison, New Jersey
1
Question
Updated
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How do I decide between a stable, well-defined career path and a riskier path that could lead to greater innovation or impact?
I’m a high school senior with my intended major as civil engineering. I'm really into puzzles and other problems that require one to think outside the box. I know the value of stable and structured journeys, but what truly excites me is innovation and bigger-picture impact. This discord prompts my question.
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2 answers
Liam Rielly
Data Center Technician
195
Answers
Manassas, Virginia
Updated
Liam’s Answer
I like how you are thinking about your career choices!
You need to first define what is stable work and not stable work. Stable work could mean: same company, same amount of pay, length of continuous employment, living in the same area, working with the same people, and any aspect of work really. Does unstable mean: you travel to work but always are travelling for work? You live in an area for a decade but then move and work for the same company in a different area? You work on a project, get laid off, next project starts in 3 - 24 months and then you work on that project but in the same physical area or same company?
How do you define stable?
Chances are good that you will find stability in a path you choose. It might not take the shape of what you think stability is right now. Map out what you require as stability now. The biggest part you might consider is your current family and the family you want in the future. It is really easy to make money and work while you are single and do not have to care for aging relatives, this flexibility changes as you have other people depend on you. Your stability will need to carry more than yourself.
I see civil engineering tagged, I would generally think of this as a stable career. I would consider engineering as a field to have stable work available most of the time. This however can change based on need, project goals, company projects and expansion, regional needs, and changes in the field such as technological advancements.
One (hypothetical) example would be lets say there is a project to build a mega mall in the north eastern part of Alaska. This has retailers, investors, architects, and construction companies all chipping in to build this mall because it was someone's idea. You move close to the work, support the effort, make money, and have a unique project you can show off for decades to come! The question is, will they be building four mega malls up there? You decide to stay because you love it in northeastern Alaska, you have work opportunity there but it's only to build oil drilling sites. Do you want to change to that type of work? Does that change your stability? But really you decide you want to move to an actual city, so you move to New York and stay with the same company. Does moving that far change your stability? In New York you realize there are more people to meet so you decide to meet someone and talk about starting a family. This does change your stability, but this was part of your plan to begin with. Working for the same company you are the SME (subject matter expert) on building in the arctic, instead of waking up in the morning and checking out concrete pours you are going into meetings telling stories and sharing data about how projects in Alaska are going. You are more valuable but not in the field, does that change your stability? I am coming up with this silly story because if you follow people's paths they follow a similar kind of story. I would say that my personal story is even crazier then the scenario I just made up.
The one thing you can do, with any career path or choice, is to save money. The kind of stability you need will depend on how much money you have behind you. This is not something you should think "I'll start to save money when.." you should do whatever you can to save money now. Make good habits now and when it comes to moving, unemployment, education expenses, transitioning, family obligations, or just taking some time for yourself to clear your head and start new, you don't have to worry about sacrificing what you have to meet those goals.
You need to first define what is stable work and not stable work. Stable work could mean: same company, same amount of pay, length of continuous employment, living in the same area, working with the same people, and any aspect of work really. Does unstable mean: you travel to work but always are travelling for work? You live in an area for a decade but then move and work for the same company in a different area? You work on a project, get laid off, next project starts in 3 - 24 months and then you work on that project but in the same physical area or same company?
How do you define stable?
Chances are good that you will find stability in a path you choose. It might not take the shape of what you think stability is right now. Map out what you require as stability now. The biggest part you might consider is your current family and the family you want in the future. It is really easy to make money and work while you are single and do not have to care for aging relatives, this flexibility changes as you have other people depend on you. Your stability will need to carry more than yourself.
I see civil engineering tagged, I would generally think of this as a stable career. I would consider engineering as a field to have stable work available most of the time. This however can change based on need, project goals, company projects and expansion, regional needs, and changes in the field such as technological advancements.
One (hypothetical) example would be lets say there is a project to build a mega mall in the north eastern part of Alaska. This has retailers, investors, architects, and construction companies all chipping in to build this mall because it was someone's idea. You move close to the work, support the effort, make money, and have a unique project you can show off for decades to come! The question is, will they be building four mega malls up there? You decide to stay because you love it in northeastern Alaska, you have work opportunity there but it's only to build oil drilling sites. Do you want to change to that type of work? Does that change your stability? But really you decide you want to move to an actual city, so you move to New York and stay with the same company. Does moving that far change your stability? In New York you realize there are more people to meet so you decide to meet someone and talk about starting a family. This does change your stability, but this was part of your plan to begin with. Working for the same company you are the SME (subject matter expert) on building in the arctic, instead of waking up in the morning and checking out concrete pours you are going into meetings telling stories and sharing data about how projects in Alaska are going. You are more valuable but not in the field, does that change your stability? I am coming up with this silly story because if you follow people's paths they follow a similar kind of story. I would say that my personal story is even crazier then the scenario I just made up.
The one thing you can do, with any career path or choice, is to save money. The kind of stability you need will depend on how much money you have behind you. This is not something you should think "I'll start to save money when.." you should do whatever you can to save money now. Make good habits now and when it comes to moving, unemployment, education expenses, transitioning, family obligations, or just taking some time for yourself to clear your head and start new, you don't have to worry about sacrificing what you have to meet those goals.
This was super helpful, thank you!
Sriman
Ray von Dohren
Retired sanitary engineer
26
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Ray’s Answer
Liam’s answer was so good relating to how much risk, I’m almost afraid to put letters down here on this white screen, but why not? Let’s give it a try. (Those last two sentences: irony.)
Let’s talk about a different area, college. How much time to you want to spend deciding what you want to do? The safe approach would be to decide on civil engineering and four years later, bing, you are a graduate engineering student. Go look for a job, or go to graduate school. Another choice. But what if along the way you find yourself interested in medicine. Do you abandon two or three years of study, and switch to medicine? I did that. I don’t recommend it, but I did it, and it turned out to be a huge amount of work. I went from political science to aeronautical engineering to civil engineering to becoming a sanitary engineer. Was it worth it, absolutely. Would I do it again, mmmmm maybe. By the time I received my degree, I had a wife and two children. I took a chance and tried something else that I thought I liked better. I was right. I love my career in sanitary engineering. I make dirty water clean. I’m proud of that. You see as Liam said, there are risks and rewards along the way, but in the end you are the only one who will make the final decision. You’ll figure it out. In engineering risk is a big part of our daily lives. I’m sure it is in other professions too. You get to decide how much and to what degree. Your question was very mature for someone your age so I’m pretty sure you will be fine. Best wishes.
Let’s talk about a different area, college. How much time to you want to spend deciding what you want to do? The safe approach would be to decide on civil engineering and four years later, bing, you are a graduate engineering student. Go look for a job, or go to graduate school. Another choice. But what if along the way you find yourself interested in medicine. Do you abandon two or three years of study, and switch to medicine? I did that. I don’t recommend it, but I did it, and it turned out to be a huge amount of work. I went from political science to aeronautical engineering to civil engineering to becoming a sanitary engineer. Was it worth it, absolutely. Would I do it again, mmmmm maybe. By the time I received my degree, I had a wife and two children. I took a chance and tried something else that I thought I liked better. I was right. I love my career in sanitary engineering. I make dirty water clean. I’m proud of that. You see as Liam said, there are risks and rewards along the way, but in the end you are the only one who will make the final decision. You’ll figure it out. In engineering risk is a big part of our daily lives. I’m sure it is in other professions too. You get to decide how much and to what degree. Your question was very mature for someone your age so I’m pretty sure you will be fine. Best wishes.
Thank you so much, Ray!
Sriman