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Subject:Upward mobility From:geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA Date:Mon, 10 Feb 1997 17:35:08 -0600
The "upward mobility of techwhirlers" thread interests me
because of what most of the messages assume: that we want
to be upwardly mobile. As for me, I'm a writer, editor, and
translator, and have no desire to move any higher up the
food chain: I'm well paid, I love my work, and I get all
the respect I need from my colleagues and other people
whose opinions matter to me. I may change my attitude in
another 10-15 years, but I wouldn't bet on it.
I have seen "vice president, corporate communications"
positions advertised, so in theory you can rise at least to
the executive suite; once you're there, I can't see why you
would be stopped from moving higher. IMHO, the issue of
career mobility can be independent of what the official
corporate policy says; if you make your name known to those
in power as someone who learns, embraces new tasks eagerly,
and expands into new areas of understanding and usefulness
to the company, there are many opportunities that don't
show up on the official radar. (Think of the proverbial
mailroom clerk who becomes president over 20 years... based
on the CEO profiles I've read, this is not an isolated
case, nor is it a myth.)
Those who are driven by "overwheening ambition" would do
well to remember the Peter Principle: it seems to be much
easier to advance to a level at which you have full
opportunity to demonstrate your incompetence than to be
content with doing something you enjoy and settling for
"more than good enough".
--Geoff Hart @8^{)} geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.
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