Stop And Enjoy the Scenery on Your Career Climb

Some of us love climbing the career mountain. You may regularly think, “How can I get to the next step?” Sometimes it may feel like it is never ending to get to that mountain peak and a sense of unfulfillment or defeat may overcome us. Or maybe you feel like you have plateaued.

Eddie Skillington, Vice President of Business Development at DPS Group Global, and I had connected on LinkedIn and I thought it would be fun to get his best career advice. Eddie is from Ireland and moved to the states in 2015 to work for DPS with the help of a mentor. He has a technical background but was always drawn to project management. He craved order and direction for his projects and had a talent for empathizing with all parties to bring them to a common ground. He started at DPS as an assistant project manager and within a short period of time he was promoted to project manager when a new client based opportunity was presented. He is driven to climb the career mountain.

Throughout his career growth, he would sometimes find himself feeling a bit disengaged or stagnant. This usually followed periods of growth and mastering a particular position. (If you are a Whitney Johnson fan…think top of the S-Curve!) The buzz of a new challenge can’t last forever and we have to learn to accept and enjoy a given position when the adrenalin filled initial phase starts to settle down.. He ended up working with a career coach that gave him some advice whenever he felt this way…

Slow down, pause, breath and take a look at the scenery.

Look back to see how far you have travelled.

Taking a look at the scenery meant to look back at how far you have come and what has been accomplished already. A tall mountain requires a strong base. Savor the experience that built the base of your career. Be proud of your successes and the challenges you have overcome. By doing this, you can have fulfillment and satisfaction that will drive your future.

I have had cases where I feel stagnant and frustrated that I’m not climbing a steeper mountain. I used to take for granted the opportunities and the leadership skills I had developed throughout my strong BIM experience and background. Looking back, I realized how I was able to make a name for myself and exposure to some opportunities that I may not have had if it were not for that knowledge and expertise. Reflecting on my past reminds me to be proud of where I came from and how I can use that experience to get to where I think I want to go. The times I take a step back to look back at how far I have come can help me reset and get clearer on my current goals.

Another piece of advice that Eddie gave for when your comfort zone is getting too comfortable was to volunteer for something. No matter how busy you are, give it a try. He has found that sometimes standing up to say you want to take on more can lead to growth and more opportunities.

Although a little different, I think this relates to an experience Eddie shared. Eddie has been lucky to work for a company who encouraged his growth. He has strong mentors who always encouraged him to take on growth roles to build on existing skillsets. Potential and attitude go a long way and many new skills can be taught and layered onto your base as you grow. Sometimes it takes others to see what your potential is, trusting their judgement and giving it a try. Eddie is currently Vice President of Business Development for DPS Group covering the New England market. When Eddie started his career as an engineer he wouldn’t have anticipated moving through engineering, project management and now business development, each position different to the last but each one building on what he learned in the last and taking it to the next level.

Thank you Eddie for your time and sharing your expertise! I already have experienced something similar to Eddie where a mentor recommended I give an opportunity a try and it has been going well so far. As I continue to grow within my career, I am going to remember that we can all get stuck on looking at the end goal but looking back is just as important as looking forward.

Have you had any cases where you were feeling stuck but then paused and gained some clarity?

Have you ever had a mentor help you discover a new career path that you never imagined that you would excel at and/or like?

Connect with Eddie on LinkedIn!