Your Career: Off-The-Rack or Bespoke?

After twenty years of working at it, as well as helping others work on theirs, I’ve come to realize that one’s career is like the perfectly tailored suit.  Yes, like a suit, but not just any suit.  One you have skillfully tailored and that makes you look like a million dollars.  Most people, however, don’t spring for the bespoke suit and go with the off-the-rack variety. They think it costs too much, the off-the-rack variety works just fine, or who really cares anyway.  There’s nothing wrong with the off-the-rack variety of suit.  You can still look like a pile of cash, but it’s not perfectly tailored to you.  You’re wearing something intended for the masses, for anyone your size. 

As with suits, so it is with your career.  Do you choose an off-the-rack version or one that’s bespoke?  Do you pursue a career path that anyone with the same experience level, credentials, and education can follow?  Or do you elect to make a more personal statement; a career made to order fitting your strengths, weaknesses, while making you look like a million dollars all at the same time?  Easy decision for me: I’ll go for the later please.

Comparing a suit to a career may seem like a stretch, but it’s a great analogy for how you approach the work you’ll do in your lifetime.  You can elect to take the off-the-rack career path, which entails following the industry norm.  Or you can make a conscious decision to understand what career you want to have and then set about the work of bringing it into reality.  In the end you may still have an off-the-rack career, but at least you know it’s what fits you best.

 “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Christian Knutson, P.E., PMP is a leader, civil engineer, and author.  He’s an accomplished professional specializing in A/E/C work internationally and author of The Engineer Leader, a recognized blog on leadership and life success for engineers and professionals. 

 Image courtesy of imagerymajestic and FreeDitigalPhotos.net