How do people avoid being pigeonholed?
How do people avoid being pigeonholed?
(OP)
How long can engineers or other technical professionals work in a given industry before they are pigeonholed into that industry? An example is if a mechanical engineer works in a shipyard, how long can he work in said shipyard before other prospective employers think of him as only being able to work in ship fabrication or some marine related field? Are there any guidelines for avoiding such things? This comes as a result of my current job requirements and the fact that in my geographic area (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA), there are not many other companies that need a mechanical engineer with significant sheet metal experience. I'm concerned about future job opportunities.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
Regards,
ByronT
Any thoughts are appreciated.
Regards,
ByronT





RE: How do people avoid being pigeonholed?
Get to know fellow engineers working outside your current industry. Networking can pay tremendous dividends should you decide to move on.
Regards,
RE: How do people avoid being pigeonholed?
Part of breaking out of the pigeonhole requires that YOU take the initiative to ask or demand tasks that are farther afield than normal. While it can be difficult, scary, etc.; it can also be rewarding at a personal level as well as a good adrenaline rush.
As you gain more experience in other areas, you'll find that people will ask for you even if you have nearly zero track record, simply because they're confident that you'll pick things up and do a good job.
TTFN
RE: How do people avoid being pigeonholed?
RE: How do people avoid being pigeonholed?
RE: How do people avoid being pigeonholed?
I am keeping an eye open around New Orleans for other opportunities just to keep up to date on the status of things. I just don't want to stagnate professionally. I certainly hope the economy turns around soon.
Again, thanks for the opinions and advice.
ByronT