CAD Manager's Newsletter (#408)

Your CAD Management Career Wake-Up Call

Everyone gets frustrated at work sometimes. How can you decide whether it's a normal part of an otherwise rewarding job, or an indication that you should move on?

Over the past decade, we have gone through some dire financial times (particularly in AEC fields) that have caused many CAD managers to suffer through some less-than-ideal employment circumstances. Of course, not everyone is complaining, but the mail I get often expresses real frustration. I see comments like these frequently:

"Senior management has no clue what we're doing, and they don't care."
"They don't care about getting things done right — or about training."
"They try to use building information modeling (BIM) like it's AutoCAD."
"Nothing ever gets better; it's like we're stuck in a time warp."
"I'm not learning, and I don't have any potential to advance here."
"I'm seriously thinking about quitting!"

If any of these strike a chord with you, then it's time for a career wakeup call to take stock of your situation. In this issue of the CAD Manager's Newsletter we'll begin a series to focusing on ideas for doing just that. Here goes.

So You Think You Want to Quit

Let's face it, sometimes working at a dysfunctional company can be so demotivating and stressful that you just don't want to work there anymore. So what should you do in those cases? It's simple: You should consider not working there anymore! The reality is that the economy is strong now and companies are hiring, so this may be your best chance to ditch the frustration and move on to a better opportunity elsewhere.

creative soul / stock.adobe.com

However, leaving is not a decision to be made in haste. Please see the following lists of Dos and Don'ts so you won't make a career mistake (more on these items a bit later):

• Don't quit your job on a whim.
• Don't issue threats about quitting your job.
• Don't tell others that you're thinking of quitting.
   
• Do understand why you want to quit.
• Do analyze your company's financial situation.
• Do create an honest analysis of your current skills/marketability.
• Do create a plan for how you'll exit if, after careful consideration, you decide to do so.

Think Before You Speak — or Act

If you look at the items on the Don't list, please note that all of them advise a cautious, private approach. After all, anybody can have a few bad weeks on the job where quitting seems like a great idea, only to find that once the problems pass, the job is still enjoyable. One you've threatened to quit, it is impossible to take it back, so it's best to not say a word until you're absolutely sure.

The items on the Do list are homework assignments that will help you decide whether quitting makes sense and how to start searching for something new. You may know that you're frustrated with your current job, but what's the plan for landing a new position elsewhere? You don't know until you've done your homework, so let's start doing that now. Read more »
 

Tools and Resources

Autodesk Calls for AEC Excellence Awards Submissions
Autodesk has announced that its AEC Excellence Awards 2018 is now open for submissions. The annual competition showcases the design and construction of building and civil infrastructure projects created with building information modeling (BIM) and Autodesk software. The deadline for entry is July 31, 2018. The winners will be announced in November at Autodesk University Las Vegas 2018.
 

What's New at Cadalyst.com

AutoCAD Video Tips: Save AutoCAD Layer States with Named Views
Yes, you heard that right: You can save your layer settings along with a named view. Just think of all the time you're going to save! Join AutoCAD Tipster Lynn Allen as she shows you how to add this powerful AutoCAD tool to your arsenal! Watch the video »

Herrera on Hardware:
CAD Workstation Form Factors 101, Part 2 — The Tried-and-True Deskside Workstation
You know that the deskside form factor is the familiar mainstay of the CAD workstation world — but do you know why? Read more »

What's New for Solid Edge and NX
At the annual PLM Connection user conference, Siemens PLM Software developers introduced Solid Edge 2019 and upcoming continuous-release delivery of NX, as well as a new partnership with HP to enable design for full-color 3D printing. Read more »

AutoCAD Video Tips: Navigate Drawings at Lightning Speed with Named Views
Are you tired of zooming in and zooming out to find the desired location in a drawing? Named Views to the rescue! Now you can save specific areas in your drawings as views and jet straight to them, efficiently and speedily. Join Lynn Allen as she shows you the power of Named Views, and you'll soon see how easy it is to set up your drawing files with them. Watch the video »