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CAD Manager's Newsletter (#472)

14 Jul, 2021 By: Robert Green


Is It Time for a Job Change?

 

Before you change jobs, review this career change checklist to make sure you make the right decision.   

In the past few decades, we’ve seen good times and bad for CAD managers, but right now may be one of the best times ever if you are thinking about a career change. With business changing rapidly due to the COVID19 shutdowns, high demand in construction and manufacturing industries, and a general labor shortage, you may never encounter a better time to make a career change. I’ve noticed a trend of questions from readers about this very situation.

In this issue of the CAD Manager’s Newsletter, I’ll start a two-part series on career change beginning with a self-assessment to help you understand your motivation for change and whether it is something you should undertake. Here goes.

Image source: Monster Ztudio/stock.adobe.com

Is it Time to Move On?

If you think it is time to make a move, then you should know why, right? Is it due to dysfunctional management? Low pay? Lack of challenge?

Understanding your inner motivation to move on is crucial to making the right move, so let’s take some time to understand your motivation. 

Homework Item 1. Write down all the reasons you think it is time to move on and find a new job.

Now that you’ve inventoried the reasons for making a move, consider the practicality of each reason. In some cases — such as wanting higher pay — the motivation for change is motivated by a financial goal that is easy to understand. Other cases may be more developmental in nature — such as bettering your management skill set or moving into a new technology field — these motivations are concrete changes to your career that need to be pursued in another company that has need for them. But, in other cases — such as disagreements with co-workers, burnout, or just being sick of what you’re doing — your motivation may be more emotionally based and less about your professional development. Let’s dig into those reasons for more clarity.

Homework Item 2. For each reason you wrote down, decide if the reason is professional, developmental, or emotional. If your list tends toward professional and developmental, then a change may well be in order. If your list is more about emotional issues, then you must ask yourself if a new employer will really solve these problems.

How did your homework go? Were your reasons to make a career change born from financial or development reasons or were your reasons more emotional? Next, dig deeper into those reasons.

Homework Item 3. Be honest with yourself and determine if your desire for change is really career focused or are you just tired of your current environment? If the change is more emotionally motivated, have you really done all you can to make your current environment better?

 

Dos and Don’ts to Follow When Considering a Job Change

Hopefully, you now know your true motivation for making a career change. And, if you think making a move is in your future, then it’s time to intelligently plan your process. Follow these lists of Dos and Don’ts so you won’t make a career mistake (more on these items a bit later):

DON’T

  • Don’t quit your job on a whim.
  • Don’t issue threats about quitting your job.
  • Don’t share your idea of quitting with anyone.

DO

  • Do understand why you want to make a change.
  • Do analyze your company’s financial situation.
  • Do create an honest analysis of your current skills/marketability.
  • Do address concerns with your manager but don’t threaten to quit.
  • Do create a plan for how you’ll exit.

Remember, making a career change is a major decision and should not be made in haste. Following these dos and don’ts will give you time to fully consider your options — including the option of staying put.

How do you make changes without burning bridges? Read on to learn how to understand your motivations for change and how to analyze your current company to help with your decision.


Read more»

 

Tools and Resources

Multiphysics for IronCAD

IronCAD recently announced the latest version of its fully integrated Multiphysics for IronCAD (MPIC 2021). IronCAD has included several key technologies designed specifically for CAD design analysis. The focus is on general CAD designers and users who want to adopt design analysis earlier in the digital prototyping cycle, and aim to provide accurate, realistic, and quick analysis. 
Read more » ▼▼▼

Creo Training

Rand 3D has launched new training offerings to help transform the effectiveness of entire teams from beginners to power-users of both Creo Parametric 7.0 and Creo Simulate 7.0 software. In addition to its instructor-led courses, Rand 3D offers self-paced eLearning content and has developed the Creo ProductivityPASS, a subscription-based learning option. Together, these three offerings give Creo users flexibility of how to learn the skills they need in a format best suited to them. Read more»

 

Mark Your Calendar: How BIM Helps Firms Achieve Sustainability and Long-Term Success, July 27, 2pm EST

Join Huw Roberts (CEO, GRAPHISOFT), and Patrick MacLeamy (International Chairman, BuildingSMART International), along with the Architectural Record team, for a presentation focused on the Business of Architecture. Presenters will share their insights on how architecture practices can survive recessions, thrive after their founders retire, and much more. Find out more and register»

 

PODCAST: Future in Smart Cities

How will we design and run our cities in the future? Mersive Technologies explores “smart cities” – the idea that with the right set of network sensors, backend processing power, and communication, you can run an entire city in new ways. While life due to technology has changed dramatically since ancient times – with new ways to communicate, navigate, and transport ourselves – at the city scale, things haven’t changed nearly as much. Smart cities consider technology at a massive scale to better design and manage our urban environments.Click to listen » 

 

CAD CARTOON

 

What's New at Cadalyst.com

Graphisoft's Archicad 25 is Released!

Find out more about the new version of Graphisoft’s well-known BIM design program just released. Highlights include more collaboration tools, structural analysis improvements, updated connections to BIMx and BIMcloud, and more. By Lara Sheridan
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Image credit: LBA Joint Venture Photo © Chris Ambridge.

 

DraftSight Insights:Lynn Allen Teaches You How to Make Your DraftSight UI Feel More Like AutoCAD

Learn a few additional steps to make your DraftSight workspace even more comfortable. By Lynn Allen  Watch the video »

Sponsored: Implementing Generative Design for AEC

Cadalyst and Z by HP joined forces to develop a three-part series on generative design for AEC. Generative design has made its way into AEC software and you can see the benefits right out of your reach. Find out how you can get your design firm bought into using this technology. Start the Series » 

 
2021 Fabulous Freebies for CAD Users

NEW! Cadalyst's Fab Freebies for
CAD Users 2021
Why buy it if you can get it for free!

The editors of Cadalyst, with help from our contributing editors and readers who are in the CAD trenches day in and day out, have updated everyone's favorite guide to helpful tools and resources that don't cost a cent. Download our guide and you’ll soon be asking yourself, “How did I live without this?”

The latest edition of the “Fabulous Freebies for CAD Users” guide has something for everyone, including unit converters, file and text utilities, PDF converters, BIM tools, CAD management tools, and more!  
Download now»

 


About the Author: Robert Green

Robert Green

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