“In a decade, if you are smart and you work hard and they learn to count on you, you’ll be running the place. And then at some point maybe you buck up and open your own shop”
Just curious....During what Decades, and in what industry did you work?
I’m not the best example, since I’m not a college grad.
I worked in engineering, started on the drafting table, spent time overseas, taught myself to program, and worked myself into a more-or-less senior position.
The neat thing about it is that in my world, there were no arbitrary ceilings.
I did what I did with very little formal education, but I saw others with miscellaneous degrees do the same. Obviously if you don’t have an engineering degree you have a harder row to hoe, but I saw plenty of people do what I did. The key is that if you are willing to go get mud on your boots, you can make a pretty good living and learn as you go. And over time, again and again, you find that you are the go-to-guy people are looking for.
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I said it would take you a decade to learn your craft. I began to emerge from the pack at around a decade, when I started taking assignments others didn’t want. I had ups and downs, but I had an interesting ride.