Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years I'd like to be leading project teams here, and I'd like most of that work to be in energy. That's based on what I've liked so far. I've spent five years as a planning engineer at an electric utility. The best part of it was leading a small team on a big planning decision. What I couldn't get there was range. I saw one company's version of every problem. I'd like to see how other companies and industries handle them. So for the first two or three years, I want to be a generalist and learn the job properly. After that I'd like to come back toward energy as a manager. By then I'd have enough outside experience to bring those clients something they haven't heard from their own engineers. I'll be honest that five years is a guess. What I'm sure of is the direction, which is bigger problems and teams I'm responsible for.

In five years I'd like to be leading project teams here, and I'd like most of that work to be in energy. That's based on what I've liked so far. I've spent five years as a planning engineer at an electric utility. The best part of that job was the 18 months I led a six-person group deciding where to put $40 million of grid upgrades. I liked owning the answer, and I liked developing the two junior engineers on the team more than I expected. What I couldn't get there was range. I saw one company's version of every problem. Utilities everywhere are trying to work out how to pay for the same upgrades, and I'd like to have seen how ten of them handle it, plus a few industries that have nothing to do with power, before I call myself an expert. So for the first two or three years, I want to be a generalist and learn the job properly. I'd want to work in at least three industries and get good at the things I'm weak on, which today are finance and writing for executives. After that I'd like to come back toward energy as a manager. By then I'd have enough outside experience to bring those clients something they haven't heard from their own engineers. I'll be honest that five years is a guess. Five years ago I thought I'd be a chief engineer by now, and I changed my mind once I found out which parts of the work I liked. What I'm sure of is the direction, which is bigger problems and teams I'm responsible for.