Professional and Career Topics

@Michele Heyward recently posted an important topic of "Navigating your career path". I like the questions she posed about how to decide whether to pursue a technical or managerial role as one grows, and can see how this can be achieved in the context of mid-size and large-sized companies. 

However, it seems to me that in small firms, the potential to reach the ceiling in your organization can happen pretty quickly.

My question is "how does company size play a role in how much access staff have to growth opportunities and training?" 

Are there ways to find long-term career growth in a small firm?

------------------------------
Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
------------------------------

Sometimes you do have to move out to move up.

However, I don't think this is a small firm only problem. It can be an issue at any size firm for myriad reasons; management not recognizing young talent, age of the people ahead of you in leadership positions, and current leaderships stance on developing others. Regardless of firm size the more you move up the fewer positions available which is just the corporate pyramid. 

------------------------------
James Wilson P.E., M.ASCE
Plant Engineer
Charleston Water System
Charleston SC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2025 04:48 PM
From: Christopher Seigel
Subject: If you can't go up, do you have to get out?

@Michele Heyward recently posted an important topic of "Navigating your career path". I like the questions she posed about how to decide whether to pursue a technical or managerial role as one grows, and can see how this can be achieved in the context of mid-size and large-sized companies. 

However, it seems to me that in small firms, the potential to reach the ceiling in your organization can happen pretty quickly.

My question is "how does company size play a role in how much access staff have to growth opportunities and training?" 

Are there ways to find long-term career growth in a small firm?

------------------------------
Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
------------------------------

The individual and firm can grow together.  Sometimes the pace varies and that can cause friction.  Communicate expectations clearly to avoid conflict.  Nevertheless, don't sell yourself short.  Investing in yourself will pay off, eventually!

------------------------------
Chad Morrison P.E., F.ASCE
Professional Engineer
Greenville RI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2025 04:48 PM
From: Christopher Seigel
Subject: If you can't go up, do you have to get out?

@Michele Heyward recently posted an important topic of "Navigating your career path". I like the questions she posed about how to decide whether to pursue a technical or managerial role as one grows, and can see how this can be achieved in the context of mid-size and large-sized companies. 

However, it seems to me that in small firms, the potential to reach the ceiling in your organization can happen pretty quickly.

My question is "how does company size play a role in how much access staff have to growth opportunities and training?" 

Are there ways to find long-term career growth in a small firm?

------------------------------
Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
------------------------------

This is a great question and the answer depends on one's value measures and tradeoffs one is willing to make. 

------------------------------
Mitch Winkler P.E.(inactive), M.ASCE
Houston, TX
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2025 04:48 PM
From: Christopher Seigel
Subject: If you can't go up, do you have to get out?

@Michele Heyward recently posted an important topic of "Navigating your career path". I like the questions she posed about how to decide whether to pursue a technical or managerial role as one grows, and can see how this can be achieved in the context of mid-size and large-sized companies. 

However, it seems to me that in small firms, the potential to reach the ceiling in your organization can happen pretty quickly.

My question is "how does company size play a role in how much access staff have to growth opportunities and training?" 

Are there ways to find long-term career growth in a small firm?

------------------------------
Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
------------------------------

Welcome to Engineering, everyone's answers are correct. Between personal career path goals, firm organization for growth within technical, managerial (project), and managerial (firm) avenues and yes, firm size, each location will be different. Not seen in this discussion is the promotional growth within public service. Unlike former decades when you had to wait for retirements, the turnover rate is very high in our region providing younger employees the opportunity (maybe not as much training) to move into the management side of both technical and administrative of various fields. In my 40 years, there seems to be more movement in the recent 5 years then in most prior, perhaps ironic to this discussion primarily due to retention needs, to provide such opportunities within the 3 pathways (with equal pay). The key to any of these is communication. If your firm doesn't know what you want, even if it is a "trial run" to see if it's a fit, then there is a good chance they won't move on your behalf. However, and I'm witnessing this in firms between 50 and 7500, if you are clear with what you want, caveat and they want to keep you, this is the best time I've seen to go for it. If it isn't a fit for the firm regardless of size, then the answer is "yes" you need to move on.

------------------------------
Brian Neilson P.E., M.ASCE
HNTB Corporation, Inc.
Indianapolis IN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-21-2025 04:48 PM
From: Christopher Seigel
Subject: If you can't go up, do you have to get out?

@Michele Heyward recently posted an important topic of "Navigating your career path". I like the questions she posed about how to decide whether to pursue a technical or managerial role as one grows, and can see how this can be achieved in the context of mid-size and large-sized companies. 

However, it seems to me that in small firms, the potential to reach the ceiling in your organization can happen pretty quickly.

My question is "how does company size play a role in how much access staff have to growth opportunities and training?" 

Are there ways to find long-term career growth in a small firm?

------------------------------
Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
Civil Engineer
------------------------------