Timing is Everything

Aerospace is a cyclical industry that is dependent on new government contracts. A new contract comes around when the US government expresses a need for a new military plane, space shuttle, satellite, etc. That’s when all the major defense contractors (the Shitshows) submit their bids to win the contract. If your Shitshow just so happens to be the winner (biggest liar), then you have the beginnings of a new program that is sure to last several years. So today I offer another invaluable lesson to all the budding engineers, again, so that they do not make the same mistakes I have made in my career.

Lesson #23: Timing is Everything – Career growth is entirely dependent on when you join a new program.

Here’s the rundown. If you join a new program in the honeymoon period (first 1-2 years), then your future is bright. You were one of the first engineers hired onto a program that is projected to grow rapidly in the next few years due to the increased scope of work. Naturally, with an increase in workforce must come an increase in management, especially at bureaucracies like the Shitshow (see post titled “An Abundance of Dunces”) Who better to promote to these leadership/management positions than the guys who have been there the longest? (Sure, one could make the argument that perhaps promoting someone based on their unique skill set and hard work should be a factor. But this is the Shitshow; nobody has time to think about that when you can just sort everyone in a spreadsheet by “Date of Hire”)

Most of the hiring on the program happens just after the honeymoon period. This is when they hire all the work monkeys. If you got hired after the honeymoon, you got duped. At your interview, they probably told you there was lots of work and that the program is still growing. They probably told you that the older engineers will soon be retiring, and there will be many opportunities for promotion (See post titled “The Decaying Workforce”). Once again, nothing could be further from the truth.

The only people that get promoted after the honeymoon period are those that already have a foot on the ladder. In the coming years, there will be only be a few more opportunities and you can be assured that they will be given only to those people already within the current leadership (Most senior engineer to Lead, Lead to IPT Lead, IPT Lead to Functional Manager, Functional Manager to Program Manager, and so on). Things that don’t factor into the equation at all are: unique skills, hard work, drive, or initiative. In fact, showing off any of those traits at this point in the program only makes you look like a sucker. Save your energy and wait for the next new program.

Because I'd have more opportunties for advancement working at McDonald’s, I throw rocks.