Career Advice

Looking for advice from you guys on best long-term strategy:

Currently a few years into the Management track in the IT field, specifically Networking. Just took a new job in a similar role that's going to give me more free time as I continue developing my leadership chops, should I:

A - Study and get my Six Sigma Green Belt to help me move into a Director-level position.

B - Write a Sci-Fi Novel I have a strong idea about and have always wanted to try and get published. I have publisher connections but am realistic that this probably won't bring any meaningful income stream.

C- Read and master "Finance and Accounting for Non-Financial Managers" which will give me a strong understanding that goes beyond generic budgets and gives me VP-tier financial skills.

D - Start applying and preparing for an MBA and eat big debt for an Evening MBA from a very reputable school that seens to be connected to all the senior leaders in the companies around my city (Atlanta)

E - Something else? I love management, but honestly I just want to do what commands me a powerful income fastest so I can retire as early as possible.

Thanks guys

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The novel writing is a personal dream, you're unlikely to get financial reward for it. Then again, a friend I knew in high school got a publishing deal in junior year with literally no writing experience before that. Whatever the case, it's a great hobby to have, user.

Bumping with some man cave ideas I liked

Any opinions or advice are sincerely appreciated. I'll be in and out of this thread throughout the day. Can also help anyone who wants to transition from technical to management.

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bamp for the incoming evening crowds

Skip college all together unless it's something you absolutely want to do. Just because something pays $XXX and you major in it doesn't mean you are qualified for the job. If you aren't a person with charisma that can make friends with anybody then good luck climbing the ladders in about any white collar career. Especially finance or computer science related fields.

Take up a trade. Work like a dog for 4-5 years in order to get your contractor license then start your own business. The route my Uncle took. He's a general contractor that does everything from landscaping to painting to flooring installation. He works by himself and I would have to guess he makes $180-220K a year from eavesdropping on conversations with him and my Grandparents.

Go to work in manufacturing or distribution. If you have a IQ above 80 and aren't a minority, you will get promoted pretty quickly. This is the route I took. Got my first job at 19. Within 2 weeks of being there, I kept spinning ideas to management about how to improve "safety", efficiency, etc. Mostly because I was a lazy slob and didn't want to do the work they assigned me so kept finding easier ways to do it. 3 of my ideas eventually were implemented. Using a different type of utility knife for safety and that was less fatigue on the arms. Providing memory foam mats at areas where people were standing for entire shifts. And rotating work stations so people aren't stuck doing the same thing for 12 hours getting bored/tired/fatigued and not paying attention to the machines. By the time I was 22 I was basically a "Safety Coordinator" that trained new hires, researched new methods, tools, etc. on how we can be safer and more efficient, etc. I'm turning 26 January 8 and I make $32/hour with nothing but a GED. I only work 3 days a week 12 hour shifts but I will go to Mon-Fri 7-3 when training new hires. I don't mind either. I personally enjoy the 12 hour shifts. I get 4 day weekends.

Good advice. Since I'm already well established in a good paying career, I'll take it that option D is out in your opinion.

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Never just get a MBA. People only get them if their employer encourages them to to move up.

Employer paid would be outstanding, good point.

I'm not sure this thread will last much longer but I've narrowed it down to getting a six sigma cert or writing my book...waning toward the latter.

Six Sigma training and MBA sound like your best options. Everything else is too unlikely. Then again I've never worked in corporate so I have nfi fαm.

Since you already have a career instead spend all your time gaining intelligence and personal insights about your industry: both the internals of the company you work for, and competitors. With regards to the company you work for look for the power brokers and those hungry for power or climbing the corporate ladder, don't challenge them but make sure you'l a willing crony so they'll take you on their charge upwards (i.e. they don't see you as a threat and want to stuff the bleachers with sycophants).

Also understand your competitors, if you can jump ship to a higher paying job, learn what you're worth, have negotiating leverage.

Learn to push buttons, charm, make strong personal friendships with bosses,higher-ups, and like I said, people who are on an upwards trajectory.

Thank you so much my friend

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Is your name Mark

Nope sorry.

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I have to say, could the sci-fi novel just be a free time activity, so regardless of what else you are doing, it gets done in the background? Or do you have to devote a huge amount of time to get it done? How complete is this idea?

It's pretty much fully planned out, characters, timelines etc. So probably 6 months of work based on the scope of the story. For me it's always tied with any of the other options, because of the satisfaction I'll get from publishing it. I have 4 kids so time is my enemy and I will have to choose either the book, six sigma cert or something else... or I know none of it will ever get done.

Wow, dude! $32/hour at 26? And you get to work with retards all day? That's amazing!!

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>set physical consequences (20 pull-ups)

What did he mean by this

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he means that when he becomes bankrupt he will be hella swole

>and aren't a minority, you will get promoted pretty quickly.
Minority here, why's that?

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