What an Associate Director Contracts at an Aerospace and Defense Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Contracts Industry
Daria, an Associate Director of Contracts, learned that career progression in aerospace and defense often necessitates management roles, a shift that required her to relinquish some of the "negotiating and getting things done" she enjoyed. The industry's high job security, while advantageous, presents challenges in promoting high performers due to seniority's significant influence on advancement.
Executive/Leadership, Career Development, Industry Realities, Hard Truths, Workplace Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Daria Sayan
Associate Director, Contracts
Fortune 500 Aerospace & Defense Company
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Arizona, MBA
Legal & Policy, Business Management & Admin
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense, Government & Public Sector
Operations and Project Management
International Student, Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. In this industry, progression often involves moving into management, with fewer opportunities for high-level individual contributor roles.
2. The aerospace and defense industry offers high job security, but this can also make upward mobility challenging due to seniority playing a significant role.
3. Career fulfillment in this field can come from either individual contributions or managing a team; understanding this difference is crucial when choosing a career path in this industry.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
First and foremost, having been a manager for a while, I wish people had told me something specific to this industry and job. The only way up is into management. There are very few roles where you can be an individual contributor, excel, and continue progressing indefinitely.
If you want to reach a vice president level, you typically have quite a few direct reports and significant HR responsibilities. Personally, the aspect I've loved most in my career, as it suits my personality, is working hard on deals, negotiating them myself, being the face of the company at the table, and getting things done.
Now that I'm in management, I've had to step back a bit. My team is responsible for those successes. So, while I want to succeed, I succeed through them, and I've found a lot of joy in that. I wish I'd been more aware of this when choosing this career path because people find fulfillment in different ways. For some, it's management; for others, it's doing the job themselves.
The second thing about this industry is its high job security, which is great. However, the downside is that it's difficult when you have really good people you want to promote. We're not going to necessarily kick someone out to make room for a high performer or move someone aside. Seniority plays a big role, and that's partly what makes it a good place for job security, but it's a double-edged sword.