How Identity Has Influenced a Guidance Navigation and Control Engineer's Career at an Aerospace Company
Ife, a GN&C engineer, found that feeling "like you're behind relative to really no one" is a common experience for young professionals; however, the most valuable insight gained was prioritizing finding a good fit over rapid career advancement, leveraging the advantage of time to do so.
Career Development, Overcoming Challenges, Industry Realities, Career Exploration, Time Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ife Ibitayo
GN&C Engineer
Aerospace Company
University of Texas at Austin 2017
Purdue University, MS in Mechanical Engineering
Engineering - Aerospace
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Video Highlights
1. Time is an advantage: Even in your 20s and 30s, you have ample time to explore career paths and find the right fit, rather than focusing solely on rapid advancement.
2. Don't compare yourself to others: It's easy to feel behind, but there's no set timeline for career success. Focus on your own journey.
3. Finding the right fit is key: Prioritize finding a career path that aligns with your goals and values, rather than prioritizing speed of advancement.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as the young person in the room, how has that impacted how you navigate your career?
I think for me, the biggest thing that really came from being young was it's really easy to feel like you're behind. It's relative to no one; there's no specific person, but you just don't feel like you've arrived yet.
Often, if you're in your 20s or even your 30s, the biggest advantage you have on your side is time. There are a lot of people who ended up where I was in my early 20s who were career pivoters.
They've been around longer, and that was okay. Being able to find a fit that works for you, rather than trying to climb the ladder as fast as possible, was one of the most valuable insights I gleaned just by spending time in the industry.
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