Please advise what to do next feeling stuck

[rayhope]

Dear All,
I need your suggestions what to do next? I mean any certification course/ changing track from my field.
Wanna give background of my experience I am pharmaceutical professional having 13 yrs overall experience in Research and development also in Quality risk management area. I am Lean six sigma black belt certified professional and also perusing MBA (General) for changing my career from Research to Process/Business excellence. but I am not getting start in same profile. currently I am CMC statistic specialist in pharma company. Very well versed with DoE applications , data analysis. But I am feeling stuck in terms of growth as there is no visibility where I should go . Please suggest

 

[Jen Kirley]

Hello rayhope,

I have learned not to try to chart a career course without a concrete idea of what/who to become. I have "wandered a crooked path" in my career. Some of my jobs were intentional (public school education, but not special needs education) while others came my way as collateral duties (asbestos analyst and Industrial Hygienist Monitor while in the Navy).

It is easier to identify further learning for a particular type of work than identifying the type of work. You say what you have been doing, but you didn't say what you like doing. I suggest you take some free online courses such as delivered by Harvard, and watch some Ted Talks. You could also explore career sites. Does your employer have a career page? Does your employer sponsor higher education, perhaps Project Management Certification? That's a good one to have.

I hope this helps.

I have no affiliation with any of the groups I have referenced here, except the Navy of course.

 

[Randy]

Where do you live?
What's available in your area of the country?
Are you willing to relocate?
Why you and not the other guy?
What do you see yourself doing?
What are you doing to achieve that goal?

 

[Tagin]

You say what you have been doing, but you didn't say what you like doing.

This.

 

[Tidge]

I am Lean six sigma black belt certified professional and also perusing MBA (General) for changing my career from Research to Process/Business excellence. but I am not getting start in same profile. currently I am CMC statistic specialist in pharma company. Very well versed with DoE applications , data analysis. But I am feeling stuck in terms of growth as there is no visibility where I should go . Please suggest

I can offer two general suggestions.

The first is to evaluate what opportunities you can make within your current organization/position. This can be very difficult, but it is a valuable challenge for you, your management, your team, and your organization. Champion yourself first, and drag others into being champions as well. Without know the details of your circumstance, I can't offer much in the way of specifics.

The second, is to expand your own knowledge and foundations through outside certification and the necessary coursework that goes with such things. I can think of two that ought to expand your horizons, confidence, and possibly opportunities. This is a more internally-focused approach, as certifications don't guarantee anything... although they do act as a positive when AIs filter on resume credentials.

1. ASQ offers a certification for Manager of Quality & Organizational Excellence
2. There are a variety of organization who offer some sort of certification against the Project Management Institute's (PMI) PMBoK

(1) I have several ASQ certifications, but not CMQ/OE. If you are a LSS Black Belt, I imagine that most of what you would learn from more general ASQ certifications (e.g. CQE) you would also pick up in CMQ/OE (at least, this is my assessment of that cert's BoK). If Management isn't your thing, learning the fundamentals of good management will make you a better "follower" and team member.

(2) Project Management is one of those areas like serving meals... almost everybody can sort of pull it off, but very few people can do it with both efficiency and uniformity of results. The PMBoK offers a comprehensive understanding of Project Management that I feel is invaluable for anyone who will be working on a team trying to deliver results. I also don't have any sort of PM certification (CAPM?). There are a handful of ASQ certifications (including CQE) that will touch on some of the general elements of project management, and at least one (CSQE, Software Quality Engineer) offers the same with a focus on a specific type of development effort.

 

[optomist1]

Hi rayhope, here is my vote for pursuing a PM position...why? Given your stated pursuit of an MBA...a PM position provides the person with great exposure to all the functional groups...some of which can at times be dysfunctional, but this expereince could very well dovetail with the MBA course of study...speaking from my experiences...

Hope this helps
Optomist1

 

[Miner]

Start with the basics. Do you want to pursue the management career ladder or the technical career ladder? Most people only think of advancement through the management ladder, but this isn't for everyone. Yes, you advance, but it can also be very stressful, and the higher you advance, the more political it becomes. Many larger companies offer a technical career ladder (principal engineer/scientist, etc.) that allows you to advance based on your technical growth and abilities. If you are more the introverted or techie type, you may find this more rewarding.

 

[John Broomfield]

Determine your strengths or talents. Things you do really well.

Build on these strengths with rare but highly valued skills and knowledge so you become competent and well rewarded in work you enjoy.

Keep an eye on trends and make sure you remain slightly ahead of the curve.