$$$ is much better on the mgmt side, ICs have healthier lives. Which path worked out better for you?
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@3yqx, agreed that once I'm out the door (I am), I don't even think about what the survivors at Chevron think about me. They have enough of their own problems to deal with. However, it is comforting to know that I can explain to someone outside the Chevron bubble what I did during my career, in short order, rather than trying to explain some arcane and trendy job title (sprint leader? change manager? diversity advocate? remember the old days of 'facilitator'?). Pointing to specific projects rather than vagaries only understood within Chevron.
When I retire I could not care less what "tangible career accomplishments" I made. Once I walk out the door for the final time, that's it full stop. I will never worry about what anyone at the company thinks / thought of my contributions.
Is this for laid off folks or those of us who still have jobs, Isn't this the layoff.com?
Purposefully seeking a management job is exclusively for ego-st-----g. Your technical career stifles, you start spending 50+ hour weeks filling out meaningless spreadsheets and paperwork, making yes-man presentations, and positioning yourself for the next job (especially if you made some bad decisions). No one outside the company knows or cares about you unless you get to EVP. You'll be surrounded by sycophants who secretly want to take over your job. Yes, you'll probably retire with a summer home in Colorado, but with nothing to point to for tangible career accomplishments. Is it worth it?
I agree that individual contributors (now that they can attain PSG28) are more likely to feel job satisfaction than being a manager.
How many PMPs do you want to write (though many of us had to draft our own PMP to save manager the time) or complaints that you listen to without any hope of resolving before you choose the individual contributor route.
My organization placed little value in supervisory or managerial experience--- the thought was if you had the technical chops, you could be a manager
I have seen plenty of managers laid off in Chevron, including some very good ones. All the leaders compete and fight. There are cabals and factions with nasty backstabbing. If you step on the wrong toes, your career can suffer and even end.
Manager in Chevron = University professor with tenure.
Once you become a manager, you have a job for life. Chevron doesn't layoff any managers.
ICs can attain PSG28 now so in most cases there is no financial incentive to being a manager. The number of PSG29 and up in the company is only a couple thousand people so your chances of getting there are low (couple percent). If you are not a high pot diversity person, no reason to be a leader and endure all the infighting and politics.