Professional Career Timeline

• Assess yourself to define specific goals. Periodically check, reassess, extend, or modify goals.
• Actively participate in your career direction and assessment. Schedule meetings with supervisors and mentors to discuss your current performance, expectations, and future possibilities.
• Keep your resume current by adding new projects, responsibilities, and accomplishments every six months.
• Remain active in a professional society that represents your discipline, such as AIAA.
• Establish and maintain professional contacts. Actively develop and sustain new connections, both internal and external to your employer.
• Develop and maintain a professional web presence. Create and maintain a profile on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn. Monitor and correct any negative information appearing in Internet searches for your name.
• Write, publish, and present your own work at conferences.
• Stay abreast of new developments in your field by reading appropriatepublications, attending courses and workshops, particpate in online learning, and traveling to international and national conferences when feasible.
• Pursue additional formal education and on-the-job training to remain competitive in an increasingly complex global business environment.
• Enhance organizational and interpersonal skills, including communication, interviewing, and networking.
• Maintain an appropriate balance among family, career, community, and recreation.
• Manage money wisely and periodically seek professional advice about financial planning matters.
• Sustain good physical and mental fitness.
• Remain adaptable to all changes (technological, social, etc.) implemented in the workplace.

Years in Work Force: College Freshman – Graduation 
Career Phase: Student 
Typical Age: 18 – 22

• Take advantage of co-op opportunities and internships. Work in a career-related field during semesters or while on break.
• Participate in an AIAA Student Paper Competition to learn how to prepare and present technical papers.
• Seek additional opportunities to develop leadership, communication, and management skills in addition to technical skills through coursework, competitions, and student organizations and activities.
• Develop relationships with your advisor, professors, and career services counselor.
• Prepare your resume. Post it on relevant professional society sites, such as the AIAA Career Center.
• Research potential employers in your chosen field.
• Network with prospective employers.
• Interview with on-campus recruiters.
• Professionalize your online presence.
• Develop goals and make career-path decisions (e.g., industry vs. government vs. R&D vs. design vs. manufacturing vs. teaching, etc.)
• Decide if you will take the FE (EIT) Exam. Take it during your senior year.
• Make a realistic and valid first-job choice based upon your career interests, not just on salary or initial location.

Years in Work Force: 0 – 3 
Career Phase: New Engineer or Scientist in Training 
Typical Age: 22 – 25

• Upgrade from AIAA Student Member to Professional Member.
• Learn the company ropes and adjust to routines of the workplace.
• Become an effective contributor to the team.
• Develop a mentor or sponsor relationship to help you navigate the organizational culture.
• Enhance your technical competency by reading appropriate publications, attend a course and workshop and particpate in online learning.
• Present papers on your work at conferences.
• Consider obtaining an advanced degree (technical discipline or MBA).
• Start preparing for the state professional engineering license, if available, in your field or discipline.
• Meet with a financial advisor to set long-term savings and investment goals.

Years in Work Force: 3 – 10 
Career Phase: Young Professional 
Typical Age: 25 – 32

• Continue developing technical skills and credentials.
• Gain exposure to management and other disciplines.
• Consult mentors regarding career goals and steps. Consider changing your job, employer, career, etc. to readjust your path.
• Seek and accept higher levels of responsibility. Learn to make effective decisions. Keep up to date on advancements in your discipline.
• Obtain state engineering license.
• Assume a leadership role at the local, regional, or national level of AIAA.
• Apply for associate membership on an AIAA technical committee.
• Be proactive in your career decisions.
• Consider after-hours graduate programs in your specialty, or an MBA program.
• Meet with financial advisor to adjust long-term plans vs. short term needs.

Years in Work Force: 10 – 22 
Career Phase: Senior Professional (Technical or Supervisory) 
Typical Age: 32 – 52

• Make a career path decision to remain in a technical area or move into management.
• If moving into management, hone your management and human resources skills; developing these skills takes as much effort as enhancing technical skills.
• Stay up to date in your chosen specialty.
• Become a mentor or sponsor for young engineers and scientists.
• Apply for full membership on an AIAA technical committee.
• Continue to take on additional assignments or areas of responsibility.
• Apply for a higher grade of membership in AIAA.
• Assume professional leadership roles.
• Continue upgrading your leadership role in AIAA at the local, regional, and national levels.
• Begin retirement planning.

Years in Work Force: 22 – 40 
Career Phase: Recognized Expert 
Typical Age: 52 – Retirement

• Continue professional leadership progression by obtaining assignments with increasing responsibility and authority.
• Stay technically up to date by reading appropriate publications and particpate in online learning.
• Continue mentoring and providing guidance to younger professionals.
• Represent your organization outside the workplace.
• Diversify your skills or develop hobbies that could lead to a second career or added income upon retirement.
• Serve as an AIAA Distinguished Lecturer.
• Teach at a college or university, or start your own consulting practice.
• Continue to engage with AIAA.
• Continue retirement planning.

Years in Work Force: 40+ 
Career Phase: Expert Emeritus 
Typical Age: 60+

• Implement your retirement plans.
• Replace compulsory activity with desired leisure wants.
• Find new sources of professional and personal satisfaction.
• Consider opportunities for part-time work, consulting, teaching, or a second career.
• Use accumulated experience and wisdom on behalf of others in various senior roles.
• Tutor pre-college students in STEM disciplines.
• Work with a local college or university to develop pre-college outreach programs in math and science.
• Remain active in AIAA; maintain professional contacts.