At some point in most people careers there will come a time when decisions need to be made.  What school to attend, where to apply for a job and what job to take.  One of the most decisive choices you need to make is the one about which career to pursue.

For the CAD Manager this decision comes later in life than most careers.  This is because most CAD Managers do not set out to be CAD Managers.  They start there career in another field.  They may have gotten a four year degree and started down the road of an engineering field.  Or they may have started in a career without finishing the degree and are working into a field by going up the ranks.  Either way, the decision to focus on CAD Management comes later than some of the early options.

For most, the decision point may be foisted upon them before they really have a chance to think it through.  I recommend that you not let that happen.  Take control of your future and your career.

Here are a few things you should do to take control:

1.  Decide what you want to do before someone asks you

This means that you will think about your future when people start asking you to help out with CAD issues.  It may be that you have been doing it for some time.  Everyone should help out others every chance they get, but fledgling CAD Managers seem to have a knack for it.  You like doing it.  And this pleasure that you get from helping others actually may work against you. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are on a plateau:

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