Done Project Management for QinetiQ and for a short while DSTL, was fabulously involving, the projects were interesting, teams were often brilliant and regularly challenging. Then moved in to Programme management for a division that was sold off and that was as BS as it gets, Going from site to site, telling the stakeholders what they wanted to hear and absolutely no recourse if something went awry.
Had one BS meeting in Singapore, I'd changed my bosses presentation format from his previous meeting and bought it in to the 20th century.
They loved it, apart from one criticism which was that they wanted the format as before.
QM now for an aerospace composites company, lucky to have a job in aero after these last 18m (thanks flip for Trump's stimulus!) More challenges than I've ever had, but I love it.
I’ve always considered working in some office to be a bit of a bullshit type job.........
Currently its big dangerous manly machinery
Don't forget that JCB/CAT/Hyundai/Leibherr will be a load of big offices full of mechanical, electrical, elctronic, software and yep project managers designing those big manly machines.
Some of them will even be women.
My job is knowledge and skills based. I play at cutting edge medical science and hopefully deliver meaningful new medicines that make people’s lives a little more bearable.
There are still times when it has elements of BS. I produced a table of simple stats a week ago because our more complex analysis and reporting couldn’t generate a geometric mean. That’s pretty BS, even though the number is on some inputs documents.
Proper process removes the unnecessary thinking to focus on the important. That’s been a long learning from me.
Without project managers to herd people like me, nothing would happen. Proper PMs are like gold dust.
Fortunately, no, I don’t. For the first time in ages I’m doing something that is stress-free, (considering my recent circumstances, I’m incredibly glad about that), and I’ve been told by other people higher up the food chain that what I’m now doing is very much appreciated and is helping others with what they’re doing, which is good to know.
I’m also better paid now than I have been for years, which doesn’t hurt! I’m two years past retirement age, but I’m happier doing what I am than sitting at home worrying about how to cope on £155 a week.
My job is about delivering ways to automate stuff. We turn up... what do you need automating? and why do you do it?
The second question causes an outrageous amount of stumbling and awkward ummmms.
Sadly my role is not empowered to say 'just stop doing it', no matter how much I say it...