How to put ourselves to the top

I'm really sorry if I sound rude, but if you're really suposed to work as a project engineer and you are not able to take part of any project management event, maybe it's time to change something, before you're changed (if you understand me...).

Maybe your title is project engineer, but your job is really something like technical buyer. It happens in big organizations.

Anyway, after like 20 years in the market, I still think that the better approach is to play an openned game. Show your cards to your boss, tell him what you think, and ask him specifically what he expects from you. You may be surprised with things he may think you're lacking, and you may be surprised with somethings you didn't know he would like you to deal with. And if you still do not agree... time to move by yourself to a place where you can work according your principles.

To be included in a meeting you must be able to add value to it and your boss clearly did not think you would. Therefore If you barley do your job with nothing extra you may stay there forever.

You can earn a promotion by being the best procurement officer in the world.

By spending additional energy in obtaining new information and trends and make it available to your superiors they might save money or do a better job and they will have to realize that you would be worth more in another department.

When they are in meeting you occlude some good assignment and add mare and more value to your organisation, don't keep your attention to meeting.and some how let them know you achievements just after they conclude their meetings.

If you do put value to organisation they are forced to make you part.

'did not include me in the meeting of on-going project and I cannot experience what really project engineer does'

meetings are over-rated. no technical problems ever get solved in meetings and no actions happen, only info gets passed around and action items get assigned. this is good for management, but is no substitute for hands-on

if you want to get your hands dirty, you should be on-site. Get directly in touch with the technical people and ask them to tag along. Explain that you are fresh and need experience. Do it on your free time if you have to.

Bad idea to 'open up' to your boss, if you don't know him very well: it could well be that he doesn't transfer you to where you would be happier, and he will certainly get the impression that you don't like your current work, hence you will get passed on during promotion season.

By all means, be (relatively) straightforward to the technical people (who aren't friends with your boss and won't tell)

By the way, eventually you WILL tire of the technical stuff as well. Learn the technical stuff -it is of immense importance- but it is upper management that you'll want to end up in. In most companies, you are better placed to move up the hierarchy ladder from 'project management' than from technical work.

Good luck

Thanks guys for your support. Yes, I do love the hands-on job but now my job is more to procurement so information is very important to me. Ok, I will try to stand myself up for them to realize that I also can contribute something. Thanks again guys!

During my service I would rather prefer to not attending meetings which sometimes were like waste of time whereas your workload gets accumulated. On many occasions discussions go off the track and useless topics are discussed. I have observed some persons dozing off if meetings were held post lunch. So better concentrate on your work instead of feeling left out of boring meetings.

I can't stand meetings and wish that I would get invited to less of them, particularly meetings with upper management. The more exposure I get in the management world, the less I want to be involved in it. However, to move forward and get the coveted gold star or promotion, I would suggest the following:

1. Be honest and ethical, it will have its rewards in the long run.
2. Do the job that no one else wants to do and do it well. It will undoubtedly be tedious, have a high risk/low reward ratio, and no one will really understand how it works. However, your ability to get it done will be remembered and depended on from that point forward. Make sure that you volunteer for it and don't get it assigned to you.
3. Make your boss look good, but don't be a brown noser. Your interest in moving ahead is closely tied to his interest in moving ahead. The more of his work you handle, the more he will have to depend on you.
4. Similar to #3, except it works downwards. Don't put yourself ahead of the people underneath you as they are working to make you look good. I would include vendors in this category as well. You could think of #3 and #4 as the golden rule (do unto others).
5. When things go wrong (and they will) be sure to fix them quickly and take responsibility for your part in the fiasco.
6. Keep annual goals agreed upon with your boss and then get them completed to his satisfaction. Exceed them as much as possible.
7. Always have an exit strategy in case the above rules don't apply, there may be something outside of your control (your boss just doesn't like you) and it might be necessary to parachute out of the plane. If you don't have a parachute, jumping out of the plane is risky.

My further suggestion to you is to be honest and fair to all vendors as you are working in procurement dept. There are many chances that vendors will try to corrupt you.Save money for the organisation you are working with and procure good quality goods at reasonable prices.