Why Communication for Engineers Is so Important is a
guest blog by Thomas A. Anderson, P.E:
Do you remember the telephone game?
In school, you and your classmates tried to pick a phrase and “pass it on” by whispering it to the person next to you. Then the phrase was passed from person to person until the last person announced the phrase. How much did the phrase change during the game? As people relay message from one person to the other, the message will often be distorted.
While the game is a lot of fun. It also teaches us important lessons.
- If you do not receive information from a reliable source, you may not get the correct information. It turns into gossip.
- If you do not produce information properly, it will not be received as planned
Communication skills are vital to success in your personal life and your engineering career. Poorly delivered messages can turn into misunderstanding, frustration, or even a disaster.
By practicing communication, you will understand more of what people say. Your family, friends, and co-workers will have the confidence to come to you when they find themselves in need.
In episode 086 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with one of our listeners who is facing a difficult civil engineering career decision. He has to decide whether or not to stay in the private consulting sector or to move to a public career path.
Deciding to get a job during the summer break is a significant step towards establishing your future as an engineer. There are a number of things to consider such as location and the pay that you wish to receive for the services rendered. Of course, since this is an engineering summer job, also known as internship, and you are still a student, you should not expect your pay to rival those that are already on the employee roster. Before embarking on a job search, you need to analyze yourself and the qualities that you’ll offer your potential employer. You will need to prepare a resume, regardless of whether you’re still in school or not. In doing so, you should consider any achievements you might have that may be attractive for an employer, and include them on your resume. Volunteer work or personal projects that you have embarked upon should be feature here. However these are just a few of the basics items to consider.
