Why Rest and Relaxation Are Vital for a Successful Engineering Career
You learn that you’ve been selected to take on a leadership position within your firm. While the extra salary and corner office are what you’ve sought, you feel a little tight in the chest when you think about the responsibilities you’ll be taking on. Until now you’ve been responsible for yourself, your work and being […]
How to Master the Language for Clearer Engineering Contracts – Ep 054
In episode 054 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, Chris Knutson interviews Ken Adams, an expert in the world of contract drafting on how to master the language to create clearer engineering contracts. Here are some of the questions Chris asked Ken: What do you consider is the essence of a contract? How do you suggest that […]
Systems Engineering and Thinking for Engineers: Three Ways to See the Bigger Picture
This may not come as a big surprise, but it takes a very different approach to engineering when you’re designing a space shuttle than when you’re designing a guitar amplifier (No offense, Marshall fans). The challenges and issues are simply different in nature when you tackle a mega-project. There’s more to integrate, there are more […]
3 Great Ways to Develop Your Engineering Career Overseas
The global job crisis is a challenging fact that many of us will have to face in our engineering career. This is most especially true to those engineers seeking career advancements outside of their chosen field or current country. Here are three ways you can develop and advance your engineering career outside of your home […]
Why Delegating Will Make You A Better Engineer
This is Part III of a six-part series about leadership for engineers preparing for their first professional leadership role. You’re in your first professional leadership role and all eyes are on you to deliver the goods. After two months of 60+ hour weeks you’re running on fumes and the project’s only a fifth of the […]
Looking Beyond the Tasks: Interpersonal Skills every Engineer Should Have
Engineers play a vital role in their workplaces. They are the people that keep things going, that make the company work, and that do the work behind the scenes that keep profits coming in. While some engineers think their contributions should be kept within their department, the truth is that engineers bear as much weight […]
Developing Program Management Competencies to Excel in Your Engineering Career
Over my career I’ve amassed knowledge and skills, and the experience, to manage large programs. This took years. I didn’t step into my first infrastructure program management role until my 12th year as a practicing engineer, managing a housing program in the Air Force. A few years later that program became a nearly $1 billion […]
Relying on Courage to Bridge the Experience Gap
This is Part II of a six-part series about leadership for engineers preparing for their first professional leadership role. It was the first day as project manager and Ed was sweating the moment he got into his car for the fifteen-minute drive to the office. This wasn’t just any sweat. It was the sweat that […]
The Civil Engineering Compilation Episode – Ep 050
In episode 50 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, we have prepared a special compilation episode to reinforce some of the career tips given in the first 50 episodes of The Civil Engineering Podcast (wow — can’t believe we’re at 50). Engineering Quotes Here are the key points discussed in the compilation episode:
How to Go from Managing to Leading a Team of Engineers
Effectively managing any group of employees can be a difficult proposition, but providing leadership for an engineering team or department typically entails a number of unique challenges. Simply managing the efforts of an engineering staff may not always be sufficient. Managers who are able to provide clear direction, ensure that their group is able to […]