Do you demand a high level of performance from yourself? One of the major reasons for orienting yourself towards results is the need to set higher standards for your work. Establishing a habit of a grading system will help you reflect on and better understand your performance, and ultimately help you make adjustments if needed. [Read more…] about How to Use a Grading System to Improve Your Engineering Performance
It’s been five weeks since we returned from the holidays. We went quickly back to our jobs, the same old routines, the same old molds. Some of us have already transitioned to a new job or a new company in January, but some still haven’t achieved what they aimed for regardless of how much they tried. If that sounds like you, then this article is for you. Before we get started though, remember that there is nothing wrong with your big 2019 career goals and dreams, so don’t ever lower your expectations. Lowering the target won’t make it easier to hit if you lack the fundamental skills. Your goals aren’t too big; they are not the problem. If you haven’t achieved them yet consider the possibility that there are still other ways that you can persist and pursue your goals. It’s what you deserve.
The second half of the 20th century saw a significant rise of demand for qualified engineers, mostly because after the World War II there was a lot to be rebuilt but also science and technology started to develop rapidly. Large companies, often owned by people that weren’t engineers, but rich investors, needed specialists that could communicate in a way that was easy to understand. The late 60’s introduced technical writing which became one of the essential soft skills for every aspiring engineer. The reasons why writing is important nowadays vary and hold value to both engineers and their companies. In this article, we will discuss some of the major benefits that good writing skills hold for engineers.
[Read more…] about How Good Writing Skills Can Benefit Your Engineering Career
PSI stands for more than just “pounds per square inch” when inflating tires. It also stands for a meaningful way to enhance your value to a potential new or existing employer, especially during job interviews.
The PSI framework is also a great method you can use on the job to sell a project, product or idea to just about anyone. It’s an amazing tool to convince engineering leaders and managers that there is a problem needing to be addressed and that your solution is the best way to fix the issue.
[Read more…] about How to Use the PSI Framework to Sell Yourself in a Job Interview
How do you prepare for an interview? Do you read typical questions that the employer might ask? Do you practice artful responses? The S.O.A.R. Answer Method is helpful for preparing for interview questions and it keeps you focused on the discussion while you are answering.
This answer method works well on interview questions 11 and 15 on an article called Top 20 Interview Questions and How to Answer
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In episode 096 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I speak with Jim Rogers, author of Win More Work, and Co-Founder of the Seller-Doer Academy. Jim and I will be giving you a strategy for building your seller-doer skills which consists of three specific learning approaches.
[Read more…] about TCEP 096: A Specific Recipe for Building Seller-Doer Skills
The five years of an engineer’s bachelor’s degree program are filled with complex math and science. Indeed, almost all of an engineer’s training pertains to the hard skills they will directly apply to problems in their field during the course of their career. Yet, what most new engineering grads discover as they enter the workforce is that they are woefully under prepared to function in the workplace because they have failed to develop their soft skills.
Hiring managers are always looking for well-developed soft skills, even in engineers. The ability to communicate, to work in teams, to think creatively and adapt swiftly to new situations are mandatory in the modern workplace, and it is unlikely that an engineer will find success without cultivating such skills. Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to enhance one’s soft skills, both inside and outside an educational environment. Here are a few ways engineers can build the skills they need to excel in their careers.
[Read more…] about How Engineers Can Develop Necessary Soft Skills to Excel in Their Careers
“Engineering is the closest thing to magic that exists in the world.”
This quote comes from Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk and beautifully describes what each engineer wants to do and should do to achieve career success: create, innovate, and improve everything around them.
Becoming a successful “wizard,” or engineer, has never been easy because the profession requires complex skills and even more complex responsibilities. To enter such a career, one has to develop the courage and personality traits needed to endure all the challenges one will face in this profession.
Despite a popular opinion, knowledge alone is insufficient to succeed as an engineering professional. You have to have that desire to design the things that millions are only dreaming about. That’s what drives people working on such amazing projects such as an autonomous car and an upcoming flight to Mars.
What else distinguishes these brilliant engineers?
The ability to follow the unwritten laws of the profession that keep them focused and moving forward.
In this article I’d like to focus on these laws in hopes that they can help you to become a successful or more successful engineer.
One thing that is certain to happen in your engineering career is conflict. This isn’t because the engineering profession is more prone to conflict than accounting or that engineers tend to be a contentious lot. It’s because, as in any profession, you’ll find people. Wherever there are people you will find conflict. Because of this, it’s important to develop a basic understanding of the three things you need to know to engineer resolution.
[Read more…] about 3 Things You Need to Know to Engineer Resolution
If you are one of almost 2 million engineers in the United States looking for a mentor, then you have made a smart career decision. Studies show receiving mentoring from the right career mentor can make a measurable difference. So, what should you look for in career mentors? Here’s some suggestions.
[Read more…] about What Engineers Should Look for When Choosing Career Mentors
