A decision is a commitment to action. Until that action is completed there has been no decision. Good decision making is a process and involves a certain amount of risk-taking. The top person in any organization must be a decision-maker. Ideally, in an engineering firm, this person would be good at making engineering decisions on a daily basis.
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Monica Morales, PE, ENV SP
In episode 123 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Monica Morales, PE, ENV SP who is a water engineer for Jacobs in their Los Angeles office. This is the first episode in a special series we are publishing entitled Women in Civil Engineering. In this episode, we will focus on the importance of inclusion and diversity in engineering. Monica also discusses sustainability through STEM Outreach and the importance of women in engineering.
[Read more…] about TCEP 123: Women in Civil Engineering – Inclusion, Diversity, and STEM Oh My!
Preparing for an interview is crucial for moving you forward in starting your engineering career. If you get the chance to get to the interview round, luck is already on your side. That’s because research shows that only two percent of applicants get called back for an interview. But it’s important not to throw caution to the wind by being unprepared for your interview.
One of the best ways to get ready for your interview is by tackling the tough questions with a strategy. Luckily, you can take a strategic approach to handle tough interview questions. When it comes to interviewing, practice makes perfect. Here’s how to handle some of the top three common job interview questions that can be difficult to answer: [Read more…] about How to Handle Tough Interview Questions for Engineers
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In episode 119 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I visit with John M. Keller PE, PMP, who serves as the Executive Director of The New Jersey Turnpike Authority. We talk about the differences between working in the public sector versus private sector and John provides some very specific examples, which may help you if you are deciding between these two career paths.
Like all other career professionals, engineers should constantly be evolving in order to move forward in their careers and reach the ultimate goals they are pursuing. There are however some aspects of career advancement that typically happen outside of normal working hours, and the standard education and training path, such as personal development efforts focused on personal brands. This might include picking up a new book to read, taking an online 3D design course, or starting a coding Bootcamp.
Personal brands related actions are different because they enable you to communicate and promote who you are and what you’re destined to do. Such actions allow you to build an online presence, showcase your engineering design portfolio, or even influence other professionals in your field to follow your lead.
Most engineers feel uncomfortable when attempting to build their personal brands. So in this article, I’ll share three simple but important personal branding actions that you can take to enhance your short-term job search results and long-term career aspirations. These three steps will help you in both finding engineering jobs and ultimately finding yourself in a career that matches both your unique skill set and your personality.
Here are three actions related to personal brands that may be helpful in your engineering job search or career journey overall. [Read more…] about 3 Actions Engineering Professionals Can Take to Build Their Personal Brands
Technical skills are the tools of the trade for engineers. But don’t think for a second that the key to landing a great engineering job comes down to how your technical skills stack up against the competition.
Whether you’re a future or recent engineering graduate, or you’re well along in your career, looking for a new job is a situation you’re likely to face. Of course, you’ll want that job to be fulfilling and relevant to all that valuable training you’ve undertaken.
Well if you want to find your perfect job, you can’t let your technical background do all the talking. In today’s hyper-competitive work environment, recruiters are likely to receive hundreds of applications from people who (probably) have similar or better credentials than you.
So, what can you do to make your resume and cover letter grab an employer’s attention and land you a job interview? Redirect your attention. [Read more…] about Why Technical Skills Alone Won’t Get You That Engineering Job
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In episode 117 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I visit with Tracy Bratton, PE. who is the Land Development Division Manager at Doucet & Associates, based in Austin Texas. We talk about the importance of staying calm, cool, and collected as a civil engineering professional. We also talk about the role that sound technical experience plays in an engineer’s confidence level as well as the ability to manage projects.
Engineers are known for accuracy, attention to detail, and finding elegant solutions to complex problems. Yet when it comes to licensing, most firms lack a functional, comprehensive system to safeguard compliance. Every month, engineering boards report fresh citations for lapsed P.E. licenses. Unfortunately, once the lapse occurs, the damage is done.
Whether you’re starting an engineering management role for the first time or you’re a more seasoned professional, your energy is likely to wane after a few months of focusing at getting better at your engineering job. You’ve settled in and learned the ropes, after all. It becomes easier to do what needs to get done without pushing yourself to keep advancing your skills, service and expertise.
At this stage, it’s important to keep up your motivation. Engineering management professionals can do themselves, their teams and their clients a huge favor by focusing on getting better at their jobs every day. While it seems like a tall order, continual improvement is actually pretty easy to bake into your everyday routine.
You can focus on improving your priorities, mindset and knowledge with just a little effort each day. Here’s how to get started: [Read more…] about Focus on Getting Better at Your Engineering Job Every Day
Your job search and networking success depend heavily on how courageous you are. It calls for reaching out to strangers and starting conversations with them without any assurance that they’ll like or even listen to you. Yet, it’s important to have courage because you have to take these job search actions regardless of your fear of rejection. That means you can’t give up just after a few attempts.
That’s why building your courage muscles during the job search phase is crucial and becomes your leading differentiating factor among competing candidates. Here’s how you can get it done: [Read more…] about 3 Ways to Build Your Courage Muscles for Job Search
