Fernando A. Ceballos Archives - Engineering Management Institute

This is a guest blog by Fernando A. Ceballos, P.E.

What does getting ready for graduation, starting a new job, preparing to take your FE/PE, or picking a new hobby have in common? They all require some type of game plan to make progress and include direction of where you want things to go.

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there, and sometimes that road ends up in a place you don’t want to be at.

What Is Relevant Right Now?

Don’t get lost in wanting to learn everything there is to know about everything in your career. Focus on becoming proficient at what you do now, then, as you find time, learn the next skill. There is a balance that must be found between getting ready for the next promotion and not failing to do a good job at your current role.

As an engineer, you may want to eventually take management path and therefore lose focus on the design aspect of your current role. You might fall into the trap of wanting to work on your business development skills, budget/schedule management, etc., and forget that you must learn the design fundamentals of the work you will one day manage. You might fail to realize that without a solid technical foundation, you will struggle to train your future staff.

Developing Your Game Plan

This is a guest blog by Fernando A. Ceballos, P.E.

I once had a conversation with someone who bragged about how he was able to get a car dealership to basically give him a car. He talked about all the different tactics he used and how at the end of it, the salesmen essentially said, “We’ll sell you the car, but we ask that you don’t come back in the future.” In his eyes, he was able to buy a car below market value and walked off with a “win.” Although on the surface it looked like he came out on top, he failed to realize that he destroyed any potential for future purchases: The dealership won’t work with anyone he refers, and he probably ended up belittling someone who was trying to do their job.

Even though “sales” may have a negative connotation, remember that the deal is between two PEOPLE. I highly suggest that when you engage with someone, you seek first to understand their needs and not just focus on the outcome that you want.