This is a guests blog by Jese H. Vance, P.E.
“If there’s one thing that’s certain in business, it’s uncertainty.”
~ Stephen Covey
The last two years have been full of uncertainty, and it does not look like that is going to improve any time soon. Times of uncertainty often require us to adapt to a variety of changes and obstacles. I have listed three tips below to help you adapt during these uncertain times.
Engineering, much like other kinds of knowledge work, is fundamentally about making decisions. While factories produce physical devices, engineering teams produce decisions — decisions on how products and services will be designed, implemented, maintained, and retired. Decision-making is at the very core of what we do.
It’s surprising, then, that we have so much trouble actually making decisions within engineering teams. We’ve all been part of meetings where problems were discussed, positions were defended, and at the end, no real decision was made. For many (myself included), it can be one of the most frustrating parts of working in engineering.
In this post, I’ll offer some concrete strategies on how to bring a group of engineers together and actually make decisions.
[Read more…] about How to Get a Group of Engineers to Actually Make Decisions
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In this episode, I answer a question that I get from civil engineering students almost daily. Should they seek full-time employment immediately after completing their undergraduate studies or go to grad school and pursue a master’s degree? And I promise you, whether you are a student, a project manager, an owner, or a CEO, you will take something out of this episode because I get into the decision-making processes.
Graduate school and professional engineering licensure are invaluable — but, as with any career, it is more a question of timing, and the answer to this question is different for every civil engineering graduate, depending on their situation.
[Read more…] about TCEP 161: Should I Go to Grad School or Apply for Civil Engineering Jobs?
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In episode 126 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I will be talking with Dax Hoff, PE who is the founder and owner of Dax Consulting. Dax outlines the process of starting a civil engineering firm and also covers some of the aspects of building an engineering business including finding new business and hiring the right people.
[Read more…] about TCEP 126: Starting A Civil Engineering Firm
