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In this episode of The Engineering Career Coach Podcast, I outline two different approaches to professional development. I explain the advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches, and how you can use them to increase your overall success in your engineering career and life.
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In this episode, I talk with Adam Zach, PE, a project engineer at an environmental engineering firm in Grand Forks, North Dakota. We talk about the importance of goal setting for engineers and how setting goals has greatly contributed to his success in his career, but even better Adam shares his process in this episode, so you can use it too!
[Read more…] about TECC 187: Goal Setting for Engineers Based on One Engineer’s Proven Process
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
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In this episode, I talk to Fernando Ceballos, a Civil Engineer, as part of our what I have been calling our Game Changing Career Moves series and we will be talking about taking ownership of your professional development through community involvement.
This is a guest post by Patrick Sweet, P.Eng.
I recently presented a half-day leadership seminar to a group of engineers in Mississippi. The seminar covered the basics of the most important business skills engineers should have namely: communications, productivity, leadership, and professional development.
Thankfully, the seminar was well received. The feedback I got after the talk was very positive. As is often the case, however, one negative comment out of all the good ones stuck with me. One of the participants suggested that the session on professional development really didn’t apply to experienced engineers.
As much as it can be disheartening to receive negative feedback, what really bugged me about this comment was that this particular participant either didn’t buy into my main message for that session or didn’t understand it. My message for professional development is simple: professional development should be part of every engineer’s career from start to finish, regardless of your level of experience.
[Read more…] about Why Professional Development never Ends for Engineers
The Project Management Professional Certification
There are several tangible and intangible benefits I’ve realized since earning the Project Management Professional Certification (PMP).
As I contemplated what I needed to do to position myself to leave a twenty-year Air Force career back in 2010, I looked at my professional credentials and experience. I was already a registered engineer, having earned my license early on in my career. Since that time I’d earned a master’s degree, held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, and attended several professional military courses. Despite the education and experience I’d gained, I wasn’t convinced that I had a compelling way of tying it all together for the pending job search. Sure, I could put it all in a good package and give a 3-minute pitch about my skills. But I lacked a recognizable standard against which any prospective employer – be they private or public sector – could tell I knew my business. The answer: consider the Project Management Professional certification.
