TCEP 010: The Life of a Civil Engineer in Sales – The Civil Engineering Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

In episode 10 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I take you inside my recent trip to Iceland, where I recorded this week’s project segment after my visit to the Blue Lagoon which is a spa driven by geothermal energy, and is also one of the natural wonders of the world. Then I interview Shana Carroll, PE, a civil engineer who is in sales, who gives a ton of high-value career advice in about 20 minutes!

In this episode, you’ll get an inside look at the life of a civil engineer in sales and learn:

How traveling can help you as a civil engineer
The importance of being clear on what you can offer as a civil engineer during your job interview
The diverse activities of a civil engineer in sales:
- Doing some engineering calculations, scoping jobs
- Coaching other sales engineers to close different projects
- Working with some pre-construction engineering groups
- Occasionally negotiating contracts
- Doing lunch and learn presentations to different groups
How to track and measure your achievements using metrics
How to combine your technical skills and non-technical skills to give back and create an impact to society; for Shana, she blogs to help other engineers marrying her communication skills and her engineering background
How to control your fears and use them for motivation
How to stay focused while traveling
- Plan each day’s activity the night before
- Use the Eisenhower box to determine what’s urgent/important/not important/not urgent
How to be productive and successful with the time that you have
- Identify what you want to do today before checking your e-mails
- Always carry notebook that you can make notes in meetings of action items
- Use a TO-DO wonder list for important but less urgent things to do

Tweetables

What impact do you want to make as a civil engineer? Learn more on #TCEPodcast Ep 010.
“There is a loftier goal to stand high in the world, it is to elevate other engineers higher.” More on Ep 010! #TCEPodcast
“Even if you don’t think you’re in sales, you’re always selling yourself…” – Shana Carroll Stay tuned in Ep 010 of #TCEPodcast

Project Name: The Blue Lagoon

Project Overview:

The Blue Lagoon is now a Spa that many tourists visit, however it was originally formed naturally when hot brine from a nearby geothermal power plant was discharged into the adjacent lava field. Later improvements were done with the full-blown spa, hotel, restaurant, and banquet facilities formed. In the years that followed, people began to bathe in the unique water and apply the silica mud to their skin. Those with psoriasis noticed an incredible improvement in their condition. Today, Blue Lagoon is recognized as one of the 25 wonders of the world.

Project Location:

The spa is located in a lava field in Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwestern Iceland and is 45 minutes away from the capital. It is located 8 miles away from the Keflavik International Airport.

Project Size:

The lagoon holds six million liters of geothermal seawater all of which is renewed in 40 hours.

Project Budget (Construction):

Since the Blue Lagoon is formed when hot brine from a nearby geothermal power plant was discharged into the adjacent lava field, there is no cost for it. Later improvements were done with the full-blown spa, hotel, restaurant, and banquet facilities.

Special Design Features and/or Challenges:

The name Blue Lagoon came because when the light hits the water it shatters because of the magnitude of the silicon (140 mg/kg) and turns to blue.

Benefits to Society:

The warm waters are rich in minerals like silica and sulfur and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is reputed to help some people suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis.