The following is a summary of Session 23 of my podcast, The Engineering Career Coach (TECC) Podcast with Anthony Fasano, PE. I will summarize the main points in this post; however, you can also listen to the show through the player below or by subscribing on iTunes. I offer a career-changing tip at the end of each podcast session.
- If your boss repeatedly asks you to change your engineering designs because he or she would have done them differently, make it a practice to sit down with him or her and collect his or her thoughts prior to starting the design process. This will allow you to incorporate those thoughts into the design if they make sense.
- If you are considering leaving your job for another company, do so only if the prospective company or opportunity will put you in a position to achieve your goals faster or in a more enjoyable fashion than your current situation does.
- If you work in an industry where everyone knows everyone and you are trying to move from one company to the next, be honest with all parties as to why. Also ensure that you make clear to prospective employers the value that you can provide to them, as that can make them look past these other issues and hire you immediately.
- When you discover what your passion is, follow it at all costs throughout your career.
- To stay competitive in the job market, you must stay up to date on all of the latest technological trends in the industry and also continue to develop your core skills, like communication, networking, organization, leadership, etc.
- If you would like to start an engineering company, research the market to determine what services are most needed in the industry. Then figure out how your company would be better than those out there who are already offering that service.
- In order to build relationships and gain clients, you must network by attending social events and leveraging online tools like LinkedIn.
- If you wish to work for a specific company, you must understand that company, its needs, and the state of the industry.
- To develop your people skills, join an association and volunteer to take on a leadership role.
- To improve your presenting skills, consider joining Toastmasters International, and practice speaking in front of people as much as possible.
This is a guest post by Anthony Fasano, PE, author of Engineer Your Own Success. Anthony found success as an engineer at a very early age and now writes and podcasts to help other engineers do the same. Visit Anthony’s website at EngineeringCareerCoach.com for free engineering career advice and other resources.