TECC 131: Questions and Answers on Engineering Career Challenges and Critical Decisions

In this session of The Engineering Career Coach Podcast I am going to answer questions on engineering career challenges and critical decisions that some of our listeners have to make. Engineering Quotes: Here are the summary of questions and answers discussed in this episode: Question: If an engineering job offer comes up and you have no other offers waiting, but you know that it isn't what you truly want, do you just take it regardless, just because there is nothing better, or do you pass on the opportunity and find something else until you get an engineering offer you really are passionate about? Answer: At this point in your career, think experience, not passion You need to be a sponge right now and figure out your passion later. Don’t just take anything, but be lenient and flexible and start to get experience. Question: I want advice on how to get work experience and an engineering internship, where to get them, and anything else that I should start doing and get involved with now to give myself the best chance to succeed as an engineer?  My ideal goal is to work for NASA one day. Answer: Talk to engineers at NASA and ask them to mentor you. Contact your school alum department and find people who work at NASA. Go onto LinkedIn and search for NASA engineers and reach out to them. Improve your grades. Work hard, but get the blueprint from the horse’s mouth. Question: I would love to go back to school to study aerospace engineering but how would that look to prospective employers? Would it be worth the time, money, and effort to change careers this late in life? Answer: You are still young and can definitely still make a career change. I want to give you this quote by Jeff Bleustein: “This isn’t a practice life”. This is your only opportunity to go through life and make a career for yourself, so you want to do it the right way. Don’t just keep doing what you are doing, if you are not passionate about it. Always think about what the risks are associated with going to study engineering. Consider studying part time online for at least 6 – 12 months, just to give yourself an idea of what the job entails. Talk to other people that also started an engineering career later in their lives. Try it out, but minimize the risks and investment you have to make, until you are sure that you enjoy the engineering aspect of it. Question: I am looking for advice on how to approach my engineering company to request financial assistance with personal development programs.  Answer: Forget pitching your boss on Tony Robbins. Pitch him on how the seminar will make him and the engineering company more money. When you want to sell someone on something, you need to sell them on the benefits of it for them, not for you. Ask yourself if the seminar will make you more productive?  If yes, tell your boss how. Will it help you build more relationships that might yield opportunities?  If yes, tell him that and quantify it. More in this episode… In the Take Action Today segment of the show, I will answer one more question on a very tough career decision one of our listeners have to make. Stay focused, go after your dreams and keep moving toward your goals -  LL Cool J Books mentioned in this episode: Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Resources and links mentioned in this session include: One-on-One Career Coaching for Engineers