Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Engineer
Embarking on an engineering career can be a thrilling yet daunting journey. Uncover the wisdom and insights that seasoned professionals wish they had known before stepping into the world of engineering, and prepare yourself for the road ahead.
Career Paths for Engineers
Most entry-level engineering jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering
- More than 90 percent of engineers make well over the median salary for all workers
- Demand for engineers continues to rise across industries
- 140,000 new engineering jobs expected from 2016-2026
- Median annual salary is $91,000
Networking Matters
Strong relationships can take months, even years, to cultivate.
- Strike up connections with interesting people and do the work to stay in touch
- You have to make connections. Someone you meet on one project might not be the most helpful, but they are the go-to for information.
There Are a Lot of Opportunities
All products and industries need engineers
- Focusing your education and job search on a product or industry you have a passion for will allow you to find more enjoyable work
- A lot of engineers are retiring right now, but there are also design, infrastructure, and robotics jobs coming up
People Skills Are Required
People skills are required
Stay Nimble
Spend more time learning the many variations of the engineering process and where those processes are used. Having practice at picking up new processes and jargon would have made it much easier to integrate into new work environments.
It’s Not the Most Diverse
Yet
- Be aware that it’s not a universal experience.
Dive into real-world practice
The best way to create a strong bridge between what you know and what you can perform is to take part in projects that require action
There Will Be Meetings
Much of the work day is taken up by non-engineering: meetings, schedule, budget, purchasing, and customer discussions.
- The work that is needed to support the actual engineering effort is astounding. If not done properly, the engineering will not happen.”