Whether you work in aerospace engineering or automotive, there are key things every engineer needs to know to succeed in whatever field they are in. But these are not skills you typically learn from a book. Away from technical skills, engineers should also know and practice many of these personal skills.
It can take practice but presenting skills will serve an engineer well. After all, the more you do something, the better you will get at it. Start small by leading discussions in team environments, then open this up to larger groups. But remember, the technical side of engineering can be complex for an outsider to fully understand. An engineer also has to become skilled at demonstrating their language in a way that everyone can digest.
With presenting skills comes confidence. Many engineers are well known for being the more introverted type, but confidence can help you excel. Remember to understand the difference between confidence and arrogance though. Do not let your knowledge sore come you. In ways, the best way to showcase this confidence is by dealing well under pressure, using your initiative to solve problems in an efficient and controlled manner.
Multi-tasking is a given, so time management is key. Schedule and organise your day in order of priority. If you are not able to manage your time efficiently, this will soon project onto your work. But it can take practice to nail your processes. Completing bits of projects can become disorienting, so try finishing one project fully before you move onto the next. You never know, it may just give you an extra brew break!
Every engineer starts with a foundation of basic skills and knowledge. But when rightly excelling yourself in new projects, keep in mind not to lose touch with the skills that got you there in the first place. It will only prove harder when going back to simpler tasks. If you need, give yourself regular refreshers. With lots of free material out there, it is easy to keep yourself refreshed and up to date.
While you should keep in touch with your basic skills, you should also have an understanding of others. Having a good baseline of knowledge for other fields will serve you well when working on collaborative projects. Remember, to never shy away from learning new things. Learning new technical skills can only help you excel further and present you with new opportunities in the future.
Know when risks will return a reward. As engineering becomes more and more complex, engineers will find themselves hitting more technological barriers. There will be times when unintended results will be delivered, so what needs to be well thought is the risk of those decisions actually returning a reward. Some risks are worth taking, but learning when they are not, is a skill everyone engineer should possess.
If you need any support, either as a candidate or an employer, feel free to contact Rikin Suchak directly on 0115 786 0443 or email opportunities@source-talent.co.uk.
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